Filling vegan salads that will actually fill you up. Healthy recipes! (2024)

Published: · Modified: by Stephanie McKercher, RDN · This post may contain affiliate links · 16 Comments

I love a good salad, especially during the spring and summer months, but there's nothing worse than a meal that leaves you feeling unsatisfied. That's why I pulled together my favorite filling vegan salads with real staying power.

Each of these salads is an entree all on it's own -you'retaste budsand belly will both be happy campers after one of these. The key is to create an entree salad with balance. Along with plenty of non-starchy vegetables, these salads contain foods rich in fiber andplant-based protein. for satisfaction.

Some of my favorite hearty salad additions include beans and legumes, avocado, quinoa, sweet potato, and tofu/tempeh. You'll find plenty of inspiration for usingeach of themhere. Be prepared to fall in love with salads again!

Chickpea Salads

Filling vegan salads that will actually fill you up. Healthy recipes! (1)

Lunchbox Chickpea Salad by Dixya at Food, Pleasure & Health

Quick + Easy Chickpea Saladby Taylor at Whole Green Wellness

Basil Balsamic Chickpea and Kale Saladby Alexis at Hummusapien

Curried Chickpea and Avocado Salad with Pomegranateby Sandra at Sandra Vungi Vegan

BBQ Chickpea Saladby Sam at It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken

BBQ Chickpea Chopped Salad with Avocado Ranchby Kaitlin at The Garden Grazer

Roasted Sweet Potato and Chickpea Saladby Amy at Fragrant Vanilla

Asian-Inspired Salads

Filling vegan salads that will actually fill you up. Healthy recipes! (2)

Spicy Cucumber Salad with Pan-Fried Tofuby Gin at Eat Healthy Eat Happy

Peanut Thai Salad with Grilled Tofuby Sam at It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken

Mediterranean-Inspired Salads

Filling vegan salads that will actually fill you up. Healthy recipes! (3)

Lentil Fattoush Saladby Kristie at The Mostly Vegan

Deconstructed Falafel Saladby Sarah at Fried Dandelions

Greek Power Saladby Kristie at The Mostly Vegan

Italian Orzo Saladby Sophia at Veggies Don't Bite

Deconstructed Hummus Saladby Sue at The View From Great Island

Springtime Polenta Panzanellaby Dillon at Oh, Holy Basil

Southwest-Inspired Salads

Filling vegan salads that will actually fill you up. Healthy recipes! (4)

Southwestern Bacon Avocado Saladby Angel at Cheftographer

Sweet Corn, Jalapeño and Black Beans Saladby Denisa at Blueberry &Basil

Spicy Black Bean Taco Saladsby Cadry at Cadry's Kitchen

Avocado, Black Bean & Corn Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressingby Melissaat Vegan Huggs

Quinoa Black Bean Salad with Lime Cilantro Dressingby Gin at Eat Healthy Eat Happy

Grain-Based Salads

Wheat Berry Salad with Butternut Squash & Warm Cider Vinaigretteby Caroline Kaufman, MS RDN

Three Bean Quinoa Saladby Serena at Domesticate Me

Quinoa Black Bean Saladby Lucie at Win Win Food

Lentil Salads

Filling vegan salads that will actually fill you up. Healthy recipes! (5)

Lentil Salad with Spinach and Pomegranateby Sina at Vegan Heaven

Red Lentil Confetti Saladby Letty at Letty's Kitchen

Mushroom, Lemon and Lentil Saladby Jennifer at Delicious Everyday

Green Salads

Filling vegan salads that will actually fill you up. Healthy recipes! (6)

Tempeh Green Goddess Salad with Avocado Mint Dressingby Haley at Brewing Happiness

Springtime Asparagus Salad with Lemon Hemp Dressingby The Grateful Grazer

Super Duper Raw Power Saladby E.A. at Spicy RD Nutrition

Vegan Comfort Food Salads

Filling vegan salads that will actually fill you up. Healthy recipes! (7)

Dueling Avocado + Sweet Potato Kale Saladby Kathy at Happy, Healthy Life

Seitan Steak Saladby Sarah at Fried Dandelions

Health-ified Mushroom Po Boy Saladby Haley at Brewing Happiness

Modern Macaroni Saladby Rebecca at Strength and Sunshine

Potato Cauliflower Chickpea Salad with Vegan Sour Cream & Onion Dressingby Richa at Vegan Richa

[Tweet "Fill up + stay satisfied with these 41 filling vegan salads!"]

