20 Praise-Worthy Salads To Lighten Up Your Easter Spread
When you've got a big Easter meal to prepare, the last thing you want to worry about is tossing together the greens. But we're here to prove that, just like that Honey-Glazed Ham, the salad can be a show-stopper in its own right. In true Southern style, we've done our Easter salads up with all the appropriate bells and whistles. That means homemade, ranch-inspired Buttermilk Dressing, peak-season heirloom tomatoes dusted with salt, and cobb salad tossed in an addictively salty bacon dressing. All of these salads are quick and easy to prepare, but they are by no means simple. A great salad is multi-dimensional, with various flavors and textures that balance sweet and savory. We love unexpected combinations like clementines and collard greens or watermelon and tomato. By the time Easter rolls around, the Southern heat has already started to crank up, so we've also included a few refreshing fruit salads to round out your meal.
Quick Chopped Salad with Buttermilk Dressing
Recipe: Quick Chopped Salad with Buttermilk Dressing
Homemade, ranch-inspired Buttermilk Dressing elevates this quick salad to a new level.
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Fresh Fruit Salad
Recipe: Fresh Fruit Salad
This recipe calls for a variety of fruits and berries, but feel free to use whatever you have on hand. Just don't forget the orange juice-honey dressing!
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Herbed Cucumber-and-Tomato Salad
Recipe: Herbed Cucumber-and-Tomato Salad
This rustic salad combines large chunks of tomato and cucumber with a smattering of fresh herbs.
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Clementine-and-Collard Greens Salad
Recipe: Clementine-and-Collard Greens Salad
It's not a true Southern table without collard greens, and we've paired them with clementines and pecans to make a lighter rendition perfect for Easter.
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Shrimp Cobb Salad with Bacon Dressing
Recipe: Shrimp Cobb Salad with Bacon Dressing
Piled high with shrimp, hard-boiled eggs, avocado, red onion, blue cheese, and much more, this salad exudes elegance and abundance.
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Best Waldorf Salad
Recipe: Best Waldorf Salad
With apples, grapes, pecans, and a no-fuss mayonnaise dressing, this salad is as simple and classic as it is delicious.
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Watermelon Salad
Recipe: Watermelon Salad
Keep your Easter spread light, bright, and refreshing with the help of this fruity Watermelon Salad.
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Strawberry-Rhubarb Salad
Recipe: Strawberry-Rhubarb Salad
You can serve this fresh fruit salad alongside the mains or as a final course; either way, we doubt you'll have any leftover.
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Field Pea-Tomato Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
Recipe: Field Pea-Tomato Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
A light lemon vinaigrette brings together all the components—peak-season tomatoes, fresh field peas, and fresh herbs—with stunning sophistication.
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Beet, Fennel, and Apple Salad
Recipe: Beet, Fennel, and Apple Salad
Bright pink and yellow beets will bring a welcome pop of color to your Easter tablescape.
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Tomato, Peach, and Corn Salad
Recipe: Tomato, Peach, and Corn Salad
In the South, we love our peaches, and we'll do our best to incorporate them into every course of the meal, including the salad.
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Ombré Citrus Salad
Recipe: Ombré Citrus Salad
Not a fan of drab mixed greens? Shake things up with this lettuce-free, citrus-forward salad.
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Grilled Salmon Panzanella Salad
Recipe: Grilled Salmon Panzanella Salad
Looking for a salad that doubles as an entrée? This salad, studded with pieces of grilled salmon and bread, fits the bill.
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Chicken Salad-Stuffed Tomatoes
Recipe: Chicken Salad-Stuffed Tomatoes
These pre-portioned cups of chicken salad are playful, whimsical, and oh-so-satisfying.
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Shaved Carrot, Asparagus, and Apple Salad
Recipe: Shaved Carrot, Asparagus, and Apple Salad
Use a vegetable peeler to achieve these ribbon-like, super-thin strips of vegetables.
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Lemon Dill Potato Beet Salad
Recipe: Lemon Dill Potato Beet Salad
In the South, our definition of "salad" often doesn't include greens at all: This recipe is one of our favorites, with large quarters of potato and beets and a creamy lemon dressing.
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Turnip Green Salad
Recipe: Turnip Green Salad
Turnip greens are the surprising heroes of this fresh summer salad, complemented by pretty watermelon radishes and heirloom grape tomatoes.
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Marinated Watermelon Tomato Salad
Recipe: Marinated Watermelon Tomato Salad
Soak your fruit in a sharp, tangy lime-ginger-mint vinaigrette to infuse it with maximum flavor.
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Carrot-and-Fennel Salad
Recipe: Carrot-and-Fennel Salad
If your Easter meal skews on the heavier side, round out the spread with this combo of raw shaved carrots and fennel. It's the ideal precursor to the carrot cake that's sure to come for dessert!
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Grilled Steak Salad with Potatoes and Pickled Red Onion
Recipe: Grilled Steak Salad with Potatoes and Pickled Red Onion
We've transformed traditional steak and potatoes into light, warm-weather fare with this sustaining salad recipe.