Tossed Salad Ideas

100+ Tossed Salad Ideas

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Need ideas to take tossed salad from bla to ooh-la-la? Today’s article is all about doing just that with an offering of over 100 tossed salad ideas. Discover everything from topping ideas and dressings to salad recipes and helpful products.

Tossed Salad Ideas

Leafy greens are low in both carbs and fat, they’re rich in vitamins and minerals, and they’re filling. All great attributes that contribute to healthful eating, especially when in weight loss mode (but also handy in maintenance mode). But, alone, they’re kinda boring. But because they have neutral fuel, they’re perfect for loading up with delicious toppings.

Tossed Salad Ideas

Leafy Greens (and Other Colors)

First, you must embrace the leafy stuff.

  • arugula
  • bok choy
  • butter lettuce
  • cabbage
  • collard greens
  • dandelion leaves
  • endives
  • escarole
  • frisée
  • green leaf lettuce
  • iceberg lettuce
  • kale
  • mesclun
  • raddichio
  • red leaf lettuce
  • romaine
  • spinach
  • spring mix
  • swiss chard
  • turnip greens
  • watercress

Salad Topping Ideas

Please note that items marked with an asterisk (*) contain healthy carbs, making them Trim Healthy Mama (E) friendly, but NOT keto friendly.

Veggies

You can roast, pickle, marinate, or enjoy raw.

  • artichoke hearts
  • asparagus
  • avocados
  • baby corn
  • bamboo shoots
  • banana peppers
  • beets
  • bell peppers
  • bean sprouts
  • broccoli
  • carrots
  • capers
  • celery
  • corn*
  • cucumbers
  • fennel
  • garlic
  • grilled onions
  • jalapeños
  • jicama
  • mushrooms
  • olives
  • peas*
  • pepperoncini peppers
  • radishes
  • red onion (how to pickle)
  • scallions
  • squash
  • sweet potato*
  • turnips

Fruits

  • apples*
  • blackberries
  • blueberries
  • grapes*
  • oranges*
  • pears*
  • pomegranate*
  • raspberries
  • strawberries
  • tomatoes

Grains & Legumes

Cooked first then cooled (or you can buy canned/jarred versions of some, may need rinsed first).

  • barley*
  • beans (kidney, black, etc.)*
  • brown rice*
  • quinoa*

Spices & Herbs

  • basil
  • black pepper
  • cilantro
  • curry powder
  • dill
  • Everything Bagel Seasoning
  • chili powder
  • chives
  • cumin
  • garlic powder
  • ground ginger
  • mineral salt
  • mustard seeds
  • onion flakes
  • onion powder
  • parsley
  • peppermint
  • red pepper flakes
  • sage
  • tarragon
  • thyme

Nuts & Seeds

Try them toasted or raw.

  • almonds
  • cashews
  • peanuts
  • pecans
  • pine nuts
  • pistachios
  • poppy seeds
  • pumpkin seeds
  • sesame seeds
  • sunflower seeds
  • walnuts

Meat

Cooked, cooled, and chopped up.

  • alligator
  • anchovies
  • bacon
  • chicken
  • cod
  • crab
  • crawdads
  • fish
  • game meat
  • ground beef
  • ham
  • lobster
  • lunch meat
  • pancetta
  • pepperoni
  • prosciutto
  • salmon
  • salami
  • scallops
  • shrimp
  • steak
  • tilapia
  • trout
  • tuna
  • turkey

Cheese

Other

  • apple cider vinegar
  • balsamic vinegar
  • eggs (hard boiled or poached)
  • lemon juice
  • lime juice

Tossed Salad Ideas

Recipes

Dressings

The dressing is the best part! Be sure to whip up a batch before creating your tossed salad.

1

TJ’s House Ranch Dressing

America’s most beloved salad dressing–tangy, creamy Ranch dressing–is all yours to enjoy without sugar or excess calories!
GET THE RECIPE
2
Honey Poppy Seed Salad Dressing

Honey Poppy Seed Salad Dressing

Sweetness and sour acidity join forces with small pops of poppy seeds in this simple and delicious honey poppy seed salad dressing.
GET THE RECIPE
3

Caesar Salad Dressing

How to make Caesar salad dressing: just mix together four simple ingredients and season with salt and pepper.
GET THE RECIPE
4

Chipotle Ranch Dressing

raditional ranch dressing marries with spicy chipotle seasoning to create this Chipotle Ranch Dressing.
GET THE RECIPE
5

Thousand Island Salad Dressing

Tasty Thousand Island Salad Dressing is in reach even in a low carb lifestyle thanks to this simple recipe.
GET THE RECIPE
6

Homemade Italian Salad Dressing

Easy to make Homemade Italian Salad Dressing. Perfect dressing for salads and dipping veggies and bread.
GET THE RECIPE
7

Blue Cheese Salad Dressing

This lighter side of a creamy blue cheese salad dressing pairs wonderfully with a wedge salad.
GET THE RECIPE
8

Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar Salad Dressing

This olive oil and balsamic vinegar salad dressing recipe is great for your health—but only if the ingredients are high quality.
GET THE RECIPE

Salads

Enjoy these keto and/or Trim Healthy Mama friendly tossed salad recipes.

