5 Refreshing Yet Filling Salad Recipes That Are Hearty Enough for Dinner
Given many popular fruits and veggies come into season in the warm months, it’s no surprise that summer is peak salad season. Besides, a light, cooling meal stacked with colorful produce is especially appealing when you’re sweaty and sluggish due to the heat. Not only will the veggies not sit heavy in your stomach, only increasing your fatigue, they’ll also help hydrate you thanks to their high water content, Anthea Levi, MS, RD, a Brooklyn-based health writer and founder of Alive+Well Nutrition, tells SELF.
But H2O isn’t all salads have to offer. Common ingredients—veggies, of course, but also fruits, legumes (like beans), nuts, seeds, and whole grains—are “naturally rich in dietary fiber that supports your gut microbiome and cardiovascular health,” Levi says. Despite its importance, most Americans actually don’t take in nearly enough of this essential type of carb, so having a salad for lunch (or any other meal) is a smart choice if you want to prioritize hitting that daily goal (not to mention keep constipation from clogging up your pipes!).
And while salads have a reputation for skimping on protein, it doesn’t have to be that way. Just pop in an animal product like chicken or a plant-based alternative like tofu to instantly boost that macro—and take a plain plateful of greens from skimpy to satisfying. Don’t believe us? Just scroll down for our comeback: Five original summer salad recipes that each deliver at least 21 grams of protein (and in one case, twice that!). With just “a pinch of effort” (a.k.a. not cutting corners), Levi promises, any of these can be turned into a meal worthy of a restaurant.
Photo by Anthea Levi1. Craveable Kale Salad
In the case of this salad, “craveable” is right: Juicy Medjool dates, sweet corn, and salty Manchego cheese combine for that salty-sweet flavor we can’t get enough of. This vegetarian recipe also delivers more than 25 grams of protein—“a great reminder that you can prepare protein-rich meals sans meat, poultry, or fish,” Levi says. In addition to protein, this kale-heavy dish is also an excellent source of micronutrients like vitamin K and magnesium, both of which support bone health.
Pro tip: Not vegetarian? Trade in the tofu for shredded chicken. Running late? If you don’t have time to cook your farro from scratch, swap in pre-cooked frozen brown rice and heat it up in the microwave—or try quinoa for a gluten-free substitute.
Photo by Anthea Levi2. Gut-Boosting Grapefruit and Arugula Salad
With this salad, Levi had one main objective in mind: to create a recipe brimming with nutrients that support healthy digestion—while still tasting delicious and refreshing. To that end, this vegan dish is stacked with bitter foods like arugula, radicchio, and grapefruit, all of which “stimulate the body's production of stomach acid, bile, and the digestive enzymes that help us break down our food and move it through our GI tract,” Levi says. Of course, the ingredient list doesn’t end there: Green peas, lentils, and avocado chunks add some extra fiber, and cilantro and toasted pumpkin seeds take the flavor (and anti-inflammatory properties) up a notch.
Pro tip: Use pre-cooked or canned lentils rather than the dry kind to save on time. If you opt for canned lentils, rinse and drain well before adding them to your salad bowl.
Photo by Anthea Levi3. Cheeseburger and Fries Salad
When Carina Wolff of the food blog Kale Me Maybe shared a version of this on Instagram, Levi knew right away that she needed to recreate it and put her own spin on it. “It’s a summertime barbecue staple in salad form—the best of both worlds,” she says. And between classic burger elements like cheese, pickles, caramelized onions, and even baked fries, the final result is hearty enough that you’ll barely even notice you’re missing out on the bun. “Salad skeptics won’t need to scavenge for a snack soon after eating this,” Levi says. “With nearly 35 grams of satiating protein per serving, it’s just as filling as the real deal.”
Pro tip: You can make this dish more heart-healthy by swapping the lean ground beef for ground turkey (or a crumbled veggie burger if you want a vegetarian option) and the cheddar for diced avocado. These tweaks will help lower the saturated fat per serving and, in the case of the avocado, also bump up the fiber content. To boost the nutritional value even further, try adding a spoonful of raw sauerkraut on top for a dose of gut-friendly probiotics.
Photo by Anthea Levi4. Spicy Peanut Shrimp Salad
“I'll be honest: I'm a sucker for cold peanut noodles,” Levi says. Using that classic combo as a jumping-off point as she developed this recipe, she added veggies and proteins for some balance. The final result: A blood sugar-friendly meal—the balance of macros prevents big spikes and then subsequent crashes—that not only offers a medley of textures (creamy peanut sauce, silky soba noodles, and crunchy radishes, carrots, and salted peanuts) but also keeps you satisfied for a while.
Pro tip: Thanks to its robust protein content, this salad “would make a great meal to eat for muscle recovery after a tough strength training session,” Levi says. We’re stashing this in the fridge for our next leg day.
Photo by Anthea Levi5. Fab Fattoush Salad
Levi says she would happily eat Mediterranean food every day for the rest of her life, so “I knew at least one of my summer salad recipes should reflect this inclination.” Inspired by a menu item at the Soho restaurant Shuka, this salad is packed with plant foods for major microbiome benefits, and delivers “ample flavor and texture” thanks to ingredients like salty halloumi cheese, spiced chicken thighs, zippy herbs, and crunchy pita chips, Levi says. “I'm a firm believer that salads need to be full of goodies in order to truly satisfy,” Levi says. Read: There should be more to your bowl than boring, plain romaine.
Pro tip: Swap the chicken thighs for spiced chickpeas or lentils to keep this salad vegetarian.
Related:
- 5 High-Protein Vegan and Vegetarian Breakfasts to Power Your Morning
- 7 Combos to Add at Least 15 Grams of Protein to Bagged Salads, According to Dietitians
- 6 Ways to Make Creative, Filling Salads That Keep You Satisfied, According to an R.D.
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