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Quick, nutritious, easy: these 30+ healthy weight loss salads are the healthy recipes anyone trying to cut down should have on their menu!
Jump to:
- Nutritional criteria
- 30+ weight loss salad recipes
- FAQs for weight loss salads
Going on a diet is no easy feat. You have to say bye bye to all the scrumptious high-calorie meals you used to enjoy and embrace a new life of conscious eating and moderation.
This is made even more difficult when what’s on your new menu is less than tantalizing and that’s especially true when it comes to healthy salads.
We all know the formula. It’s gotta be some lettuce with a low fat dressing and no flavour.
Sounds yum? Yeah, I didn’t think so either.
Thing is, those sad salads won’t help you reach your goals. What you need is tasty food that’ll keep you full and satisfied, else you won’t want to stick to the healthy stuff.
That’s why we’ve rounded up the best vegetarian salad recipes packed with protein but lower in carbs and fats you’re sure to enjoy. And, let’s not fforget, will help you crush those milestones.
But isn’t every salad a weight-loss salad?
Pretty much any salad can be a part of a weight loss meal plan but if you’re looking for a salad for lunch or dinner, it needs to have the right ingredients to keep you going (these light salad recipes are more good example of weight loss friendly salad recipes).
Word of advice from our pro nutritionist (James) says each weight loss friendly salad should contain:
- at least 15 grams of protein
- whole grain carb sources (eg. brown rice, pasta, buckwheat, quinoa)
- starchy veggies (eg. sweet potatoes, potatoes)
- less than 600 calories
- at least 5g+ of fibre
- less than 25g of fat with less 8g of it being saturated
Lean protein and fibre rich ingredients make filling salads which means you don’t get hungry an hour after lunch.
Naturally occurring healthy fats are also an important part of staying full and carbs are important to keep us satisfied too.
There’s obviously a pattern here, and if you’ve done a little research into weight loss (or subscribed to our free 7-day weight loss meal plan) you’d know why.
Eating too little will leave you all grumpy, low on energy and make you crave more food which makes you significantly less likely to stick to your weight loss goals. On the other hand, eating too much doesn’t help either.
That’s why portions matter, and the right ingredients do too.
Dieting has never felt better with these 30+ vegetarian weight loss salad recipes!
So, if you want to lose weight in a sustainable way (or you’re just bored of your generic salad recipes), try the new and exciting ones below!
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Quick Cottage Cheese Salad
Check out the recipe here
5 from 2 votes
Protein: 21g
Calories: 382kcal
Ready in:12 minutes minutes
Recipe by: Abril Macías
Bonus: hearty and healthy
Looking for a super-speedy, tasty high-protein lunch? This cottage cheese and pear salad is ready in just 12 minutes!
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Saucy Eggplant Tomato Pasta
Check out the recipe here
5 from 4 votes
Protein: 24g
Calories: 545kcal
Ready in:25 minutes minutes
Recipe by: Abril Macías
Bonus: amazing combination
A tasty vegan eggplant and tomato pasta with navy beans and kale. Super healthy and super tasty!
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Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Feta & Pesto
Check out the recipe here
5 from 4 votes
Protein: 23g
Calories: 518kcal
Ready in:35 minutes minutes
Recipe by: Abril Macías
Bonus: delicious top-class
Looking for a tasty, healthy new way to use up some sweet potatoes? Try this Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with red pesto!
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Chickpea Salad with Quinoa
Check out the recipe here
5 from 3 votes
Protein: 21g
Calories: 433kcal
Ready in:20 minutes minutes
Recipe by: HurryTheFoodUp
Bonus: scrumptious mix of ingredients
This salad is a marriage of nourishment and flavor that will awaken your taste buds and leave you craving more. Whether you’re a committed health enthusiast or simply seeking a delicious and satisfying meal, this Chickpea Salad with Quinoa is the perfect choice.
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Healthy Egg Salad
Check out the recipe here
5 from 5 votes
Protein: 25g
Calories: 419kcal
Ready in:20 minutes minutes
Recipe by: Abril Macías
Bonus: perfect taste
Looking to up your salad game? Try this healthy egg salad recipe with quinoa and beets – the perfect weight loss lunch!
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White Bean Salad
Check out the recipe here
4.95 from 18 votes
Protein: 20g
Calories: 438kcal
Ready in:17 minutes minutes
Recipe by: Hauke
Bonus: appetizing and great looking
Speedy White Bean Salad – this tangy take on the classic is super-quick and super-tasty. It’s time to make lunch a thing to look forward to again.
