6 Lettuce-Free Salad Recipes for Hearty & Healthy Meals

When it comes to throwing together a simple and quick lunch, salads are a staple in my kitchen. However, sometimes I find myself bored with the usual red leaf lettuce and spinach base I tend to gravitate toward. Whenever I find myself in a food rut, it’s time to switch things up! While greens are the go-to base for a salad, lettuce-free salads are a healthy and tasty way to pack nutrients into your mid-day meals — especially if you’re not a fan of leafy greens to begin with.

Toss Up These Salad Recipes — & Hold the Leafy Greens

Skip the spring mix in your grocery haul this week and try one of our favorite lettuce-free salad recipes!

Claire Thomas’ Watermelon Summer Salad

Ingredients

• 8 c. watermelon, cubed

• ½ cucumber, peeled and chopped

• ¼ medium red onion, finely chopped

• 2 limes, juiced

• 15 mint leaves, finely chopped

• 4 tbsp. crumbled goat cheese or feta cheese

• Chili lime seasoning

For full instructions and access to her gym and home plans — plus more tasty recipes, like Egg and Avocado Salad — download Claire Thomas’ CPT Fit App.

Maria Teixeira’s Greek Quinoa Salad

Salad Ingredients

• 1 c. cooked quinoa

• ½ c. cooked chickpeas

• ½ c. tomatoes

• ½ c. cucumber

• ¼ c. red onion

• Parsley, to taste

Dressing Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar

• Dried oregano

• Garlic powder

• Salt and pepper

• Lemon

Download Maria Teixeira’s fitness app for instruction (in addition to gym and home workouts). Plus get more lettuce-free salad recipes — including a Green Goddess Salad!

Grace White’s White Bean Caprese Salad

Ingredients

• 1-14 oz. can of white beans, drained and rinsed

• 5 oz. cherry tomatoes, halved

• 5 oz. small mozzarella balls

• ¼. c. basil leaves, slivered

• 2 tbsp. olive oil

• 2 tsp. balsamic vinegar

• Salt and pepper, to taste

For preparation instructions, download Grace White’s fitness app, where you’ll also find several other lettuce-free salad recipes, including Beet and Couscous Chicken Salad, Tomato Salad with Pine Nuts and Feta, Southwest Tuna Salad, and more.

Ida Jemina’s Greek Meatball Salad

Meatball Ingredients

• ½ of a red onion

• 1 clove of garlic

• 1 tbsp. fresh mint leaves, chopped

• 1 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

• 1 egg

• ⅔ lb. lean ground beef

• Oregano, to taste

• Black pepper, to taste

• ½ tsp. salt

• 1 tbsp. olive oil

Salad Ingredients

• 150 g. low-fat cheese

• 1 red onion

• 2 tomatoes

• ½ of a green pepper

• ½ of a cucumber

• Olives

Download Ida Jemina’s fitness app for instructions, as well as access to her HIIT workouts, booty gym and home programs, and more.

Serena Thalia’s Mediterranean Pasta Salad Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 c. pasta shells

• 1 cucumber, cut to desired size

• 1 c. grape tomatoes, halved

• ⅛ c. shallot, minced

• 1 ½ c. crumbled feta

• 1 c. zucchini, cut to desired size

• 1 c. yellow squash, cut to desired size

• ½ c. sliced carrots

• 1 c. bell pepper, cut to desired size

• ⅔ c. olive oil

• ¼ c. white balsamic vinegar

• 1 ½ tsp. minced garlic

• 2 tbsp. sugar

• 1 ½ tsp. salt

• 1 tsp. pepper

For complete instructions, full-body workouts, and more, download Serena Thalia’s fitness app.

Steve Weatherford’s Hot Turkey Salad

Ingredients

• A pinch of hot chili powder

• A few mint leaves

• 1 tbsp. coconut oil

• 250 g. cooked turkey meat strips

• 1 tbsp. lime juice

• 1 large carrot, julienned

• 0.3 oz. coriander

• 3 garlic cloves, grated

• 0.3 oz. fresh ginger, grated

• 2 spring onions, halved

• 1.8 oz. radishes, thinly cut

• 2 shallots, finely chopped

• 1 red pepper, cut into thin strips

• 1 tbsp. Bragg Liquid Aminos

• 1 large head of white cabbage, shredded

• 5 fl oz. unsweetened almond milk

Download Steve Weatherford’s fitness app for preparation instructions and more tasty recipes, including Chickpea Tuna Salad.