Salad recipes for weight loss: Healthy, tasty & homemade

Quick, easy and delicious, salads have evolved as a humble first-course at dinner to a well-rounded meal you can enjoy nearly any time of day. Building your own salads at a favorite sandwich shop counter, city deli, restaurant buffet or café has been popular for decades. 

This is especially true for busy professionals who are trying to stay on-track with their eating habits. And while it allows you to create your own healthy meal options during your lunch break, buying a chopped salad at your local corner spot can add up!

If you’re thinking about DIY salads, there are so many great reasons to start making them yourself. Besides the weekly savings, they’re a great way to lose weight when incorporated into a sensible meal plan and the right weight loss program. 

Based on your weight loss goals, personal preferences, food sensitivities/allergies, and other specifications, making your own salads at home allows you to control exactly what’s in your food. With an endless variety of clean, whole-food options, it’s easy to learn how to make nutritious salads that are not only filling, but delicious. 

At Found, one of our primary goals is to show you how to re-think your nutrition as it goes way beyond your plate. With a focus on holistic weight care, our caring team of experts provides insight into treating you on an individual level, both body and mind. 

Passionately committed to body positivity and acceptance, we’re proud of our members, who have achieved many milestones – celebrating not only weight loss but a new outlook on life. Discover some of these inspired salad recipes and get ready to meet your weight loss goals – without sacrificing great taste!

Top ten salads for weight loss: Nutritious never tasted so good!

This fall, we’ve amassed some of our favorite healthy salad recipes to kick-start your weight loss goals. Swimsuit season may be over, but there’s no time like the present to get into healthy eating habits (and have fun experimenting in the kitchen with new flavors)! 

From healthy pasta salad recipes to our favorite Southwest-style salads, we bet that these creative and delicious salad ideas will have you inspired in no time. Check out our top ten list of healthy salad recipes for weight loss and get chopping:

1.) Low-Carb Chicken Caesar Salad

If you’re searching for healthy chicken salad recipes for weight loss, look no further! In addition to being loaded with protein and low in carbohydrates, this delectable Caesar salad is super-easy to make, as the author promises you’ll be enjoying it for lunch or dinner in about 30 minutes flat. 

Enjoy layers of savory flavors. This salad has crunchy romaine, zesty chives, creamy avocado, and tangy parmesan. It’s easy to see why this recipe is an internet favorite. 

Bonus: unlike restaurant-style Caesar salads, which aren’t usually healthy (especially the salad dressing loaded with calories!). 

This one features a yogurt-based salad dressing that’s both light yet robust. Plus, it can be prepared in advance, so you can grab and go for a nutritious work lunch that will keep you satisfied for hours!

2.) Healthy Steak Cobb Salad

Just because you’re watching your calories, you don’t have to give up eating steak. In fact, when eaten in moderation, lean cuts of beef can actually benefit your weight loss goals. The Mayo Clinic recommends choosing certain cuts of beef as lower-fat options, such as eye round, sirloin, and bottom round roast. 

While this salad does feature some indulgent ingredients – the crumbled gorgonzola and crisp bacon add a distinctive flavor synonymous with a classic Cobb salad – the author has reduced the amount of both ingredients, keeping portions under control. However, you could easily swap out turkey bacon for a lighter version and omit the cheese for fewer calories. 

This salad is truly meal-worthy, as it’s rich in protein and super filling. We love the avocado-lime dressing, which elevates this already mouth-watering salad recipe. Bonus: at only 478 calories per serving, this clean-eating Cobb recipe is just as good as any salad you’d have at a restaurant.

3.) Grilled Chicken Salad With Healthy Ranch Dressing

For many people, ranch dressing is a favorite – but it’s off-limits when you’re trying to eat healthier, right? Actually, no – not if you make it yourself! We’ve found a delicious homemade ranch dressing recipe that’s perfect for using on a variety of different salads. 

However, the author has featured a fabulous grilled chicken salad recipe, loaded with tasty components that are filling as they are nutritious. With the ranch dressing made from healthy ingredients, including non-fat Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, tangy lemon juice, and a variety of savory herbs, we foresee this refreshing and flavorful salad becoming a mealtime staple year-round.

4.) Greek Salad With Grilled Shrimp

Combining the Mediterranean flavors of a traditional Greek salad with the goodness of grilled shrimp, this yummy salad is both filling and nutritious. The author explains her quest for the perfect spice blend for the grilled shrimp (she loves adding freshly-squeezed lemon juice), delivering a light and bright flavor profile that really makes this salad recipe a standout. 

Featuring crunchy chopped romaine, diced cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, briny Kalamata olives, and tangy feta cheese, the herb-infused dressing ties this summer salad together perfectly. Even if it’s the middle of winter, we guarantee you’ll get some warm-weather vibes dining on this gluten-free salad recipe!