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Vegan Mediterranean Pasta Salad
Check out the recipe here
4.86 from 7 votes
Protein: 18g
Calories: 483kcal
Ready in:22 minutes minutes
Recipe by: Abril Macías
Bonus: light and refreshing, perfect for warmer weather
Looking for a healthy vegan pasta salad that you can prep ahead for lunch? Try our Mediterranean pasta salad!
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Lentil Quinoa Salad
Check out the recipe here
4.89 from 9 votes
Protein: 17g
Calories: 428kcal
Ready in:27 minutes minutes
Recipe by: Abril Macías
Bonus: full of crunchy, tangy and creamy ingredients
In this superfood salad red lentils and quinoa are jazzed up with crunchy almonds, tangy olives and creamy avocado.
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Wedge Salad with Creamy Cashew Dressing
Check out the recipe here
4.67 from 3 votes
Protein: 24g
Calories: 401kcal
Ready in:20 minutes minutes
Recipe by: Abril Macías
Bonus: nutritious and delicious
Fresh, easy and delicious vegetarian wedge salad with creamy cashew dressing makes a perfect high protein lunch in a jar.
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Roasted Sweet Potato and Beetroot Salad
Check out the recipe here
5 from 4 votes
Protein: 18g
Calories: 498kcal
Ready in:50 minutes minutes
Recipe by: Abril Macías
Bonus: cook the potato in a microwave to speed things up
Smooth and hearty meets sweet and crunchy, this sweet potato and beetroot salad has got it going on!
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High Fibre Avocado Citrus Salad with Feta
Check out the recipe here
5 from 3 votes
Protein: 18g
Calories: 417kcal
Ready in:10 minutes minutes
Recipe by: Abril Macías
Bonus: a light and refreshing weight loss-friendly lunch filled with citrus fruits (which are some of the best fruits for weight loss)and loads of vitamin c
After something different for lunch? Try this avocado and citrus salad with feta – it’s sweet, sour & packs a punch!
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Buckwheat Salad with Kale and Feta
Check out the recipe here
4.84 from 6 votes
Protein: 18g
Calories: 411kcal
Ready in:32 minutes minutes
Recipe by: Abril Macías
Bonus: a filling and easy salad in a jar
Looking for an easy gluten-free lunch you can bring to work with you? Try our vegetarian kale, feta and buckwheat salad!
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Couscous and Pear Salad with Goat’s Cheese
Check out the recipe here
5 from 2 votes
Protein: 17g
Calories: 413kcal
Ready in:22 minutes minutes
Recipe by: Abril Macías
Bonus: try this simple salad out with any kind of cheese you’d like
After a salad recipe that actually fills you up? Try our Couscous & Pear Salad! It’s high protein, high fibre & low fat!
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Thai Quinoa Salad
Check out the recipe here
4.82 from 11 votes
Protein: 16g
Calories: 444kcal
Ready in:20 minutes minutes
Recipe by: Jansen & HurryTheFoodUp
Bonus: packed with fibre and protein
Thai Quinoa Salad – Tropical Vibes. A refreshingly light, tasty Asian super-dish with lots of color and tropical flavor. Get your summer feeling here.
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Cooling Cantaloupe Summer Salad (High-Protein Recipe)
Check out the recipe here
5 from 3 votes
Protein: 19g
Calories: 433kcal
Ready in:25 minutes minutes
Recipe by: Abril Macías
Bonus: use any kind of low-fat cheese or your favorite nuts for this!
With lime and mint providing mojito vibes, this summer cantaloupe salad will make you feel like you’re on holiday!
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Arugula Lentil Salad From Heaven
Check out the recipe here
4.69 from 57 votes
Protein: 19g
Calories: 436kcal
Ready in:12 minutes minutes
Recipe by: HurryTheFoodUp
Bonus: fresh, nutty and easy
High protein, iron and fibre in exotic Arugula and Lentil Salad that’s healthy and vegan. Only 12 minutes to make with easy-to-find ingredients
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Vegan Chickpea Winter Salad – Ready in 15 mins
Check out the recipe here
4.84 from 24 votes
Protein: 18g
Calories: 459kcal
Ready in:15 minutes minutes
Recipe by: Jansen & HurryTheFoodUp
Bonus: simple, light and packed with protein
An animal-friendly, fresh and tangy winter salad with some serious health benefits. It’s fresh and new, but still prepped within 15 minutes – awesome!
Subscribe to get our FREE 7-Day Vegetarian High Protein Meal Plan for Weight Loss
- Ideal for weight loss
- Easy vegetarian recipes only
- Automated grocery lists
- Use on mobile or download as PDF
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Easy Vegan High Protein Black Bean Salad with Corn
Check out the recipe here
4.80 from 43 votes
Protein: 21g
Calories: 495kcal
Ready in:10 minutes minutes
Recipe by: HurryTheFoodUp
Bonus: protein packed and totally vegan
High Protein Black Bean and Corn Summer Salad. Simple recipe ready in just 10 minutes, bursting with summery flavours, protein, fiber and iron.
