Salad pairs perfectly with so many types of food, it’s hard to see how it could ever go wrong!

Maybe you’re getting tired of throwing together the same salad you have for years and looking for a fun way to add new flavors to your life. 

Salad is a great way to heighten the experience of any meal. Whether it’s a barbecue get-together or a five-course wedding, adding a side salad is the perfect way to elevate the taste of your meal with fresh ingredients. They are so simple to make and you can easily customize to fit any desired taste or style, they truly are a useful go-to side dish for anyone! Sometimes we can get bogged down in our routines, and we need inspiration to create delicious masterpieces once again. Luckily, we’re here to be the spark of that inspiration for you with these amazing and fun salad recipes we know you’ll love! There’s so much flavor and variety in these three recipes alone, there are countless dishes that will pair perfectly! 

Image by Tasty Low Carb Recipes

Antipasto Salad

Who doesn’t love the taste of Italy? If you’re looking to add some refinement to your meals, adding this nice, hearty take on traditional salads is the perfect way to achieve that elegant zest with minimal effort. The medley of fresh herbs, veggies, and aged meats and cheeses is sure to make any meal sensational. Plus, it’s so easy, you can make it in only 3 simple steps!  

Image by Tasty Low Carb Recipes

Ingredients

Salad

• 1 lb grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup black olives, sliced
• 1/2 cup green olives, sliced
• 1/2 cup sliced pepperoncinis
• 1 cup chopped marinated artichokes
• 4 ounces thin sliced salami, quartered
• 1 cup cheese of choice (crumbled feta, cubed manchego, or a mixture of both may yield best results)

Dressing

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• 1 handful of fresh Parsley, chopped

Directions 

1. Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, mix dressing ingredients. Pour into salad and toss until evenly coated.
3. Salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!

Image by Tasty Thin

Chopped Asian Chicken Salad

If you’re a fan of coleslaw, this zesty mix is sure to be a new favorite dish! Following the same basic components, this salad features tangy Asian-style dressing, shredded chicken, and a bed of fresh cabbage and carrots. Alongside its great taste, this salad actually also possesses a number of ingredients that are incredibly helpful in aiding your body’s digestion, helping you to enjoy your meal even more both inside and out! 

Image by Tasty Thin

Ingredients

Salad

• 4 cups coleslaw mix 
• 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 cup shredded chicken breast*
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds
• 2 green onions, finely sliced
• 1 Tablespoon sesame seeds 

Asian Dressing

• 1/4 cup coconut aminos
• 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 Tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 3 large pitted dates

Directions

1. Place the salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss to mix evenly. 
2. In a small blender, combine all of the ingredients for the Asian sauce and blend until dates are completely ground to achieve a creamy texture. 
3. Pour the sauce onto the salad mix and toss to coat or store separately until ready to serve and enjoy!

Looking for an Easier Option?

Mealfit offers a number of resources to make meal-stress a thing of the past. We know how it feels to live an on-the-go lifestyle and how that can make mealtime a big hassle, so we wanted to do something about it! Simply put, we make eating easier! One way that you can take advantage of this is by swapping out one of the most time-consuming steps in preparation for this meal! Unless you buy store-bought and pre-cooked shredded chicken, odds are you’ have to do it yourself. But with Mealfit, we can do the cooking for you, by letting us prepare the high quality shredded chicken for you, you can have a 5 star meal with hardly any effort! Here’s what we had to say about our delicious shredded chicken: 

“Slow Roasted all white meat chicken breast, hand pulled and seasoned to perfection. This is great as a protein by itself, or wonderful in soups, stews, casseroles, or tacos.” 

We offer a number of other high-quality ingredients, be sure to check out our Meals by the Pound selection to see some of the other ways we can help make eating easier for you! 

Image by  The Food Charlatan

Broccoli and Bacon Salad

Bacon makes everything better, there’s no denying. And salad is definitely not an exception! This Broccoli and Bacon Salad features a colorful mix of cheese, fresh broccoli, onion, sweet cranberries, nutty sunflower seeds, and crispy bacon, all drizzled in a creamy, sprightly dressing. Who could resist such a vibrant array of flavors? 

Image by The Food Charlatan

Ingredients

Salad

•  10-11 strips of bacon, cooked
•  2 heads broccoli (about 1 and 1/2 pounds or 5-6 cups)
•  1 cup dried cranberries
•  1/3 cup roasted and salted sunflower seeds
•  1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
•  1/3 cup chopped red onion, or more to taste

Dressing

•  1 and 1/4 cups Miracle Whip OR mayonnaise
•  zest from 1 lemon
•  1 Tablespoon lemon juice
•  2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
•  1/4 cup sugar
•  1 and 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
•  1/2 teaspoon black pepper
•  1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
•  1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions

1. Prepare the bacon by cooking or baking as you would normally. 
2. In a large bowl, mix the ingredients for the dressing using a whisk.
3. Slowly start combining ingredients of the salad with the dressing mix. Add the broccoli, cranberries, and seeds and combine evenly. 
4. Then add the onion, bacon (reserve some for garnish), and any other ingredients as well, mix evenly. 
5. Garnish, serve and enjoy or let rest in the refrigerator until later!

Salads are the perfect addition to any meal. 

Regardless of whatever food you may be serving, adding a delicious side salad not only makes the meal all the more filling but also adds a fresh and flavorful element as well! These are the perfect recipes to explore new flavor combinations while staying true to the loved traditional style of side salads! 

We hope you enjoy this list of flavorful side salad recipes. If you tried any of the things we provided, make sure to let us know! For more recipes and tips, follow us on social media and make sure to check out our weekly blog posts where we share our new favorite recipes and must-know facts about food and living a healthy lifestyle! Check out the other meal options Mealfit provides such as our Weekly Specials, Individual Meals, and other Meals by the Pound.