The Best Chopped Salads to Make for Dinner Right Now

An overhead view of a chef's salad with grilled chicken and black pepper ranch dressing — Photo: Meredith Food Studios

When it comes to dinner, salad always sounds like a prelude and not the main attraction. But a great salad can be both filling and satisfying. And with warmer weather here, having some easy, no-cook salad suppers at hand will make for fabulous dinners all season long. Pro tip: Main dish salads are an excellent lighter option for potlucks and barbecues!

Get your summer salad game on point starting this week with our 10 best chopped salads to make for dinner.

01 of 12

Chopped Salad with Buttermilk Dressing

top-down view of two salad plates — Allrecipes Magazine

A fresh ranch-like dressing enhances this veggie-forward salad. This is a perfect side dish on its own, but adding some grilled chicken or steak is a complete meal in a bowl. Want to make it a vegetarian main dish? Toss in a can of drained chickpeas or some cubes of crispy fried tofu.

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02 of 12

Cobb Salad

a composed salad with hard-cooked egg, tomatoes, chicken, avocado, crumbled bacon, and blue cheese — Kim's Cooking Now

A classic Cobb salad might be the original chopped salad that eats like a meal. Beautifully composed stripes of chicken, egg, blue cheese, bacon, and avocado offer a visual wow factor, and the flavors are terrifically punchy. This version calls for ranch dressing, but it works with vinaigrettes, blue cheese, or red French-style dressings as well.

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03 of 12

Spicy Southwest Chopped Salad with Salsa Verde

closeup of a salad in a red bowl garnished with a lime wedge — linda2d

Bring some Southwest flair to your chopped salad by making a vibrant avocado and corn salsa to top grilled chicken and lettuce with black beans.

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04 of 12

Chopped Brussels Sprout Salad

top-down view of a brown ceramic bowl of salad — PeanutKrow

If you think Brussels sprouts are just for roasting, this raw shaved salad will change your mind. It has a Dijon shallot vinaigrette, and is enhanced with almonds and cranberries, which makes it a perfect side dish. Just add a filet of grilled salmon or some pulled pork for a complete meal.

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05 of 12

My Big Fat Greek Salad

closeup of a red bowl holding a colorful salad with tomatoes, cucumber, and feta — Kim's Cooking Now

A traditional Greek salad might be one of the most refreshing dishes out there, with a bright red-wine vinegar dressing and enhanced with feta cheese, kalamata olives, and fresh oregano. While this salad is a vegetarian entrée all on its own, you can up the protein by adding chickpeas or serving with grilled shrimp or chicken.

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06 of 12

Kale and Feta Salad

closeup of a salad with lacinato kale, cubed apple, toasted pine nuts, and feta — France C

Kale is one of those hearty greens that makes a salad truly satisfying. This version leans into sweet to temper the bitterness with apple and currants; the sweet nuttiness of pine nuts and salty feta round out the plate. Want to next-level this salad? Top it with grilled skirt steak.

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07 of 12

Chopped Turkey Salad with Grapes

a mixed green salad topped with turkey salad, chopped celery, halved red grapes, and scallions on a white plate — Kim

A leafy salad topped with a scoop of chicken or tuna salad is classic. This version swaps in a creamy turkey salad for a fun twist, and adds grapes for pops of sweetness.

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08 of 12

Chorizo-Spiced Party-Sized Chopped Veggie Salad

a kale salad with cucumber, cauliflower, mushrooms, carrot, and radishes on a rectangular white platter — Soup Loving Nicole

Chorizo, that spicy fresh Mexican sausage, is one of those flavor profiles that just sings. This fun chopped kale salad takes the flavors in that sausage and creates a salad dressing with all of the zing and none of the meat! Even better, this generous salad is ideal for a crowd, so bring it to your next summer potluck or BBQ.

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09 of 12

Whole Plant Chopped Salad

a salad of romaine lettuce, cucumber, cauliflower, carrot, red bell pepper, and other chopped vegetables topped with a creamy dressing and roasted sunflower seeds — Soup Loving Nicole

Sometimes you want a salad that will literally go with anything. This whole plant chopped salad is just what you are looking for, made of ingredients you can find easily all year long and enhanced with whatever your favorite dressing is!

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10 of 12

Baja Salad

top-down view of a romaine lettuce salad with black beans, corn, avocado, red onion, and tomato — Baking Nana

Bring some Mexican-inspired flair to a basic salad with avocado, corn, black beans, and crispy tortilla chips; a lemon cumin dressing ties it all together. This is a complete meal on its own or a perfect side dish for fajita night!

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11 of 12

Chef's Salad with Grilled Chicken and Black Pepper Ranch

This restaurant staple is like a Cobb salad, but with cubed Cheddar instead of blue cheese. Chopped iceberg lettuce is supplemented with butter lettuce or your favorite greens, and tossed with a fresh herb dressing. Feel free to add your own flair, like cubed ham or sliced olives.

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12 of 12

Salad Nicoise

a white bowl of salad greens topped with tuna, cooked green beans, anchovy fillets, quartered hard-cooked eggs, and capers — LynnInHK

Transport yourself to the South of France and enjoy a cold plate of summer. This famous composed salad features canned tuna, anchovies, and olives, along with blanched green beans, new potatoes, and hard-cooked eggs.

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