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Fitness Lentil Bean Salad (25 Min, Vegan)
Check out the recipe here
4.74 from 46 votes
Protein: 34g
Calories: 551kcal
Ready in:25 minutes minutes
Recipe by: Hurry The Food Up
Bonus: the perfect post-workout meal
Fitness Lentil Bean Salad. Ridiculously high in protein post-workout salad. 40g per bowl. Ready in 7 minutes. Tasty and effective.
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Turkish Lentil Salad
Check out the recipe here
4.86 from 21 votes
Protein: 15g
Calories: 280kcal
Ready in:7 minutes minutes
Recipe by: HurryTheFoodUp
Bonus: full of flavour and protein
Turkish Lentil Salad with a honey mustard dressing. Easy and quick, ready in 7 minutes. Full of fiber, protein and vitamin K.
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Chickpea Avocado Salad
Check out the recipe here
4.96 from 23 votes
Protein: 20g
Calories: 453kcal
Ready in:5 minutes minutes
Recipe by: Hauke Fox
Bonus: colourful and full of flavour
Avocado Chickpea Salad. Supercharge Your Lunch: High in protein, fiber and put together in 5 minutes before you go to work. Easy and tasty.
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Vegan Lentil and Potato Salad
Check out the recipe here
4.91 from 10 votes
Protein: 19g
Calories: 435kcal
Ready in:15 minutes minutes
Recipe by: HurryTheFoodUp
Bonus: hearty and healthy
This protein-packed vegan lentil and potato salad is a perfect weight-loss recipe (it’s also the perfect macro salad meal). It’s filling, healthy and nutritious, while still tasting amazing!
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Crazy Quick White Bean Salad
Check out the recipe here
4.71 from 31 votes
Protein: 18g
Calories: 362kcal
Ready in:10 minutes minutes
Recipe by: HurryTheFoodUp
Bonus: a great salad and a healthy option for lunch
High Protein White Bean Salad that’s healthy and vegan. High in fiber, vitamins A, C, E, B2 and B6 as well as iron and calcium. Takes less than 10 minutes.
Perfect for those hectic days when you need something nourishing in a flash. Try it out today!
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time:10 minutes minutes
Total Time:10 minutes minutes
Servings:2 servings
Calories:354kcal
Author: HurryTheFoodUp
Equipment
Mixing bowl
Knife
Cutting board
Ingredients
- 1 can white beans (1 can = 15.5 oz / 435 g)
- 1 red onion
- 4 sun-dried tomatoes in oil
- 1 bell pepper, red
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 small handful parsley, fresh
- 1 small handful cilantro/coriander, fresh
- salt
- black pepper
Optional:
- 2 slices wholegrain bread
Instructions
Wash the beans and let water drain.
1 can white beans
Dice onion into small pieces.
1 red onion
Wash bell pepper, cut into small pieces as well.
1 bell pepper, red
Add parsley and cilantro.
1 small handful parsley, fresh, 1 small handful cilantro/coriander, fresh
Cut the dried tomatoes in small strips.
4 sun-dried tomatoes in oil
Throw everything into a big bowl, add the olive oil, lemon juice and finish it off with some salt and pepper.
2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice, salt, black pepper
Optional:
Add some toasted wholemeal bread.
2 slices wholegrain bread
NOTES
Please note that the nutritional information does not include wholemeal bread.
Adapted from Attila Hildmann
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
30+ Weight Loss Salads (Healthy High Protein Recipes)
Amount per Serving
Calories
354
% Daily Value*
Fat
16
g
25
%
Saturated Fat
2
g
13
%
Sodium
30
mg
1
%
Potassium
1030
mg
29
%
Carbohydrates
42
g
14
%
Fiber
11
g
46
%
Sugar
5
g
6
%
Protein
14
g
28
%
Vitamin A
2245
IU
45
%
Vitamin C
92
mg
112
%
Calcium
137
mg
14
%
Iron
5
mg
28
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Tag @HurryTheFoodUp on Instagram so we can admire your masterpiece!
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Sweet Potato and Broccoli Salad Bake (Protein Recipe)
Check out the recipe here
5 from 3 votes
Protein: 24g
Calories: 548kcal
Ready in:42 minutes minutes
Recipe by: Abril Macías
Bonus: serve this perfect one pan meal in a large bowl
This time-saving traybake with sweet potato, broccoli, and quinoa is big on superfood nutrition and even bigger on taste.