Try These Recipes Next:

  • Hot Honey Mustard Vinaigrette Dressing with Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Creamy Vegan Mushroom Gravy with Rosemary and Thyme
  • 30-Minute Easy White Beans and Greens
  • Easy Vegetarian Vegetable Pot Pie with Chickpeas

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  1. Mary says

    This is fantastic! I have been looking for something like this for so long. One of these beauties will be on the menu, with leftovers for work tomorrow, if there is anything left. Thanks so much for sharing.

    Reply

    • Stephanie McKercher, RDN says

      Thanks so much Mary! I'm so glad you found this roundup helpful!! Let me know what you try! ????

      Reply

    • Stephanie McKercher, RDN says

      haha the struggle is real! Thank you, Sophia! 🙂

      Reply

  2. Letty / Letty's Kitchen says

    What a fabulous collection of recipes! Plenty of inspiration here. And Thank You for including my confetti lentil salad!

    Reply

    • Steph | The Grateful Grazer says

      Thank you, Letty! Your lentil salad looks delicious, thanks for sharing it! 🙂

      Reply

  3. Sophia | Veggies Don't Bite says

    Thanks so much for including me!! Great collection!

    Reply

    • Steph | The Grateful Grazer says

      Thanks for sharing your yummy salad recipe, Sophia! It looks amazing.

      Reply

  4. Melissa says

    Such a delicious roundup of salads! I have so many I want to make! Thank you for including my recipe. 🙂

    Reply

    • Steph | The Grateful Grazer says

      Thanks, Melissa! I know what you mean, these are definitely all on my "to make" list. Thanks for sharing your delicious salad! 🙂

      Reply

  5. Angel says

    What a fantastic collection of yummy, filling salads! Thanks for including my Southwestern Bacon Avocado Salad! 🙂

    Reply

    • Steph | The Grateful Grazer says

      Thank you, Angel! Your Southwestern "Bacon" Salad looks scrumptious - can't wait to try! 🙂

      Reply

  6. Linda @ Veganosity says

    Fantastic roundup! Thanks so much for including our salad. Sharing everywhere. 🙂

    Reply

    • Steph | The Grateful Grazer says

      Love your salad recipe, thanks so much for sharing! 🙂

      Reply

  7. Dianne says

    Thank you so much for including my recipe!

    Reply

    • Steph | The Grateful Grazer says

      Thanks for sharing - the stir fry salad looks amazing! 🙂

      Reply

Filling vegan salads that will actually fill you up. Healthy recipes! (2024)

FAQs

What to put in salad instead of meat? ›

If you prefer vegan options, go beyond beans or tofu and try tempeh or seitan. If you love legumes like chickpeas in your salad, you may also love lentils, nuts, seeds or whole grains like farro or quinoa as additions.

What to add to salads for protein? ›

Add your protein
  1. lean meat: chicken or turkey breast, lean steak.
  2. lower-fat cheese: light cheddar, Swiss, mozzarella, feta, goat cheese.
  3. legumes: kidney beans, lentils, chickpeas, white or black beans.
  4. eggs: hard boiled.
  5. soy products: cubed tofu, edamame.
  6. fish and seafood: tuna, salmon, shrimp, sardines.

How to make salads you want to eat? ›

How to Make a Salad You'll Actually Want to Eat
  1. 1: Think Beyond Lettuce and Greens.
  2. 2: Add Heft with Grains and Nuts.
  3. 3: Add Beans or Other Proteins.
  4. 4: Make Your Own Homemade Salad Dressing.
  5. 5: Make it a Flavor Party.
Jan 18, 2024

What salad fills you up? ›

Dark, leafy greens like spinach, kale and romaine are packed with fiber. Fiber is what makes us feel full, so be sure to choose salads that contain these greens. If you don't care for spinach or kale, you can stick to iceberg lettuce, but be sure to add protein to your greens.

