How to Make a Salad Taste Better: Easy, Fresh Tips That Work

If you are stuck in the same old salad routine, boost your salad creativity with these ideas on how to make a salad taste better. Spice up your salad life, eat healthy, and up your salad game. Banish boring salads all year long and make them something to look forward to. If you want to make a really good salad, you've got to think outside of the bowl.

A head of red lettuce with water drops from washing.

A salad starts with leafy greens, but there is a lot more to delicious and healthy salads than just plain greens. I call the additions "goodies"—like nuts and seeds, cheese, fruits, herbs, and chopped veggies. And don’t forget the dressing! Skip the bottles and try homemade—it’s easy. Make a couple at the start of the week and salads come together fast.

Change Up Your Greens

Ruffled Napa Cabbage leaves on a marble counter in a silver strainer.

Do you reach for the same greens every time? There’s a world beyond romaine and spinach. Try peppery arugula, baby kale, butterhead lettuce (Bibb or Boston), curly frisée, Napa cabbage, escarole, endive, crisp iceberg, or even watercress. Add thinly sliced red cabbage or radicchio for color and crunch. Fresh sprouts are great for a nutrition boost too.

Wash greens thoroughly, then dry them with a salad spinner—an essential tool for crisp salads. I prep my greens as soon as I get home from the store, then store them in clear containers in the fridge to save time during the week.

Skip the pre-washed containers when possible. Whole heads of lettuce are often fresher and more cost-effective—and they stay crisp longer in the refrigerator.

Add Texture and Crunch

Crunch adds excitement and contrast to your salad. Try hemp hearts for protein, slivered almonds, chopped walnuts, or pine nuts for healthy fats. Raw vegetables like grated carrots, chopped zucchini, bell peppers, celery, radishes, and fennel bring freshness and crunch. A thin slices of red cabbage for bright color.

A handheld slicer makes prep easy. For variety, add roasted beets (not crunchy but colorful), marinated artichoke hearts, or crisp crumbled bacon.

Color It Up with Fruit

Seasonal fruits bring color, sweetness, and variety. Use heirloom tomatoes, peaches, nectarines, apples, pears, or avocado. In summer, toss in berries—strawberries and raspberries pair beautifully with a raspberry vinaigrette.

Use dried fruits like cranberries, apricots, raisins, or dates sparingly due to their sugar content. For a lower-sugar option, try tart dried goldenberries. They are great in homemade granola too.

Add a Touch of Dairy (or a Dairy-Free Option)

Cheese adds richness and depth. Goat cheese is easier to digest than cow’s milk cheese and less allergenic. Try crumbled goat cheese, Greek feta (goat/sheep), a mini brie round, shaved Parmesan, or a good blue/ or Gorgonzola.

For dairy-free options, look for plant-based cheeses from makers like Miyoko’s Creamery.

Dress for the Occasion

Vinaigrette whisked together in a glass bowl with a silver whisk.

A salad is only as good as its dressing. Light dressings like vinaigrettes pair well with delicate greens, while sturdier greens can handle creamier options.

Homemade dressings are better than bottled—no added sugars, corn syrup, gums, or preservatives. Make a couple at the beginning of the week to have on hand.

Some favorite dressings:

Quick no-recipe tip: Whisk 3 parts olive oil with 1 part vinegar (Balsamic, red wine, or apple cider) and a pinch of sea salt. Add herbs or flavored vinegars for extra punch. A little Dijon adds not only flavor but emulsification.

Make It a Meal

Turn your salad into a satisfying main dish. Add sliced roast chicken, steak, shrimp, a hard-boiled egg, or a scoop of egg, lentil, or bean salad. Toss in cooked chickpeas or white beans for plant-based protein.

The Best Salad Tools

Here are links to my favorite tools for making salads quickly and easily:

Salad spinner - Use a salad spinner to dry freshly cleaned greens. I've used the OXO Salad Spinner for years. And you can dry more than salad greens, like herbs.
Microplane zester - Make fine work of lemon zest, nuts, and especially garlic with a microplane zester. A little fresh garlic is good in dressing and vinaigrettes, but not biting into a piece of garlic. A microplane turns it into a paste that melts in.
Y-peelers - To peel veggies for salads, use these inexpensive little y-peelers. They are sharp and last forever.
Personal blender - To make small amounts of creamy dressings and emulsified vinaigrettes, use a Tribest Personal Blender. And of course you can use it for other kitchen tasks, like making smoothies.
Disposable gloves - While I often just use my hands to toss a salad with dressing, you might prefer to use disposable gloves. Whether you use them for salad or not, they are a must have in the kitchen and for other messy jobs.

With a few simple upgrades and creative add-ins, you can make salads you truly look forward to. Here's to never settling for a boring bowl again!

Ingredients for a strawberry vinaigrette in a blender container before blending.

Would you like to save this recipe?

Never lose a recipe! We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later.