16 Side Salad Recipes to Complete Any Meal

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Serving a salad next to a main—especially one that's protein-rich—is a great way to balance a heavier meal with something that's light and refreshing. But just because you're serving a salad on the side doesn't mean it needs to be bland and boring. Side salads can offer flavors and textures that complement a meal—and can sometimes even steal the show. From Korean cucumber banchan to a classic Caesar, and even some options with grains, these are our favorite side salad recipes to complete your meal.

Creamy Cucumber Salad

Lynn Wolsted

This recipe yields a crunchy, creamy, refreshing cucumber salad thanks to tahini, lemon, and fresh dill.

Creamy Cucumber Salad
The Fully Loaded Iceberg Wedge Salad

Vicky Wasik

This classic salad is a celebration of rich, cooling flavors and a diversity of textures.

The Fully Loaded Iceberg Wedge Salad
Horiatiki (Greek Salad)

Vicky Wasik

For the best Greek side salad, pit the olives, soak the onions in red wine vinegar, and top with slabs of feta.

Horiatiki (Greek Salad)
Oi Muchim (Korean Marinated Cucumber Banchan)

Vicky Wasik

These marinated Korean cucumbers are tart, spicy, and just a touch sweet. You may not want dill pickles again.

Korean Marinated Cucumber Banchan (Oi Muchim)

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The Best Caesar Salad

Diana Chistruga

This crowd-pleasing salad consists of crisp romaine leaves, crunchy croutons, and a little or a lot of anchovy, as you like.

The Best Caesar Salad
Kale Caesar Salad

Serious Eats / Qi Ai

Marinating tough kale leaves in oil transforms them into tender salad greens in this riff on the classic Caesar.

Kale Caesar Salad
Trevisano Radicchio Salad

Vicky Wasik

This bright and citrusy salad balances bitter with sweet, while adding freshness, acid, a little heat, and some texture.

Trevisano Radicchio Salad
Tiger Salad (Lao Hu Cai), à la Xi'an Famous Foods

Savory, refreshing, and tart, this dish is inspired by the lao hu cai, or "tiger vegetable salad," served at Xi'an Famous Foods.

Tiger Salad (Lao Hu Cai), à la Xi'an Famous Foods

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Warm Kale and Caramelized Mushroom Salad

Serious Eats / Qi Ai

This salad features deeply golden brown sautéed mushrooms paired with hearty kale and a tangy sherry vinegar dressing.

Warm Kale and Caramelized Mushroom Salad
Charred Brussels Sprouts and Leek Muchim With Coffee-Dijon Dressing

Vicky Wasik

Marinated charred Brussels sprouts and raw leeks combine with a coffee-Dijon dressing for the ultimate Korean banchan-inspired salad.

Charred Brussels Sprouts and Leek Muchim With Coffee-Dijon Dressing
Roman-Inspired Mixed-Green Salad (Misticanza alla Romana)

Vicky Wasik

For a truly great mixed greens salad, make your own mix with the freshest stuff you can find: whole heads of lettuce, radicchio, herbs, dandelion greens, and more.

Roman-Inspired Mixed-Green Salad (Misticanza alla Romana)
Snap Pea Salad With Mint and Tahini-Harissa Dressing

J. Kenji López-Alt

Sweet snap peas and mint is a classic combination that lends itself well to variation, like in this light, cooling, and slightly spicy salad.

Snap Pea Salad With Mint and Tahini-Harissa Dressing

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Red Cabbage Salad With Roasted Cipollini Onions

Emily and Matt Clifton

This salad combines gorgeously sweet, meltingly tender roasted cipollini onions with red cabbage, bitter chicory, walnuts, and crumbled goat cheese.

Red Cabbage Salad With Roasted Cipollini Onions
Carrot Salad With Yogurt, Ghee, and Barberry Dressing

Vicky Wasik

This simple salad dresses up shaved and pickled carrot with perky barberries and warm spiced ghee.

Carrot Salad With Yogurt, Ghee, and Barberry Dressing
Radicchio, Endive, and Anchovy Salad

Bitter greens like radicchio, Belgian endive, and parsley take on a surprising sweetness when paired with fennel and celery dressed in an aggressively savory anchovy vinaigrette.

Radicchio, Endive, and Anchovy Salad
Wild Rice Salad With Mushrooms, Celery Root, and Pine Nuts

Vicky Wasik

This easy wild rice salad (or dressing, or stuffing) is deeply savory and earthy, thanks to sautéed mushrooms, celery root, and toasted pine nuts.

Wild Rice Salad With Mushrooms, Celery Root, and Pine Nuts