9

Dutch Salad

This incredibly simple Dutch Salad is a frugal side for savory THM S dishes where you don’t want a lot of competing flavor. Or, load it up with non-starchy vegetables and turn it into your main meal!
GET THE RECIPE
10

Easy Thai Chicken Salad with Canned Chicken

A quick and easy Thai chicken salad with canned chicken that tastes amazing. It’s simple to prepare and made with budget friendly ingredients. The dish is sure to become a regular!
GET THE RECIPE
11

Big Mac Salad

This easy low carb Big Mac salad recipe is ready in just 20 minutes! A gluten-free, keto cheeseburger salad like this makes a healthy lunch or dinner.
GET THE RECIPE
12

Unwich Salad

One of the easiest, yummiest, fastest lunches I can put together is this Unwich Salad, which has all the flavor of a good sandwich, but without the carbs.
GET THE RECIPE
13

Wilted Kale Salad with Bacon

The wilted kale salad is further proof that bacon fixes everything. Think you don’t like kale? Try it like this.
GET THE RECIPE
14

Very Berry Salad with Dijon Balsamic Vinaigrette

This Very Berry Salad has summer written all over it! The sweetness of the berries and tang of the dressing are the perfect flavor combination.
GET THE RECIPE
15

Grilled Romaine Salad

This Grilled Romaine Salad is great during summer grilling season. With a slightly smokey flavor, it changes things up easily.
GET THE RECIPE
16

Southwest Chicken Salad

Tender grilled chicken, black bean and corn salsa and a creamy jalapeño cilantro dressing make this Southwest Chicken Salad a lovely meal for summer.
GET THE RECIPE
17

Salmon Kale Superfood Salad

Easy sweet kale superfood salad with lemon vinaigrette, smoked salmon, and avocado is like a better Costco kale salad. 5 ingredients, plus 5 in the dressing!
GET THE RECIPE
18

Taco Salad Crunch

Taco Salad Crunch is NOT boring. It’s the full deal: flavor, crunch, beautiful! Low fat and gluten free too!
GET THE RECIPE
19

Southwest Steak Salad with Spicy Avocado Dressing

Make yourself a healthy and delicious Southwest steak salad with spicy avocado dressing. It’s the perfect way to eat a well rounded low carb meal.
GET THE RECIPE
20

Spring Mix Salad with Blueberries, Goat Cheese, & Walnuts

This easy spring mix salad recipe with blueberries, goat cheese, and walnuts comes with a blueberry vinaigrette dressing. Just 5 minutes to make!
GET THE RECIPE
21

BLT Salad with Tangy Mayo Dressing

A light and delicious way to enjoy the classic BLT sandwich taste by turning it into a BLT Salad with Tangy Mayo Dressing!
GET THE RECIPE
22

Greek Gyro Salad

This Gyro Salad is filled with savory flavors, feta cheese, homemade gyro meat, and a delicious tzatziki dressing.
GET THE RECIPE

Helpful Products

23

Strawberry/Tomato Huller

Remove the green hulls from your tomatoes or strawberries quickly and easily with minimal food waste using this simple but highly effective tool. Significantly cuts down on prep time and does a better job than a paring knife. To use, just gently insert the teeth, twist, and remove the hull.
GET THE RECIPE
24

Salad Spinner

Wash, drain, and spin your leafy greens (and other colors), veggies, and fruit together until mostly dried off in this handy salad spinner. This particular model locks shut so the lid doesn’t fling off while you’re spinning and there’s an opening in the top to add moisture (think oil or dressing) while spinning.
GET THE RECIPE
25

Quart Mason Jar and BNTO

Fill a quart size mason jar with your leafy stuff and toppings then add the dressing to the BNTO cup and insert it in the top before adjusting the flat and ring to the jar. Makes a great container that you can enjoy on the go and easily shake the dressing once added!
GET THE RECIPE
26

Bentgo Fresh

Pack your salad, dressing, and perhaps a healthful side or two for eating on the go or at work with this handy bento-style lunch box. Contains three to four compartments (the main compartment has a divider so you can spit it into two, although for a salad, the one big one looks perfect).
GET THE RECIPE
27

Travel Salad Dressing Containers

Another handy on-the-go item. Fill up one or a few of these guys with your salad dressing, oil, and/or vinegar or whatever else you can think of. I have found ones about identical to these at Dollar Tree, too. These are awesome for your Stay on Plan on the Go Pack, too!
GET THE RECIPE
28

Salad Bowl and Servers

Serve a beautiful tossed salad family style in this large, goregeous Acacia wood salad bowl with matching servers. This specific bowl is twelve inches across, making it the perfect size to serve your family or guests.
GET THE RECIPE
29

PortoFino Salad Servers

Save space in your drawer or utensil holder and serve salad with style using these convenient salad servers. These servers have two-in-one functionality. Take them apart to lift and serve salad or keep them together to use as tongs to serve smaller items.
GET THE RECIPE
30

Zinger Salad Dressing Mixer and Blender

A reusable salad dressing cruet that replaces disposable plastic bottles and packaging!
GET THE RECIPE
Tossed Salad Ideas

More Yummy Stuff

3 Comments

  1. Carla Smith says:

    Thanks for all the different salad ideas!! There are some different ones I am excited to try.

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