What salad can be served as a full meal because of eating? ›

Answer: Salads that can be served as a full meal because it contains substantial portion of meat, poultry, seafood's, fruits and vegetables. Salads made of mixtures of ingredients that are held together usually with a thick dressing like mayonnaise.

How do you make salad make you full? ›

How to Make a Filling Salad: 10 tips
  1. Build a base with greens.
  2. Add other raw vegetables.
  3. Add roasted vegetables.
  4. Add pickled vegetables.
  5. Power up with protein.
  6. Go for grains.
  7. Flavor with fruits.
  8. Fill up with fats.
Mar 2, 2023

Why doesn't salad fill me up? ›

Salads are naturally low in calories or kilojoules. This is because salads mostly contain vegetables, which have a high water content. This may mean you don't feel very satisfied after eating your salad – making it hard to stay full until your next meal.

Is salad filling enough? ›

If you're worried that salads are boring, DeLaurentis says that doesn't have to be the case: "A common misconception is that salads contain vegetables and nothing else, and eating them will leave you feeling unsatisfied and hungry." She recommends adding a protein, like cheese, tofu, beans, chicken or a boiled egg, to ...

What is healthy to put in salad? ›

Here are the top 20 healthy salad toppings.
  • Chopped Raw Vegetables. A typical salad starts with raw greens, such as lettuce, spinach, kale, mixed greens or arugula. ...
  • Nuts and Seeds. ...
  • Dried Fruit. ...
  • Whole Grains. ...
  • Beans and Legumes. ...
  • Fresh Fruit. ...
  • Baked Tortilla or Pita Chips. ...
  • Shredded Hard Cheeses.
Dec 17, 2018

What salad is large enough to serve as a full meal usually containing protein ingredients? ›

Main course salads are large enough to serve as a full meal and may contain protein ingredients, such as meat, poultry, seafood, egg, beans, or cheese. The intermezzo salad is intended to be a palate cleanser after a rich dinner and before dessert.

What veggies have the most protein? ›

Among the highest protein vegetables are chickpeas, corn, spinach, artichoke hearts, and edamame. To get all of the amino acids your body needs, aim to eat a variety of foods, such as legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and vegetables throughout the day.

Which salad type stimulates the appetite? ›

Answer: It's the appetizer salad which stimulates the appetite which has fresh, crisp ingredients; tangy flavorful dressing; and attractive, appetizing appearance. It looks appealing because of flavorful foods like cheese, ham, salami shrimp and crabmeat. Crisp raw or lightly cooked vegetables can also be added.

What to eat in salad for weight loss? ›

Here are some ideas for weight-loss-friendly salads:
  • Green Salad with Grilled Chicken: Base: Mixed greens (spinach, arugula, and kale). Protein: Grilled chicken breast. Vegetables: Cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell peppers. ...
  • Quinoa and Vegetable Salad: Base: Cooked quinoa. Protein: Chickpeas or grilled shrimp.
Nov 4, 2023

What are the healthiest vegetables for a salad? ›

Some of the most nutritious greens include spinach, kale, romaine, watercress, and arugula (see "Salad greens by the numbers").

What can I put in my salad instead of chicken? ›

Beans and legumes are excellent sources of plant protein to add to your salad. A 1-cup (172-gram) serving of both cooked black beans and kidney beans provides over 15 grams of protein in addition to vitamins, minerals and fiber. You can use canned beans or prepare them yourself.

What vegetables can take the place of meat? ›

Some whole foods, such as beans, lentils, chickpeas, and mushrooms, contain protein or have a meaty texture and can work well as meat substitutes. Food manufacturers often include these types of food in their vegetarian and vegan products.

Can you eat salad without meat? ›

No matter what your nutrition goals are, salads can be a regular part of your meat-free eating plan. Even without meat and fish, you can make a salad into a filling and satisfying meal.

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