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Vegan Tuna Salad
Check out the recipe here
4.83 from 23 votes
Protein: 21g
Calories: 443kcal
Ready in:15 minutes minutes
Recipe by: Lorena Nart & HurryTheFoodUp
Bonus: add more mustard or lemon zest if you’d like your tuna salad tangier
All the taste and all the goodness – without the fish. The new kid on the vegan block is even tastier than the original!
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Pasta Salad With Peanut Butter Dressing
Check out the recipe here
4.77 from 51 votes
Protein: 21g
Calories: 600kcal
Ready in:15 minutes minutes
Recipe by: Hurry The Food Up
Bonus: adding more peanut butter is a great way to make your pasta salad all the more creamy
Pasta Salad with an unbelievable Peanut Butter Dressing. Did we mention it’s actually healthy too? Ready in 15 minutes, and packed with fiber and protein.
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Lentils with Vegetables in Tahini Sauce
Check out the recipe here
5 from 3 votes
Protein: 26g
Calories: 538kcal
Ready in:30 minutes minutes
Recipe by: Abril Macías
Bonus: filled with tasty and healthy veggies
A tasty bowl of lentils with vegetables in a tahini sauce and cashews. This veggie comfort food is just what an autumn day calls for.
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Vegetarian Spring Salad with Peas & Lentils
Check out the recipe here
5 from 2 votes
Protein: 22g
Calories: 451kcal
Ready in:35 minutes minutes
Recipe by: Abril Macías
Bonus: consider adding some sumac to this
Looking for a salad that is filling, healthy and high in protein? Try this spring salad with lentils & veggies now!
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Lentil Tabbouleh Salad
Check out the recipe here
5 from 4 votes
Protein: 19g
Calories: 460kcal
Ready in:20 minutes minutes
Recipe by: Abril Macías
Bonus: tabouli with a lentil twist
Looking for an easy tabbouleh recipe? Get a load of our lentil tabbouleh – a protein-packed take on the classic dish!
Protein: 15g
Calories: 420kcal
Ready in: 30 minutes
Recipe by: HealthyMyLifestyle
Bonus: exciting and full of new flavours
This easy summer salad is both healthy and delicious, mixed with quinoa, blackberries, a tangy balsamic vinaigrette, topped with pumpkin seeds and vegan cashew ricotta (for more salad recipes for summer check these out).
Protein: 16g
Calories: 339kcal
Ready in: 27 minutes
Recipe by: DebraKlein
Bonus: crunchy, crispy, creamy
When you’re craving crunchy, tasty, satisfying and you know you’ll feel your best if you load up on energizing greens and veggies….this salad straddles both worlds brilliantly.
Protein: 15g
Calories: 319kcal
Ready in: 30 minutes
Recipe by: MountainBerryEats
Bonus: full of Mediterranean flavours
This Falafel Salad recipe is naturally gluten-free and vegan and full of protein! Pan-cooking the Falafel keeps this dish light and fresh, and you can prep ingredients ahead of time to make this a quick weeknight dinner.
Protein: 315kcal
Calories: 21g
Ready in: 35 minutes
Recipe by: AlwaysUseButter
Bonus: crispy and different
Spinach, sweetheart cabbage and the most flavorful chickpeas are topped with a good amount of Parmesan cheese to turn this salad into a feast – healthy, delicious and easy to make.
*Note: Most parmesan contains rennet, which isn’t vegetarian. Stick to rennet-free parmesan cheese to keep this recipe vegetarian!
FAQs for weight loss salad recipes
Get more info about these salads to make the most out of your weight loss journey!
Which salads are good for weight loss?
Salads containing weight loss-friendly vegetarian foods like bean salads, fruit salads, salads filled with leafy greens, tofu and tempeh salads and a whole range of others are great for weight loss.
Toss them with some low-fat cream or a light dressing and you’re good to go.
Can you lose weight by eating a salad every day?
Since salads can be incredibly nutritious, usually low-calorie and packed with a whole host of healthy ingredients, eating a salad everyday could definitely help you lose weight.
Having a bowl each day means you’re getting the health benefits of salad greens and nourishing yourself with the nutrients vegetables and fruits provide, all of which are necessary for a healthy lifestyle and weight loss-oriented diet!
What is the healthiest salad dressing?
The healthiest salad dressings are the lightest ones like a simple vinaigrette or a tangy cilantro dressing with lime juice (like these salad dressings under 100 calories!).
If you’re aiming for healthy salad dressings, you’re going to want to avoid creamy dressings made from ingredients like mayo, sour cream and greek yogurt.
I hope that this list of my favorite salad recipes walks the right balance between high protein and low carb to help you meet all your weight loss goals (if you liked them, why not check out our top 15 vegan protein salads too!).
Feel free to check out our other recipes for healthy vegetarian salads! They might not all be aimed at weight loss but damn, are they good.