5.) Zesty Taco Salad With Chicken & Avocado

Who says salad has to be boring? If you’re craving bold flavors and crunch with a Mexican twist, this recipe delivers! Featuring poached chicken as the star of the show, this bright and festive salad is a great cure for the winter blues.

From vitamin C-rich kale to a kicky jalapeno-spiked dressing, this fast and healthy salad is easily one of our favorites this fall. Bonus: low calorie and high in fiber, this recipe is gluten-free, egg-free, nut-free, soy-free, and low in sodium, making it an ideal salad option for anyone with food sensitivities or dietary restrictions.

6.) Healthy & Easy Egg Salad

If you love egg salad but want a healthier alternative – your search is over! This healthy egg salad recipe is awesome for so many reasons. The author not only shares four different ways to enjoy this salad beyond toasted bread, but her major swap (Greek yogurt instead of mayo) saves calories without sacrificing taste. 

Creating a flavorful dressing of Greek yogurt, lemon zest, and Dijon mustard, the crunch of celery and parsley perfectly accents this classic luncheon favorite. 

Bonus: Featuring beautiful step-by-step instructions, the author includes photos and links to the kitchen equipment she uses to whip up this satisfying salad. 

7.) Southwest Kale & Black Bean Salad

When you’re in the mood for a vegetarian salad that’s big on flavor, but short on prep-time – we’ve got you covered. This Southwest black bean and kale salad are ideal for quick lunches, or a great way to add veggies to your supper in a pinch. While it showcases an array of fresh produce, including tomatoes, cilantro, corn, and onions, we think the headliner here is the spicy lime-cumin dressing, which kicks it up a notch just perfectly. 

The black beans are both rich in protein and filling, making this satisfying salad an easy go-to during those busy weekdays. Bonus: to make this salad even more filling and protein-rich, the author suggests adding grilled chicken (we think baked tofu Southwest-style would be a great vegan protein option, too). Sliced avocados would also be an excellent add-on to this healthy salad recipe.

Looking for more easy healthy recipes for weight loss? Read our resources on healthy vegetarian recipes for weight loss and healthy juice recipes for weight loss. 

8.) Healthy Tuna Salad

There’s nothing quite like a savory tuna salad – served up on gluten-free toast, over a bed of the salad green of your choice like romaine lettuce, or scooped up in fat-free vegan pita chip, it really hits the spot! For a lighter twist on this lunchtime staple, the author suggests loading it up with lots of crunchy celery, making it diet-friendly, since you’ll fill up faster. 

The big bonus here? Subbing Greek yogurt for mayo, which can save you hundreds of calories per serving! Easy, perfectly seasoned, high in protein, and boasting probiotics from the yogurt, this salad will keep for up to 4 days if refrigerated in an airtight container. Serve over fresh hearts of romaine for a low-carb lunch (or fuss-free dinner)!

9.) Greek Salad With Quinoa

A healthy riff on a classic favorite, this Greek-inspired salad from Bobby Flay gets its authentic European flavor from juicy Kalamata olives and creamy feta cheese or goat cheese crumbles. Delicious as a side or a light main, this homemade salad is as colorful as it is gourmet. Featuring heart-healthy garlic and the digestive benefits of vinegar, it packs both flavor and nutrition in every bite. 

Consider this Greek quinoa salad as an elegant option for a small dinner party, since it has that “wow” factor when plated! Bonus: since the recipe calls for preparing in advance, it allows the flavors to marinade – and gives you extra time to get ready for guests! Plus, quinoa is a gluten-free grain, making this recipe ideal for gluten intolerance or reducing carb intake.

10.) Mediterranean Shirazi Salad

Served traditionally along with rice and stews, this traditional Iranian salad is a simple yet savory side salad to add to your next meal. Packed with fresh ingredients, Shirazi salad gets its vibrant flavors from zesty lime, ripe tomatoes, refreshing cucumbers, crisp green bell pepper, and red onions; all tossed in a simple olive oil-based dressing. 

This mouth-watering salad pairs wonderfully with a variety of entrees, including wraps, oven-roasted chicken breast, and even a lean cut of flank steak. For those who wish to keep it vegan, the author suggests mixing in some chickpeas for added protein. 

Bonus: with only a few ingredients, this easy salad recipe comes together quickly and is a great way to incorporate extra veggies into nearly any meal!

Sources cited:

 “25 Easy Salads for Weight Loss in 25 Minutes.” Eating Well (eatingwell.com), May 4, 2021, https://www.eatingwell.com/gallery/7901324/25-minute-salad-recipes-for-weight-loss/. Accessed October 26, 2021.

“Cuts of beef: A guide to the leanest selections.” Mayo Clinic (mayoclinic.org), October 29, 2019, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/cuts-of-beef/art-20043833. Accessed October 26, 2021.

“How To Set Weight Loss Goals.” Found (blog page: joinfound.com/blogs), October 5, 2021, https://joinfound.com/blogs/weight-loss/how-to-set-weight-loss-goals. Accessed October 26, 2021.