What to Put in Salads + Printable Salad Toppings Ideas List

What to Put in Salads to Keep it Interesting

We all know that eating salads is good for you - lots of veggies, healthy fats, and lean proteins. However, eating salads can get boring!

This is your ultimate guide for what to put in salads to make them tasty, unique, and healthy! Keep reading for tons of ideas for making tasty salads!

It's like creating a salad bar at home. When you have these salad components, you can mix and match toppings to make a different combo.

Summer dinners like salads are one of our favorite easy meals during the summertime. If you like to eat salads during the summer, check out these Healthy Mason Jar salad recipes for even more inspiration!

Base layer

The base layer begins with a leafy green. There are several choices to choose from.

• Lettuce: varieties such as iceberg, butter, leaf, and romaine can be found in your local grocery store. Epicurious shared more information about 18 types of lettuce that you may find useful when selecting.
• Spinach: There are many benefits to eating spinach, and this power leaf can be found in both bagged and loose form in pretty much any grocery store or farmer's market.
• Kale: Kale is a leafy and cruciferous lettuce that makes an excellent and hearty base for salads, especially winter salads. You may consider massaging the kale to break down some of the fibers and remove some bitterness.
• Chard: Swiss chard is another leafy vegetable that has beautiful stalks and is full of flavor. Similar to kale and collards, Swiss chard has a slightly bitter taste when eaten raw so you may consider massaging it to remove some of the fibers and bitterness.
• Collards: Collard greens are another delicious leafy choice similar to cabbage or broccoli.
• Arugula: Tangy and peppery, arugula is a stiffer leaf with great flavor and makes a great base layer.
• Pea Shoots: Pea shoots are often a part of stir fry recipes but can also make a delicious base layer.
• Cabbage: Shred this cruciferous leaf and consider massaging to tenderize the leaves.
• Coleslaw Mix: Great to use in a pinch and can be found in many grocery stores.
• Mesclun or Spring mix: Spring or Mesclun mix is a mix of 10 tender and young leaves. It can be found prepackaged or can be grown in your home garden.
• Beet greens: Beet greens are the leafy part of the beetroot and are a great way to use up the entire veggie.

Crunchy Salad Toppings

Crunchy salad toppings consist of crunchy raw vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Some of my favorite crunchy salad toppings include:

• Cucumbers
• Peppers
• Carrots
• Pea Pods
• Jicama
• Broccoli
• Brussels Sprouts (raw)
• Peas
• Radishes
• Water Chestnuts
• Onions
• Nuts - like our delicious candied Christmas walnuts!
• Seeds
• Croutons, pita chips or tortilla strips

Soft Salad Toppings

Soft toppings give a great texture balance to your salad. Pairing soft and crunchy salad toppings gives salads more flavor and taste.

• Tomatoes
• Beets
• Corn
• Potatoes
• Beans
• Squash
• Turnips
• Mushrooms
• Olives

Fun & Unique Items

Fun and unique toppings are the best way to add flavor and texture to your salad. Whether they are soft or hard, these toppings are a must-have!

• Avocado or simple guacamole
• Soft or hard cheeses
• Cooked pasta
• Cooked quinoa
• Fresh fruit (like in this spinach and strawberry salad!)
• Dried fruit
• Cooked rice
• Cooked farro
• Beans
• Cooked barley
• Fresh herbs
• Pomegranate arils

Protein

Below are a few examples of protein and plant-based protein for salads. Adding protein is a great way to make a salad filling and well-balanced.

• Eggs
• Salmon
• Sliced grilled or baked chicken
• Pan-seared shrimp or air-fried shrimp
• Lunchmeat
• Tempeh
• Tofu
• Edamame
• Tuna packets or Tuna Salad
• Rotisserie chicken or shredded chicken salad
• Chickpeas

Dressing

Whether using store-bought dressing or making a homemade Italian red wine vinaigrette, salad dressing is one of my favorite parts to add flavor to a salad. Below are a few ideas for how to dress your bowl.

• Bottled dressing
• Oil & Vinegar
• Hummus
• Greek Yogurt
• Tahini
• Lemon juice

Expert Tips for Making the Best Salads

• Use kitchen shears to cut lettuce and veggies into bite-sized pieces. This is the easiest way to make a chopped salad at home.
• Don't be afraid to experiment. The best combinations come from a mixture of what you have in the refrigerator and pantry.
• Use a printable graphic like my Build a Better Salad free printable to mix and match recipes and toppings to keep track of your favorites. This is my favorite way to come up with fresh ideas for what to put in salads.

What are the Best Ways to Store Salad?

If possible, keep ingredients in separate containers and assemble them once ready to eat them. This is a great way to let your family pick what they want on their salads and create a salad bar at home.

I like to prep my ingredients and store them in airtight containers in the refrigerator. If stored properly, many salad ingredients can be refrigerated for up to a week.

Mason Jar salads are a great option to meal prep and keep your veggies crisp and fresh as long as possible. To make a mason jar salad, layer the ingredients in the order as depicted below:

Most Popular Types of Salads or Flavor Combinations

Here is a guide to some of the most popular flavor combinations and what they include:

• Greek: Lettuce, feta cheese, tomato, cucumber, kalamata olives, lemon.
• Thai: Cabbage, kale, soy sauce, peanuts, onions, and peppers.
• Tossed or garden: Lettuce, tomato, cucumbers, carrots, and sometimes red onions.
• Caesar: Romaine lettuce, croutons, parmesan cheese, Caesar dressing, and sometimes anchovies.
• Cobb: Lettuce, chicken, egg, bacon, avocado, blue cheese.
• Wedge: Iceberg lettuce, blue cheese, bacon, cherry tomatoes.
• Caprese: Roma tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil.
• Chef: Ham, tomatoes, egg, turkey, lettuce, and cucumber.
• Southwest: Lettuce, black beans, avocados, red onion, pico de gallo or salsa, corn cilantro, and peppers.
• Italian: Lettuce, tomato, red onions, pepperoncini peppers, black olives, cherry tomatoes, parmesan cheese.

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