17 Healthy Meal-Prep-Friendly Salads You'll Make Again and Again

By

Danielle DeAngelis

Published on January 8, 2023

Chopped Cobb Salad

Make lunch ahead of time with these healthy meal-prep-friendly salad recipes. Highly-rated with four- and five-star reviews, these salads are so tasty, you'll definitely be adding them to your regular lunch rotation. Recipes like our Sweet Potato, Kale & Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing and Spinach & Strawberry Meal-Prep Salad are ideal for an afternoon meal.

01 of 17

Spinach & Strawberry Meal-Prep Salad

spinach & strawberry meal-prep salad

One of our most popular salad recipes, Spinach-Strawberry Salad with Feta & Walnuts, gets a makeover in these simple yet totally satisfying meal-prep spinach salad bowls. They require minimal prep and can be customized to your taste. Swap in roasted salmon for the chicken thighs, and almonds or pecans for the walnuts, and use any fresh berry that looks good at your market.

02 of 17

Chickpea Tuna Salad

Chickpea Tuna Salad — Photography / Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling / Ruth Blackburn

This chickpea tuna salad with capers, feta and cucumber makes for the perfect lunch to pack for work or school. You can prep the salad the night before (just be sure to keep the spinach separate and dress the salad right before serving).

03 of 17

Sweet Potato, Kale & Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing

These hearty kale salads hold up well for 4 days, making them perfect for meal-prep lunches. To keep the ingredients from getting soggy, dress this salad and top it with peanuts just before serving. For a delicious vegan option, swap in roasted tofu for the chicken breast (see Associated Recipes).

04 of 17

White Bean & Veggie Salad

White Bean & Veggie Salad

This meatless main-dish salad combines creamy, satisfying white beans and avocado. Try mixing it up with different seasonal vegetables.

05 of 17

Green Goddess Salad with Chickpeas

In this cucumber, tomato, Swiss cheese and chickpea salad recipe, a healthy green goddess dressing is made from avocado, buttermilk and herbs. The extra dressing is delicious served with grilled vegetables.

06 of 17

Chopped Cobb Salad

This single-serving recipe for Cobb salad swaps chicken in for bacon, which makes it a great source of protein for lunch. If you prefer another salad dressing, feel free to use that instead of our honey-mustard vinaigrette.

07 of 17

Orange-Mint Freekeh Salad with Lima Beans

Orange-Mint Freekeh Salad with Lima Beans — Jacob Fox

This salad is loaded with colorful produce: fresh mint, snap peas, radishes and oranges. For pretty snap pea slices, cut them into long, thin strips.

08 of 17

Vegetarian Chopped Power Salad with Creamy Cilantro Dressing

Vegetarian Chopped Power Salad with Creamy Cilantro Dressing — Brie Passano

This healthy vegetarian salad recipe features chickpeas and quinoa for a boost of protein. Cilantro adds color and flavor when blended to make a creamy dressing. Serve this cold salad for lunch or dinner.

09 of 17

Tomato, Cucumber & White-Bean Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

This no-cook bean salad is a delicious way to use summer's best cherry or grape tomatoes and juicy cucumbers for a light dinner or lunch. Fresh basil elevates an easy vinaigrette recipe that dresses up this simple salad into something extraordinary.

10 of 17

Chopped Salad with Sriracha Tofu & Peanut Dressing

Prep four days' worth of high-protein vegan lunches using just four easy ingredients from your local specialty grocery store, including a veggie-heavy salad mix as a base. Because this salad mix is hearty, you can dress these bowls up to 24 hours before serving to allow the flavors in this healthy chopped salad to marry. If you can't find a hearty mix, go with broccoli slaw or shredded Brussels sprouts.

11 of 17

Honey-Mustard Chicken Salad

A simple dressing, using yogurt rather than mayo, moistens the chicken in this tasty lightened-up chicken salad. Plus, it's flavor-packed thanks to a quick-to-fix honey mustard. Whip up a batch while you're meal prepping for easy, packable lunches.

12 of 17

Meal-Prep Turkey Cobb Salad

Cubed deli turkey takes the place of chicken, while Cheddar replaces blue cheese in this easy Cobb-inspired salad. The protein-rich turkey and cheese, plus eggs and bacon, gives the salad staying power, so you won't get hungry an hour after you eat. Feel free to swap out the turkey for cooked chicken or chickpeas to mix things up. Serve the salad right away or pack it up in individual containers and you'll be set for lunch for days.

13 of 17

Mason Jar Power Salad with Chickpeas & Tuna

This power salad will keep you fueled for hours, thanks to 26 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber. Tossing the dressing and kale, and then letting it stand in the jar, softens it enough so you don't need to massage or cook it to make it tender.

14 of 17

Citrus Lime Tofu Salad

Citrus Lime Tofu Salad

This veggie-packed salad has plenty of protein and fiber, so you'll feel full and satisfied. Prep the ingredients ahead of time for an easy vegan lunch idea to pack for work.

15 of 17

Chicken Caprese Pasta Salad Bowls

chicken caprese pasta salad in glass food storage container

Pasta salad is a classic summer side dish, but adding protein (leftover grilled chicken is perfect here) and extra greens makes it a super-satisfying lunch. We use baby spinach, but arugula or baby kale works too. Top with a bright and tangy basil vinaigrette just before serving. The great news is that these easy meal-prep lunches take just 20 minutes to prepare--that's 4 days of lunches in less than 30 minutes.

16 of 17

No-Cook Black Bean Salad

No-Cook Black Bean Salad

A classic black bean salad is a must for picnics and potlucks. This vegan version gets its creaminess from blended avocado. Any mix of salad greens will work well, but try arugula if you want to give this hearty salad a peppery kick.

17 of 17

Classic Cobb Mason Jar Salad

Pack classic Cobb salad upside down in a mason jar for a healthy lunch that won't get soggy while sitting in the fridge all morning. Or pack it up the night before for an easy grab-and-go lunch in the morning. Choose the tangiest aged blue cheese you can find; its flavor will go a long way.

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Tell us why!

Related Articles

Veggie Crunch Salad

Fall Chopped Salad with Spinach, Butternut Squash, Apples & Cheddar

This Easy Spinach Salad Has Just 5 Ingredients—and I Can't Stop Making It for Lunch

Spinach & Strawberry Meal-Prep Salad

Brussels Sprouts Salad with Crunchy Chickpeas

Egg Salad Lettuce Wraps

Mason Jar Power Salad with Chickpeas & Tuna

Sweet Potato, Kale & Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing

Spinach & Artichoke Salad with Parmesan Vinaigrette

18 Pack-and-Go Healthy Lunch Ideas for Work

Spring Green Salad with Hard-Boiled Eggs

Meal-Prep Turkey Cobb Salad

Green Goddess Salad with Chicken

14 Low-Carb Salads to Pack for Lunch

green goddess sandwich

20 Veggie-Packed Lunches for When You're Bored of Salad

Power Greens Salad with Kale & Brussels Sprouts

Middle Eastern Salad Bowls with Farro & Chicken

Chopped Salad with Sriracha Tofu & Peanut Dressing