25 Healthy Salads Without Lettuce
Updated on March 13, 2023
Perhaps you’re looking to eat healthier, more nutrient-filled vegetables and fruits… but you’re not a huge fan of lettuce? Well you’re not alone, so today we’re sharing 25 incredible salad recipes that use alternative greens like brussels sprouts or kale (and many of them have no greens at all!). Read on to check them out.
1. Broccoli Cranberry Salad With Bacon
This colorful salad is made with fresh broccoli, dried cranberries and bacon, and topped with pepitas (pumpkin seeds), green onions and a deliciously simple vinaigrette dressing. Make your way over to Well Plated to check out all the details of this yummy recipe.
2. Quinoa and Sweet Potato Salad
If you’re a fan of quinoa (and why not? It’s gluten free and has eight grams of protein per one cup serving), then you’ll love this recipe. Add sweet potato, chives, goat cheese and a few other simple ingredients to create this crowd-pleaser. Get the recipe at The Cheerful Kitchen.
3. Chopped Kale and Broccolini Salad
This healthy salad is made with lots of chopped kale, and topped with a handful of healthy broccolini, apples and almonds. It is topped with a delicious lemon tahini dressing. Make your way over to Life Is But A Dish to check out the complete recipe.
4. Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad
Brussels sprouts are another great alternative to lettuce if you’re not a fan. The key here is to make sure that they are cut into thin slices. This salad is then topped with mustard and parmesan. Make your way over to Platings and Pairings to learn more.
5. Warm Quinoa Salad
This salad is served warm, with a mix of spinach and cabbage as the base. Garbanzo beans, almonds and lots of quinoa is then added, making this a very hearty salad that could be eaten as a main course. Check out the full recipe over at Pure Mamas.
6. Vegan Christmas Salad
This gorgeous-looking salad is another healthy one, with lots of nutritious ingredients including beats, pomegranate seeds and walnuts. Everything is tossed with a sweet and tart dressing made with maple syrup and mustard. Head over to Lazy Cat Kitchen to check it out.
7. Not Your Average Broccoli Salad
This one may not be quite as healthy as the others, but it sure looks delicious. It is filled with broccoli, cauliflower, cheddar cheese, bacon and a few other ingredients and then finished with a lemony mayo dressing. Check out the complete recipe over at Palouse Brand’s blog.
8. Kale and Clementine Winter Salad
This zesty salad is made with kale, clementines, pomegranate seeds, carrots, blueberries and other healthy ingredients which are then complemented by the tangy lemon dressing. Head on over to Beets and Greens to find out how to assemble this salad yourself.
9. Summer Detox Salad
The colors alone make this salad look incredibly delicious and healthy at the same time, and the ingredients don’t disappoint. Quinoa, rice, kale and lots of other nutrient-rich goodies make the list and then it is topped with a fiery kasundi relish. Here’s the recipe.
10. Leftover Ham, Squash and Lentil Salad
Not sure what to do with all of that leftover ham and squash after the holidays? This might be just the answer! Combine them with lentils and watercress to create a surprisingly gourmet little salad. Check out all the details over at Easy Peasy Foodie.
11. Quinoa and Beet Salad Recipe
This beet salad is filled with antioxidants and other nutritious elements, and it’s simple to make too! The bright pigments of the beets give this salad its pink color. Make your way over to Cooking and Cooking to find out how to recreate this dish yourself.
12. Fennel Avocado Salad
This fennel and avocado salad is a healthy way to get your nutrients without having a boring old garden salad. This one has cranberries and oranges as well, adding some sweet and tart flavor to the mix. Check out the full recipe at Food Fanatic.
13. Hemp Heart Tabbouleh
This new take on tabbouleh is a unique mix of hemp hearts (which are naturally gluten-free seeds considered to be a superfood) and tomatoes with lots of parsley, onions and other ingredients for addional flavor. Check out the full recipe over at Eating Bird Food.
14. Warm Wild Rice Salad
This colorful salad has a base of wild rice, and is served warm rather than cold. Cranberries and walnuts add lots of nutritional value, while goat cheese gives it some serious tangy flavor. Head on over to Family Food On The Table to check out the recipe.
15. Warm Pea and Feta Salad
Here’s another delicious salad that is meant to be served warm. It is made with green peas, pomegranate seeds and feta cheese, then topped with a vinaigrette made of balsamic vinegar, olive oil and a few other basic ingredients. Check out the recipe at My Tasty Curry.
16. Leftover Chicken Asian Salad
This brightly-colored salad can be made with any leftover chicken you might have from last night’s dinner, and is combined with julienned carrots and cucumbers. The dressing is a mix of soy sauce, honey and a couple of other ingredients. Get the recipe here.
17. Indian Spiced Parsnip and Lentil Salad
This beautiful salad is filled with all kinds of healthy ingredients, starting with parsnips and lentils and ending with a colorful pop of pomegranate seeds and a few pieces of watercress. Head on over to Eat Love Eat to check out the full recipe.
18. Harvest Buckwheat Salad
This salad is made with buckwheat, a hearty grain that pairs well with vegetables like carrots and brussels sprouts (ingredients in this recipe). Surprisingly enough, buckwheat is gluten-free… so celiac sufferers rejoice! Get the full recipe at Garden Fresh Foodie.
19. Wild Rice Pear Pecan Salad
If you’re on the hunt for a filling yet healthy lettuce-free salad, look no further. This one uses wild rice as the base, and is mixed with pears, pecans and tart dried cranberries. Make your way over to Cooking on the Front Burner to check out the whole recipe.
20. Quinoa and Butternut Squash Salad
This colorful salad is made with red quinoa, a protein filled base, and butternut squash which is filled with healthy nutrients. Add a bit of spinach and an orange vinaigrette, and you’re finished! Head on over to My Life Cookbook to see the recipe.
21. Chickpea Salad With Dill
This fresh-looking salad is simple to make, and filled with a tasty array of ingredients that will make you excited to eat your salad. Chickpeas, cucumber, tomato and feta and finished with dill and vinaigrette. Get the full recipe over at Tabitha Talks Food.
22. Green Goddess Salad Bowl
This bowl is basically a deconstructed salad with a mix of broccoli, edamame, peas, spinach and avocado. Nutritional yeast is also added, for a bit of extra flavor and some serious nutritional value. Head over to Wellness With Taryn to read more about this recipe.
23. Roast Chicken Radicchio Caesar Salad
This salad is a unique take on the classic caesar, using radicchio instead of lettuce. It is topped with more traditional caesar ingredients, including chicken, croutons, an egg and a bit of grated cheese. Check out the full recipe over at PDX Food Love.
24. Pear Honeycomb Winter Salad
This pretty salad is made with beets and pears, and topped with sweet pieces of honeycomb and tangy blue cheese. Small bits of basil add an additional flavor profile. Make your way over to Healthfully Ever After to find out more about this pretty dish.
25. Persimmon, Radicchio and Avocado Salad
This beautifully colorful salad is made with a mix of sweet persimmon, bitter radicchio and smooth avocado to create an incredibly unique and memorable salad. It is topped with a light red wine vinaigrette. Head over to Wild Flavors to check out the recipe.