Food & Cooking Recipes Salad Recipes 25 Main-Course Summer Salads That Are Packed with Protein By Emily Goldman Updated on April 28, 2020 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Bryan Gardner Summer nights are made for refreshing, fuss-free suppers starring in-season produce, and these main-course salads fit the bill. Each is packed with crisp, crunchy ingredients and bursts with nutrients and protein. Case in point? The Shrimp Cobb with Cilantro Lime Dressing that's pictured here. It's filling enough to serve as your entrée but light and bright enough to suit the warm-weather season. Big on taste and often low on prep time, we have a variety of recipes for hearty, tasty salads that make perfect summer main dishes. An easy and delicious source of protein comes from meat, and many of our favorite entrée salads use it as a main ingredient. For the steak lover, create our Citrus Steak Salad, which uses strip steaks and navel oranges. If red meat isn't your thing, make our Cucumber and Celery Salad with Tuna, which can be put together in only 10 minutes. Another source of lean protein can be found in chicken. Our Chicken Salad with Pineapple-Lime Dressing is just the thing to eat on your patio while enjoying the setting summer sun. Preparing dinner for someone who doesn't eat meat? We have many vegetarian main dish salads that are just as filling and delicious. Create our Bean, Corn, and Tortilla Salad, which uses fibrous pinto beans, corn, and tomato salsa. Another favorite is our Heirloom Tomato and Watermelon Salad. Refreshing watermelon pairs perfectly with heirloom tomatoes for a sweet and tangy bite. For another tomato-focused option, try our Gazpacho Salad with Croutons. It transforms the treasured summer soup into a refreshing main-dish salad with croutons, tomatoes, and cucumbers, and it comes together in just 25 minutes. Meanwhile our Greek Mezze Salad features roasted za'atar chickpeas, grape leaves, and cucumbers in this quick yet filling dish. Ahead, find more delicious and healthy main-dish salads that are sure to delight. 01 of 24 Salmon Nicoise with Caper Dressing Bryan Gardner Make your salade Nicoise more sustainable by using salmon instead of the traditional tuna. It's loaded with heart-healthy omega fats and pairs beautifully with creamy potatoes, briny olives, and tender green beans. View Recipe 02 of 24 Summer Waldorf with Yogurt-Tarragon Dressing Bryan Gardner How do you make a Waldorf summery? Replace the apples with sweet-tart plums. We also mix things up by adding toasted almonds instead of walnuts. View Recipe 03 of 24 Barbecued-Chicken Salad Bryan Gardner Toss flame-kissed chicken and corn with lettuce, avocado, cherry tomatoes, and tortilla chips for this smoky, satisfying salad. View Recipe 04 of 24 Shaved Carrot Salad with Baked Tofu Bryan Gardner Tamari-flavored baked tofu adds heft to a deliciously simple kale and carrot salad. Sliced scallions add an extra note of brightness. View Recipe 05 of 24 Roasted-Chicken Bread Salad with Peas Johnny Miller Toasted rustic bread soaks up the precious roast chicken juices, and green peas, sugar snap peas, and pea shoots add the perfect amount of freshness and crunch. View Recipe 06 of 24 Halibut Salade Nicoise Bryan Gardner Parsley-flecked lemon vinaigrette ties all the flavors together in this elegant riff on the French classic—poached halibut, boiled baby creamer potatoes, blanched haricots verts, Bibb lettuce, and English cucumbers. View Recipe 07 of 24 Chicken Taco Salad Mike Krautter Skip the fast-casual Tex-Mex and treat yourself to this zesty salad instead. It packs a serious punch thanks to all of its flavorful components. View Recipe 08 of 24 Asian-Style Grilled Beef Salad John Kernick We love turning last night's dinner into another meal. Leftover Spiced Steak Kebabs become a delicious Thai-inspired salad when tossed with butter lettuce, mint, scallions, and roasted peanuts. Fresh lime juice, fish sauce, and Thai chile give it a spicy-tangy kick. View Recipe 09 of 24 Market Salad with Poached Chicken Courtesy of Gentl and Hyers Run-of-the-mill chicken breast gets fancy when poached in white wine, vinegar, garlic, lemongrass, ginger, cinnamon, bay leaves, and chile pepper. Toss with endive, watercress, chicory, and watermelon radish and drizzle with lemon citronette for a stunning seasonal salad. View Recipe 10 of 24 Grilled-Salmon Salad Grilled salmon and charred sugar snap peas give this main-course salad a smoky edge. Eight-minute eggs, watercress, and boiled new potatoes complete the hearty crowd-pleasing entrée. View Recipe 11 of 24 Chopped Lemongrass Chicken Salad This chopped salad pairs marinated chicken with tropical fruit and summer vegetables, making it the perfect summertime meal. View Recipe 12 of 24 Heirloom Tomato and Watermelon Salad Nothing says summer quite like watermelon. The sweet fruit pairs beautifully with tangy tomatoes. Protein and good fats from avocado and feta make this dish filling. View Recipe 13 of 24 Scandinavian Shrimp Salad Lennart Weibull This light salad packs a ton of protein thanks to the eggs and shrimp. Potatoes are another filling component that makes this a tasty entrée salad. View Recipe 14 of 24 Crispy Panko Shrimp Salad Ren Fuller Panko fried shrimp gives this satisfying salad a little crunch. It comes together in under 30 minutes and is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. View Recipe 15 of 24 Late-Summer Chopped Salad with Cottage Cheese CHELSEA CAVANAUGH Cottage cheese is the unsung hero in this salad. Full of protein and calcium, this surprising addition to a modern chopped salad makes the dish even more filling and tasty. View Recipe 16 of 24 Stuffed BLT Salad Christopher Testani Your favorite sandwich takes salad form with this modern take on a bacon, lettuce, and tomato dish. Juicy heirloom tomatoes and seasoned toast are placed on top. The giant tomato bowl is optional. View Recipe 17 of 24 Italian Hero Chopped Salad Justin Walker This versatile salad works with whatever meats you have available. Spicy marinated vegetables give the classic chopped salad an Italian flavor. View Recipe 18 of 24 Greek Mezze Salad Armando Rafael Roasted za'atar chickpeas, grape leaves, and cucumber come together in this quick yet filling summer salad. View Recipe 19 of 24 Lighter Cobb Salad A main-dish salad favorite, this iteration of a cobb salad calls for low-fat buttermilk and light mayonnaise. View Recipe 20 of 24 Chicken Salad with Pineapple-Lime Dressing The pineapple-lime dressing gives this salad a refreshing taste that's perfect for the summer months. View Recipe 21 of 24 Gazpacho Salad with Croutons Christopher Testani Turn a favorite summer soup into a main dish salad. Our Gazpacho salad with croutons is light, refreshing, and comes together in only 25 minutes. View Recipe 22 of 24 Cucumber and Celery Salad with Tuna Petrina Tinslay This main dish summer salad takes only 10 minutes to create, but it's super filling. It's made with two cans of solid white tuna, cucumbers, celery, and poppy seeds for an added crunch. View Recipe 23 of 24 Citrus Steak Salad This summer salad comes together in under 30 minutes. Its light, citrusy taste and subtly-seasoned steak make it simply delicious. View Recipe 24 of 24 Grilled Asparagus and Farro Salad Chris Simpson Freshly grilled asparagus is the star of this delicious salad, which features lemon zest, sliced almonds, and briny feta cheese atop filling farro. View Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit