Tuna Salad, Pasta Salad and More Easy Salad Recipes the Whole Family Will Love (2024)

Facts How-Tos

Courtesy of Pete and Gerry's

Just like drinking hot water has health benefits and adding certain foods to your diet can increase the hormones that make you happy, eating salad has its health perks too. The best part is that salads don't have to be boring, bland or unsatisfying. Rather, you can pack them with nutritious ingredients that will keep you satiated until your next meal, or they can serve as the perfect appetizer or side dish. Here are some of the best easy, flavorful salads that the whole family will love.

Courtesy of West of the Loop

Canned tuna is a pantry staple that lasts for years, so if you've stocked up, this Southwestern Tuna and Rice Salad is the time to bring it out. Plus, the recipe also calls for black beans and rice — two more things that are probably already sitting in your pantry.

For the Southwestern Tuna and Rice Salad recipe, click here.

Courtesy of Seasonal Cravings

This salad will probably taste best in the spring when the produce is fresh and in-season. Don't worry about not having the right dressing to pair with this salad — the recipe comes complete with a dressing recipe that you can make fresh from scratch.

For the Spring Green Salad with Asparagus recipe, click here.

Courtesy of The Cheesecake Factory

Cobb salad is a classic, hearty meal that's full of delicious ingredients. This vegan take on the recipe is packed with foods you should eat every day. Keep in mind that the quinoa, green beans, asparagus and red beets need to be cooked ahead of time, so this salad does take longer to prepare than others.

For The Cheesecake Factory's Vegan Cobb Salad recipe, click here.

Courtesy of the Idaho Potato Commission and recipe author Tim Mahon

Apple varieties abound in the fall, and if you can get your hands on some Golden or Red Delicious, then this roasted rosemary potato and apple salad will be a crisp addition to your autumn dinner ideas.

For the Roasted Rosemary Idaho Potato and Apple Salad recipe, click here.

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This deviled ham salad might look like a recipe your kid tried to make, but it is so good spread over crackers or toast.

For the Deviled Ham Salad recipe, click here.

Courtesy of Ready Set Eat

Grilled zucchini is a popular dish during the summer months, so of course this summer zucchini salad is ideal for a hot day. Pair it with a grilled salmon or other light meat, and enjoy this fresh veggie drizzled in lemon juice and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.

For the Summer Zucchini Salad recipe, click here.

Courtesy of Seasonal Cravings

The peppery flavor of the arugula paired with the sweet orange and pomegranate makes this salad a great side to serve with Thanksgiving dinner. The dressing is light and won't overpower the quality of the base ingredients.

For the Arugula, Orange and Pomegranate Salad recipe, click here.

Courtesy of Seasonal Cravings

While Brussels sprouts aren't exactly a popular vegetable, they are quite good when tossed in a salad and mixed with an assortment of flavors that mask their sometimes sharp scent. Pair this salad featuring pear and pomegranate with your fall and winter dinners.

For the Brussels Sprout Salad With Pear and Pomegranate recipe, click here.

Courtesy of Seasonal Cravings

If you like orange juice with your breakfast, then chances are you'll love this kale and apple salad with maple mustard dressing. Orange juice and orange zest add tang to the crispy kale and apples.

For the Kale and Apple Salad With Maple Mustard Dressing recipe, click here.

Courtesy of Seasonal Cravings

Adding cucumber to your water is one way to stay hydrated while also adding flavor, but cucumbers are also hydrating on their own or in a salad, such as this light cucumber salad that has only five ingredients.

For the Cucumber Salad recipe, click here.

Courtesy of Seasonal Cravings

Add a little pizzazz to easy chicken recipes with this marinated tomato basil salad. You can either use it as a side or as a savory topping. Bonus: it takes only five minutes to prepare.

For the Marinated Tomato Basil Salad recipe, click here.

Courtesy of The Cheesecake Factory

If you've been making your favorite Mexican dishes at home, then you won't want to miss out on this Mexican tortilla salad. The chicken will be filling, and the fresh cabbage and tortilla strips will add a tasty crunch to the salad.

For The Cheesecake Factory's Mexican Tortilla Salad recipe, click here.

Courtesy of Seasonal Cravings

This watermelon and cucumber salad is perfectly light and pairs well with any summer dish and delicate wine. It's gluten free, and if you have a nut allergy, you can leave out the pistachios.

For the Watermelon and Cucumber Salad recipe, click here.

Courtesy of BeanInstitute.com

Whether you need a healthy idea for a packed school lunch or you forgot to make a side dish for dinner, this simple white bean salad is so easy to make. The salad itself uses only five nutritious ingredients and the four-ingredient dressing can be whipped up in under a minute.

For the Simple White Bean Salad recipe, click here.

Courtesy of McCormick

Broccoli is a healthy brain food you should add to your regular diet, but if you don't like eating the veggie plain, then this creamy broccoli salad is for you. The raisins and toppings will give the dish a hint of sweetness and crunch.

For the Creamy Broccoli Salad recipe, click here.

