If you think salads can't be filling, you haven't tried ours yet. All the salads on this list are packed with protein from real, whole food ingredients - think Greek yogurt, chickpeas, tuna, chicken, quinoa, and goat cheese.

I pulled together all of our best high-protein salad recipes in one place so you can find exactly what you're craving. Whether it's a big leafy bowl with crispy chicken, a creamy chicken salad you can scoop onto crackers, or a hearty pasta salad that gets better in the fridge - there's something here for everyone. Most are ready in 20 minutes or less, and all of them are great for meal prep!

Jump to:

• Quick Reference: Every Salad Ranked by Protein
• Why Salads Make a Great High-Protein Meal
• Tips for Building a High-Protein Salad
• Big, Bold Dinner Salads
• Chicken Salads for Meal Prep
• Tuna & Pasta Salads
• Bonus: A Sweet Salad (No Joke)
• More Protein Resources

Quick Reference: Every Salad Ranked by Protein

Here's a glance at all 14 salad recipes in this post, conveniently ranked by protein! So you can easily find the perfect salad to fit your goals and taste.

Why Salads Make a Great High-Protein Meal

I know what you're thinking - "a salad for protein?" But hear me out. As a NASM-certified nutrition coach, one of the biggest misconceptions I see is that salads are just rabbit food. The truth is, when you build a salad around the right ingredients, it can easily pack 25-40+ grams of protein per serving!

Here's what makes our salads different from most. We use high-protein whole food ingredients as the foundation - not just a sprinkle of nuts on top of some lettuce. I'm talking Greek yogurt-based dressings, canned tuna and chicken, roasted chickpeas, quinoa, and goat cheese. The result is a salad that actually keeps you full for hours.

Tips for Building a High-Protein Salad

Before we get into the full list, here are a few things I've learned over the years about how to add protein to salads:

• Start with a strong protein base for your salad and build around that. I like to use chicken, chickpeas, and protein pastas. Then, add greens for volume and fiber.
• Use Greek yogurt as a dressing base. I LOVE using Greek yogurt as a dressing base because it adds protein and I can load it up without all the extra calories. Our high-protein ranch dressing is one of my favs!
• Dice everything small. The key to a great salad is to chop up the ingredients into tiny bite-sized pieces. When you have a variety of high-protein ingredients, it's important to get a little of everything in each bite.
• Always bring the crunch. Salads with only soft ingredients are boring! I like to add pistachios, roasted chickpeas, and roasted edamame to my salads for both crunch and extra protein.

Big, Bold Dinner Salads

These are full-meal salads that can satisfy a crowd for dinner. They're hearty, vibrant, and the kind of salads that even skeptics will get seconds of.

1. Hot Honey Chicken Salad

25g protein | 446 calories per serving

This crispy hot honey chicken salad is the recipe that converted Dan into a salad person - and that's saying something. Frozen chicken tenders get coated in a sweet and spicy honey sauce with cayenne, ginger, and chili powder, then piled on top of chopped romaine with corn, avocado, red onion, and a creamy Greek yogurt dressing. It's crunchy, it's bold, and it makes incredible meal prep for up to 4 days!

2. High-Protein Green Goddess Salad

21g protein | 555 calories per serving

Loaded with quinoa, roasted chickpeas, and herb goat cheese, this green goddess salad is full of bright lemon and herb flavor. Fresh mint, dill, and cilantro bring a punch of freshness, while pistachios and golden raisins add crunch and sweetness. It takes just 20 minutes to throw together and lasts all week in the fridge because it's the type of salad that doesn't get soggy!

3. Baked Brussels Sprouts Salad

17g protein | 417 calories per serving

This warm, crispy dish is a protein vegetarian dinner you'll want on repeat. Brussels sprouts and chickpeas get roasted on a sheet pan until golden and crunchy, then topped with pecans and a high-protein yogurt mustard dressing. It's cozy enough for fall and winter but light enough for anytime. With 13g of fiber per serving, this one keeps you full for a long time.

4. Lemon Kale Bean Salad

25g protein | 525 calories per serving

After dozens of requests for more vegetarian options, this became my go-to. Chickpeas and white beans pack in plant-based protein, while Tuscan kale holds up beautifully in the fridge all week. Golden raisins add little bites of sweetness, banana peppers bring tang, and pistachios deliver crunch.

The simple lemon-honey-Dijon dressing ties it all together. No cooking required - just toss and enjoy. With 17g of fiber, this is the most fiber-packed salad on the list.

