If you've been a vegetarian for a while, I know this has probably happened to you: you're at a restaurant or maybe someone's house and they don't have anything for you to eat, so you end up with a side salad as a meal. And obviously, it's the thought that counts--I mean, they tried right? But a plate full of lettuce and a stray tomato or two isn't exactly filling. Well, these aren't those kinds of salads. These are meal-worthy vegetarian salads! 50 of them! Salads full of vegetables, beans, grains, tofu, and other delicious, satisfying things.
Butternut Squash, Lentil & Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing
Grilled Veggie Salad with Basil Parmesan Polenta
Kale and Delicata Squash Salad with Citrus-Maple Vinaigrette
Sesame-Crusted Tofu Salad with Spicy Peanut Dressing [Savory Simple]
Indian Chickpea Yogurt Salad [Healthy Slow Cooking]
Summer Samosa Salad [Earthy Feast]
Vegetable Nicoise Salad [Saving Room for Dessert]
Feta and Kalamata Olive Tortellini Pasta Salad [The Little Kitchen]
Tofu Greek Salad with Char-Grilled Vegetables and Lemon-Dill Dressing [Greek Vegetarian]
Warm Cauliflower & Israeli Couscous Salad
Freekeh, Zucchini & Pistachio Salad
Mango Black Bean Salad
Brown Rice Greek Salad [The Lemon Bowl]
Strawberry Feta Salad [Kitchen Treaty]
Roasted Garbanzo and Vegetable Salad with Garlic, Feta, Olives & Basil [Kalyn's Kitchen]
Southwestern Black Bean Salad [Cookie Monster Cooking]
Asian Quinoa Salad [Two Peas & Their Pod]
Layered Raw Taco Salad for Two [Oh She Glows]
Thai Tofu and Noodle Salad
Chopped Power Salad with Baked Tofu and Almond-Miso Dressing
Roasted Butternut Squash Kale Salad with Orange-Sage Dressing
Lentil Salad with Brown Rice & Veggies [Persnickety Plates]
Cashew Cabbage Crunch Salad [Spabettie]
Chickpea Cobb Salad Cups [Vegetarian Ventures]
Greek Salad in Whole Grain Spelt Mini Pitas [Food Doodles]
Shredded Brussels Sprout Salad with Warm Lemon-Chili Vinaigrette [Culinary Colleen]
Roasted Summer Panzanella [Vanilla and Spice]
Herbed French Lentil Salad
Cucumber Chickpea Salad with Lemony Tahini Dressing
Grilled Peach Salad with Jalapeño Vinaigrette [Healthy Delicious]
Sweet + Spicy Thai Farro Salad [The Fig Tree]
Crunchy Asian Chopped Cabbage Salad with Peanut Dressing [The Spicy RD]
Garden Farro Salad with Feta [Aggie's Kitchen]
Green Bean & Avocado Summer Salad [Cooking & Beer]
Three-Grain Salad with Sweet Red Onion Dressing [A Farmgirl's Dabbles]
Soba Noodle & Vegetable Salad [In Pursuit of More]
Inside-Out Chinese Spring Roll Salad [The Daily Dish]
Summer Orzo Salad
Mediterranean Kidney Bean Salad
Pesto-Bean Topped Salad [Diet, Dessert and Dogs]
Spinach, Avocado & Artichoke Salad [Mountain Mama Cooks]
Pad Thai Salad [Leaf + Grain]
Curry Lentil and Roasted Butternut Squash Salad [Noshing with the Nolands]
Tomato, Peach and Burrata Salad [What's Gaby Cooking]
Falafel Salad [The Flourishing Foodie]
Vegetarian Salad Cookbooks!
If you're looking for more vegetarian and vegan salad recipes, here are some additional resources:
Mollie Katzen's Recipes: Salads
132+ Delicious Salads, Dressings And Dips: (Gabrielle's FUSS-FREE Healthy Veg Recipes)
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
I love salads and am always looking for fresh inspiration - such a great round-up!
Viswa says
I have a request, Could you put it in an ebook or pdf, that way I can have it printed!
These are awesome recipes and I cannot wait for your book to come out.
Viswa says
Oops, I just realized that they are not all yours!! 🙂 Nevertheless, good collection
Kiersten says
Sorry, you'll have to print them off one-by-one! 🙂
Madeleine says
These all look delicious! I have salad as dinner several times a week, and it's always nice to find different kinds to vary it up a little!
Kiersten says
August is DEFINITELY a good time for salads for dinner. 🙂
Liz @ I Spy Plum Pie says
I have salads as a meal ALL the time! I make a big salad on a Sunday night and take it to work for lunch for a few days - as long as it's got beans or lots of veggies then it keeps me nice and full. Thanks for all the inspiration for new salads to try!
Nicole says
Awesome list! Thanks for sharing. I really want to try the grilled cheese chop salad!
Kare @ Kitchen Treaty says
I've been wanting to do a round-up like this for awhile! It is so counter-intuitive that salads on the menusat restaurants are rarely vegetarian, and if one happens to be, it's designated as a side. Or if you have them leave the meat off, you still pay for the meat, but all you get is a dissatisfying pile of lettuce. IT'S SO NOT COOL!
😉
Thanks for including my recipe!
Kiersten says
Yes! Like at Panera. Why Panera? Why so many meaty salads?!
Alissa N says
I love hearty salads in the summer!! These all look fantastical, and thank you so much for including one of mine, it totally made my day!! You are the best 🙂
Kiersten says
Thank you for the recipe! 😀
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says
So many delicious vegetarian salad recipes!! Thanks for sharing, Kiersten 🙂
Molly says
I am so happy to see the 50-meal-worthy-vegetarian-salads, I am a lover of salads, I could eat them year-round. Thanks Love it!!
Brittany @WeHeartVegan says
YAY I just bookmarked this page. Salads are so so great for summertime!! Thankkk you (:
Lisa @ Greek Vegetarian says
Wow, another fabulous list! There are enough salads here to last me a lifetime! Summer Samosa, Strawberry Feta, Falafel Salad – they all sound amazing! And thanks for including one of my recipes 🙂
Kiersten says
Of course! 🙂
Grace @ FoodFitnessFreshAir says
It's funny. Salads as meals get such a stigma because of that dinner scenario you described above. But with enough of the right ingredients, they really can make a hearty and awesome dinner or lunch. Great roundup!
Connie says
oh wow. saving this one for later reference. Thanks for the post!
[email protected] says
This is a great list! Thanks for putting this together.
Julia says
What a great reference! I am a salad lover so this will come in handy!
Katie (The Muffin Myth) says
What a great list! I love making big salads for dinner a couple of nights a week, and I'm always looking for inspiration. So many things to try here! Thanks Kiersten!
Kelly @ Texas Type A Mom says
I love eating salads but get in a salad rut - these are great inspiration!
Mackenzie says
I LOVE salads... and these all look amazing!