Recipe Roundup

41 Main Course-Worthy Vegetarian Salads

Our favorite hearty meat-free salads, all more than worthy of main course status. 
Image may contain Plant Vegetable Kale Food Cabbage Produce Cutlery and Fork
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks

Sometimes you just need salad. A big one. A satisfying one. Ideally one you haven't made a thousand times before. Enter The Main Course Salad List: our favorite main-course salad recipes for vegetarians (and folks who just don't want to eat meat tonight.) Dig in!

Head this way for more of our best vegetarian recipes →

  • Kale and tomato salad with creamed mozzarella on a platter with a serving spoon.
    Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
    1/41

    Massaged Kale With Tomatoes, Creamed Mozzarella, and Wild Rice

    What's creamed mozzarella? It's basically a creamy homemade substitute for burrata, made by mixing fresh mozz with sour cream, lemon zest, and juice. And it's brilliant.

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  • Squash and radicchio salad topped with sliced pears and Parmesan.
    Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou
    2/41

    Squash and Radicchio Salad with Pecans

    This satisfying salad contrasts rich pecans and creamy squash with crisp, crunchy Asian pear and hardy radicchio. It's just the kind of main dish salad that easily satisfies.

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  • Bitter greens salad with melted cheese on a plate.
    Photo by Laura Dart and A.J. Meeker
    3/41

    Bitter Greens Salad With Melted Cheese

    The secret to better salad? Bake it! A quick moment in the oven will wilt the greens only slightly and melt the cheese so that it cloaks the greens nicely.

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  • Winter salad hummus bowls topped with seedy power sprinkle in two bowls.
    Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
    4/41

    Winter Salad Hummus Bowls

    Massage kale and brussels sprouts in a sweet, tangy dressing of rice vinegar, soy sauce, and honey, then serve it with creamy hummus and jammy eggs.

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  • A salad in a serving bowl with large chunks of feta cheese charred red peppers caramelized lemon wheels cherry tomatoes...
    Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Aneta Florczyk, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou
    5/41

    New-and-Improved Greek Salad

    The method for marinating the feta in this salad is also a good trick for other fresh cheeses—try goat, mozzarella, or paneer.

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  • Image may contain Food Dish Meal and Plant
    Photo by Emma Fishman
    6/41

    Grilled Green Bean Salad With Thai Dressing

    Green beans and yellow wax beans form the bases of this refreshing, tangy, Thai-inspired salad. Grilled tofu and creamy avocado add filling protein and healthy fats, rounding out the meal.

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  • Shaved cauliflower salad on a plate.
    Photo by Alex Lau
    9/41

    Shaved Cauliflower Salad

    Thinly sliced raw cauliflower takes center stage in this salad, tossed in a bright, limey dressing and dusted with nutritional yeast. Top it with a couple of fried eggs for extra protein, if you like.

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  • A salad of crispy chickpeas sliced cucumbers kale and herbs with a creamy tahini dressing on a teal dinner plate.
    Photo by Luisa Brimble
    10/41

    Deconstructed Falafel Salad

    Get all the flavors of falafel with crispy roasted chickpeas, crunchy crouton-like pita chips, crisp cucumber, and a lemon-tahini dressing.

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  • Green bean niçoise salad on a white platter.
    Photo by Andrew Purcell, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Carrie Purcell
    13/41

    Green Bean Niçoise Salad

    This vegetarian version of the classic French salad is brimming with bright spring vegetables, a lemony Dijon dressing, and tangy fried capers.

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  • Image may contain Plant and Food
    Photo by Marcus Nilsson
    14/41

    Raw Artichoke Salad with Celery and Parmesan

    Nervous about raw artichokes? In this recipe, they're tossed in delicate lemon dressing and salty parmesan that will convince even nonbelievers.

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Read More
It's Not Pasta Salad, It's Salad Pasta
It's Not Pasta Salad, It's Salad Pasta
And it's our food editor's favorite super-fast weeknight dinner.

Anna Stockwell

White Beans Want to Get Crispy, Too
White Beans Want to Get Crispy, Too
Because chickpeas are not the only legume that should have all the crispy-crunchy fun. 

Anna Stockwell

42 Years Later, This Salad Spinner Is Finally Being Replaced
42 Years Later, This Salad Spinner Is Finally Being Replaced
You know you have a problem when your salad spinner sounds like a car with a flat tire.

David Tamarkin

What Does Climate Change Mean for Olive Oil?
What Does Climate Change Mean for Olive Oil?
In 2018, there was heat, there was frost, and then… no olives. 

Samantha Larson

Nuoc Cham Chicken Salad
Nuoc Cham Chicken Salad
A spicy-funky upgrade for lettuce cups, sandwiches, and more.
Green Goddess Harvest Salad
Green Goddess Harvest Salad
So much more affordable than ordering from those fast casual salad chains.
Crunchy Veg Salad With Dates and Fried Shallots
Crunchy Veg Salad With Dates and Fried Shallots
Elegant enough for a dinner party centerpiece, sturdy enough to take the leftovers for lunch tomorrow.
No-Mayo Tuna Salad
No-Mayo Tuna Salad
Riff on the lunchbox staple. Mayo-haters deserve tuna, too.
The Most-Saved Recipes on Bon Appétit This Week
The Most-Saved Recipes on Bon Appétit This Week
Like crispy gnocchi caprese and raspberry—brown butter skillet cake.
Salt and Smoke Margarita
Salt and Smoke Margarita
With black pepper, toasted sesame oil, and Castelvetrano olives, this margarita is for the savory drink lovers.
Glazed Apple Pie Fritters
Glazed Apple Pie Fritters
Apple pie in doughnut hole form? We’re in love.
Cold Silken Tofu With Chili Crisp Dressing
Cold Silken Tofu With Chili Crisp Dressing
A cool, custardy treat for the hottest days and beyond.