Chicken Salads for Meal Prep

5. Street Corn Chicken Salad

41g protein | 449 calories per serving

If you love the flavors of Mexican street corn (elote) as much as me, you need this salad! Seasoned chicken thighs are paired with roasted corn, red onion, jalapeño, and a creamy sauce made with Greek yogurt and cotija cheese. It's smoky, a little spicy, and packs a massive 41g of protein per serving. It's ready in 20 minutes and even faster with rotisserie chicken.

6. Dill Pickle Chicken Salad

41g protein | 327 calories per serving

If you've been following the dill pickle salad trend, this is the high-protein version you need. Canned chicken (yes, it's great - trust me!) gets mixed with dill pickles, pickle juice, Greek yogurt, and a ranch-inspired seasoning for a salad that tastes like a dill pickle in the best way. It comes together in minutes and is perfect for quick meal prep.

7. Gyro Chicken Salad with Greek Yogurt Sauce

28g protein | 233 calories per serving

Mediterranean flavors shine in this easy chicken salad! Chicken is mixed with chickpeas, cucumber, red onion, fresh dill, and a creamy Greek yogurt dressing that tastes just like tzatziki. I use canned chicken because I'm lazy, but rotisserie or leftover grilled chicken works too. At just 233 calories with 28g of protein, this is one of the leanest salads on the list - perfect if you're watching calories.

8. Fall Apple Chicken Salad

36g protein | 403 calories per serving

This fall chicken salad recipe is packed with protein and is ready in 15 minutes! It includes several fall ingredient staples, like cranberries, apples, nutmeg, and sage. Make this refreshing chicken salad recipe for lunch or for a quick and easy dinner!

Tuna & Pasta Salads

These are the salads that are perfect for meal prep lunches, bringing to potlucks, or just keeping in the fridge when you need a snack!

9. High-Protein Tuna Salad

42g protein | 420 calories per serving

My love for tuna as a quick protein source runs deep. Greek yogurt replaces most of the mayo for extra protein in this recipe, and peas add necessary crunch and fiber. A bit of lemon zest brightens things and brings it all together! It's ready in 10 minutes and is incredibly versatile - enjoy it on a croissant, in a wrap, with crackers, or in our tuna cucumber boats.

10. Lemon Herb Tuna Couscous Salad in a Jar

36g protein | 754 calories per serving

This is the ultimate meal prep salad. Everything is layered in a jar specifically so nothing gets soggy, and it stays perfect for up to 7 days in the fridge! Israeli couscous, tuna, fresh herbs, and a lemony olive oil dressing make this feel fresh and Mediterranean. Just grab the jar, shake it up, and eat. It doesn't get easier than that.

11. Dill Pickle Tuna Pasta Salad

29g protein | 403 calories per serving

What happens when you combine our love of dill pickles with tuna and pasta? This. A creamy, tangy pasta salad made with our Greek yogurt-based dill pickle ranch dressing, protein pasta, and canned tuna. It's inspired by my grandma's tuna casserole but turned into a cold, no-cook meal prep recipe!

12. High-Protein BLT Pasta Salad

29g protein | 575 calories per serving

Crispy bacon, shredded chicken, avocado, cherry tomatoes, and protein pasta tossed in a tangy mayo vinaigrette. This BLT pasta salad is dairy-free, uses gluten-free pasta, and is the kind of dish that disappears at summer BBQs. I refreshed this recipe from an older version on the site, and it's so much better now. Pro tip: wait to add the avocado until right before serving if you're prepping ahead.

13. Italian Dense Bean Salad

29g protein | 525 calories per serving

Step aside, pasta salad - this Italian bean salad has all those fresh Mediterranean flavors but you don't have to cook anything. Butter beans, chickpeas, salami, mozzarella, and fresh veggies get tossed in an Italian vinaigrette for a protein-packed lunch that's ready in just 15 minutes. With 29g of protein and 10g of fiber, it's one of the most filling salads on this list.

Bonus: A Sweet Salad (No Joke)

14. Apple Snickers Salad

25g protein | 436 calories per serving

Never in a million years did I think I'd be making a Snickers salad, but here we are. This is my grandma's Midwest classic with a healthy, high-protein twist. Skyr yogurt, peanut butter, PB powder, chopped apples, dates, and chocolate chips create a dessert salad that's actually a legit post-workout snack. It has the best balance of carbs, fiber, and protein. Perfect when you need something sweet that won't derail your day.

More Protein Resources

If you're looking for more high-protein resources, be sure to check out our 35 easy 30-minute high-protein dinners, 22 high-protein meal prep lunches, or our 29 high-protein breakfast recipes without eggs.