Though often considered a side dish, salads can be entrée-worthy. But to earn the title “main dish salad,” the greens in question must hit several marks. A dinnertime salad should be thoughtful, considered; could you add grilled chicken to a Caesar salad and call it a day? Sure, but where’s the fun in that?
To be considered a main course, the salad should have protein, but it doesn’t have to be meat. Seared steak and roast chicken are great, but canned black beans, a boiled egg, tinned fish, and whole grains can also tap in. Lettuce doesn’t necessarily have to be involved, but it must include some vegetables, either raw or cooked—and they can be hot off the stove or chilled. A meal-worthy salad should also include some hearty mix-ins such as fruit (below, you’ll see dates, citrus, tomato, and more), nuts and seeds, and bold cheeses like feta or blue. Of course, many salads are only as good as their salad dressing, and you’ll find way more than vinaigrette in these recipes.
