Home Recipes Salads Garden Salads
Lauren CahnUpdated: Jan. 31, 2022
Here are fresh and springy ways to use up that package of mixed greens.
1/25
Garden-Fresh Chef Salad
For much of the year, I can use my garden's produce when I make this cool salad. In spring, the salad mix and radishes come from my crop. In summer, I use the tomatoes, cabbage and carrots. What a good feeling! —Evelyn Gubernath, Bucyrus, Ohio
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2/25
Balsamic Herb Vinaigrette
Balsamic vinaigrette is a classic, versatile dressing. A variety of savory seasonings gives this recipe a tangy kick. It's the perfect complement to a bed of fresh greens. —Edgar Wright, Silver Spring, Maryland
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3/25
Italian Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
For an Italian twist on salad, I mix greens with red onion, mushrooms, olives, pepperoncini, lemon juice and Italian seasoning. Add tomatoes and carrots if you'd like. —Deborah Loop, Clinton Township, Michigan
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4/25
Company Green Salad
I partially put this salad together and take the remaining ingredients (candied nuts, seeds, rice noodles and dressing) to mix in at the potluck. Works perfectly every time. —Joan Hallford, North Richland Hills, Texas
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5/25
Spring Greens Quiche
Leafy greens brighten this savory pie—the ideal comfort food for spring. Add a side of healthy vegetables, a salad or fruit and you have a light and satisfying lunch.—Marie Rizzio, Interlochen, Michigan
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6/25
Berry Tossed Salad
Kiwi and feta add interest to this delightful salad that's sweet, tangy, creamy and tart. It pairs perfectly with the grilled ribs my mom likes to make. She got the recipe from a good friend. —Krista Kliebenstein, Highlands Ranch, Colorado
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7/25
Northwest Salmon Salad
I love that I can use my favorite Northwest ingredients—salmon, blueberries and hazelnuts—all in one recipe. The salmon and dressing make a tasty sandwich too. —Davis Clevenger, Dexter, Oregon
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8/25
Homemade Strawberry Vinegar
Sweet and sour, this easy strawberry vinegar makes a great summer salad dressing. —Mary Hise, Cocoa, Florida
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9/25
Farm Fresh Quiche
Going to the farmers market and talking with people who work on the farm inspires me to make recipes like this one, a quiche loaded with veggies. —Heather King, Frostburg, Maryland
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10/25
Michigan Cherry Salad
This recipe reminds me what I love about my home state: picking apples with my children, buying greens at the farmers market and tasting cherries on vacations. —Jennifer Gilbert, Brighton, Michigan
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11/25
Citrus Vinaigrette
Tart, tangy and citrusy flavors abound in this quick citrus vinaigrette recipe to whisk together any night of the week you've got the good greens to go with it. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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12/25
BLT Chicken Salad
Featuring all the fun fixings for a BLT chicken sandwich, this salad is so lovable. I can prep the ingredients ahead of time and just throw it together at the last minute. Barbecue sauce in the dressing gives it unexpected flavor. Even picky eaters love my chicken salads. —Cindy Moore, Mooresville, North Carolina
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13/25
12-Hour Salad
This recipe was Mom's scrumptious scheme to get her kids to eat vegetables. She never had any trouble when she served this colorful crunchy salad. Mom thought this salad was a real bonus for the cook since it must be made the night before. —Dorothy Bowen, Thomasville, North Carolina
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14/25
Cilantro Salad Dressing
Use this zippy dressing over greens or hot or cold boiled potatoes. You'll love it! —Sara Laber, Shelburne, Vermont
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15/25
Layered Picnic Loaves
This big sandwich, inspired by one I tried at a New York deli, is a favorite with our football-watching crowd. Made ahead, it's easily carted to any gathering. Kids and adults alike say it's super. —Marion Lowery, Medford, Oregon
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16/25
Fresh Heirloom Tomato Salad
This tomato salad is a summertime must. A standout dressing takes the tasty ingredients to a brand-new level. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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17/25
Italian Vinaigrette
What are all those specks and spices in your Italian dressing? You probably have them in your pantry. Create your own signature blend to toss with pasta, greens and fresh spring vegetables. —Lorraine Caland, Thunder Bay, Ontario
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18/25
Mixed Green Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette
This colorful salad is a bright and tasty introduction to a special meal. Dried cranberries and tart apples along with glazed walnuts and rich blue cheese add interest to the mix.—Gretchen Farr, Port Orford, Oregon
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19/25
Low-Fat Tangy Tomato Dressing
This zesty blend is delicious over greens, pasta or fresh garden vegetables. I love that it's a healthier alternative to the oil-heavy versions sold in stores. —Sarah Eiden, Enid, Oklahoma
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20/25
Grilled Chicken Salad with Blueberry Vinaigrette
We love adding grilled chicken to our salads in the summer, but the real star here is the vinaigrette made with blueberry preserves and maple syrup. This salad goes great with a fresh baguette and a frosty glass of minted lemonade. —Susan Gauthier, Falmouth, Maine
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21/25
Cioppino-Mixed Green Salad
Living in California, the "salad bowl" of the United States, I’m inspired to cook nutritious meals like cioppino. Whenever my friends and I get together, this salad—a spin on the classic seafood stew—is the top request. —Cleo Gonske, Redding, California
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22/25
23/25
Balsamic Steak Salad
My husband loves blue cheese and I like a hearty salad that eats like a meal, so I put the two things together to make this steak salad recipe. The sweet-tartness of dried cranberries pairs deliciously with the cheese, creamy avocado and balsamic vinegar. It's irresistible! —Marla Clark, Albuquerque, New Mexico
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24/25
25/25
This smoky grilled pizza scores big with me for two reasons. It encourages my husband and son to eat greens, and it showcases fresh produce. —Sarah Gray, Erie, Colorado
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Originally Published: March 28, 2018
Lauren Cahn
Lauren Cahn is a New York-based writer whose work has appeared regularly in The Huffington Post as well as a variety of other publications since 2008 on such topics as life and style, popular culture, law, religion, health, fitness, yoga, entertaining and entertainment. She is also a writer of crime fiction; her first full-length manuscript, The Trust Game, was short-listed for the 2017 CLUE Award for emerging talent in the genre of suspense fiction.