Courtesy of McCormick

One great cooking tip we learned from our parents is that frozen produce is often just as good as fresh. When it comes to this tomato and cucumber salad, though, fresh produce will really make this recipe pop.

For the Fresh Tomato and Cucumber Salad recipe, click here.

Courtesy of McCormick

If you're making a homemade pizza, this is one of the easiest side salads you can make to pair with it. Beforehand, make sure to pick up fresh garlic and Romaine lettuce on your grocery run.

For the Garlic Caesar Salad recipe, click here.

Courtesy of McCormick

Maybe apple pie vinaigrette isn't as exciting as an actual iconic apple pie, but when drizzled over a mixed green salad, it's a satisfying fall dish to add to the dinner table or to enjoy for lunch.

For the Mixed Green Salad With Apple Pie Vinaigrette recipe, click here.

Courtesy of McCormick

There are certain foods you should never bring to a cookout, and then there are certain foods that should always be at a cookout, like pasta salad.

For the Supreme Pasta Salad recipe, click here.

Courtesy of McCormick

While things like creamed corn and cornbread may be very Southern recipes, this zesty corn and cucumber salad has spices, lime juice and cilantro that make it distinctly Southwestern.

For the Zesty Corn and Cucumber Salad recipe, click here.

Courtesy of The Cheesecake Factory

Salmon is a great food to incorporate in your diet to boost vitamin D levels, and when the fish is on a bed of crisp kale and arugula topped with quinoa, almonds, cranberries and avocado, it might be too good to put down.

For The Cheesecake Factory's Almond-Crusted Salmon Salad recipe, click here.

Courtesy of McCormick

There are over a hundred ways to cook an egg, and this classic egg potato salad is just one of the methods. If you have eggs you need to use up, this recipe uses six.

For the Classic Egg Potato Salad recipe, click here.

Courtesy of McCormick

Once you've mastered cooking your pasta perfectly, switch up how you incorporate it into your meals by turning it into a salad. This penne pasta salad with spinach and tomatoes is delicious — don't forget the mozzarella cheese balls.

For the Penne Pasta Salad with Spinach and Tomatoes recipe, click here.

Courtesy of McCormick

Frozen fruits are great for refreshing summer recipes, but when you have fresh produce from the local market, chop it up and use it in this vanilla fruit salad.

For the Very Vanilla Fruit Salad recipe, click here.

Courtesy of Pete and Gerry's

There are lots of ways to cook a potato, and while making potato salad is one of the best ways to satisfy your appetite for something hearty and filling, it's not always the healthiest option. Try this keto cauliflower salad when you're craving potato salad but trying to maintain a balanced diet.

For the Keto Cauliflower Salad recipe, click here.

Courtesy of Hood

If you typically bring pasta salads to game day get-togethers, then this recipe should be your next go-to. It takes only 15 minutes to make and is totally refreshing.

For the Cucumber and Dill Pasta Salad recipe, click here.

Courtesy of The Cheesecake Factory

Brimming with foods that boost your immune system, this wellness salad from The Cheesecake Factory is a hearty lunch option. Make sure to allow time to roast or blanch the broccoli before assembling your salad.

For The Cheesecake Factory's Wellness Salad recipe, click here.

Courtesy of Planet Oat

The hint of lemon might make this quinoa salad seem fit for the summer, but this is a salad you can make year-round for a healthy side to any meal. Bonus: quinoa is good for strong gut health.

For the Summer Quinoa Salad with Creamy Lemon Dressing recipe, click here.

Courtesy of Planet Oat

If you want to make dinner at home feel like a restaurant, this layered mason jar farro and chickpea salad will do just the trick. The presentation is as cute as it is tasty.

For the Layered Mason Jar Farro and Chickpea Salad recipe, click here.

istock.com/cheche22

The Waldorf salad is definitely a vintage recipe that needs to come back, and with this easy recipe, you can make it at home all you want.

For the Waldorf Salad recipe, click here.

Dream79/Shutterstock

If you have eggs that are nearing their expiration date, use them up in this four-ingredient egg salad recipe.

For the 'Dill-licious' Egg Salad recipe, click here.

iStock.com/MychkoAlezander

German potato salad is an iconic dish in Texas as well as other states with large populations of German immigrants.

For the German Potato Salad recipe, click here.

© Lschirmbeck/Dreamstime.com

Tuna is a great food to eat for a healthy thyroid, and to make tuna salad a healthier meal, you can swap mayonnaise for Greek yogurt and avocado. It will be just as creamy as you like but filled with healthy fats and other important nutrients.

For the Healthy Tuna Salad recipe, click here.

© Martin Rettenberger/Dreamstime.com

Whether you buy brown eggs or white eggs, this healthy egg salad is a great recipe to use when you're not sure what to make for lunch. It's simple, nutritious and pairs well with your favorite type of bread.

For the Healthy Egg Salad recipe, click here.

Courtesy of Ready Set Eat

Potato salad, while delicious and filling, can also be a bit heavy when paired with other foods. The cauliflower in this version is a lighter take on the classic recipe, so it'll be ideal to pair with easy weeknight dinners.

For the Creamy Ranch Potato and Cauliflower Salad recipe, click here.

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