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Fresh and seasonal spring mix salad with blueberries, almonds, feta cheese, and a simple honey vinaigrette! The perfect warm-weather lunch or side dish, loaded with healthy ingredients.

Overhead image of spring mix salad in a bowl with water on the side.

What You’ll Need To Make Spring Mix Salad

Spring Mix Lettuce – Spring mix is a simple assortment of dark leafy greens. Each brand makes theirs a little differently, but every batch of spring mix is flavorful and super healthy. If you can’t find any spring mix, you can certainly turn this into a spinach salad instead, with 5 ounces of fresh baby spinach.

Sliced Almonds – Every salad needs a little crunch! I love buttery, lightly toasted sliced almonds in my spring mix salad. However, if you don’t have any almonds, any chopped nut will go great in this recipe. Or for a nut-free version, add in some roasted sunflower seeds instead!

Feta Cheese – Some salty feta cheese takes this spring mix salad over the top! Add as much to your salad as your heart desires. Or, if you don’t have any feta, a nice soft goat cheese also tastes great here. And for a vegan or dairy-free option, simply leave the cheese out of the salad – still super tasty!

Honey – A touch of honey balances out the otherwise extremely savory vinaigrette. With plenty of balsamic vinegar, the vinaigrette needs a little sweetness to help mellow it out. And for a vegan version, replace the honey with two tablespoons of maple syrup.

Honey vinaigrette being poured over spring mix salad.

Tips and Tricks

  • Dress the salad right before serving! Avoid storing this salad already dressed, since the vinaigrette will cause the spring mix to wilt. So if prepping ahead of time, keep the honey vinaigrette on the side until ready to eat.
  • Have fun with this healthy salad recipe! This simple lunch or side dish is a great way to use up any fresh veggies or berries you might have on-hand. Strawberries taste delicious in place of the blueberries, and a yellow onion can be subbed in for the red onion.

Add Protein

For a heartier meal, add any of the following:

Spring Mix Salad with Blueberries, Almonds, Feta Cheese, and Honey Vinaigrette

5 from 1 vote
Recipe by Samantha Course: Sides, LunchDifficulty: Easy
Servings

6

side servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

0

minutes
Total time

5

minutes

Fresh and seasonal spring mix salad with blueberries, almonds, feta, and a simple honey vinaigrette! The perfect warm-weather lunch or side dish, loaded with healthy ingredients.

Ingredients

  • 1 5-ounce package spring mix lettuce

  • 1 cup fresh blueberries

  • 1/2 English cucumber, chopped

  • 1/2 red onion, chopped

  • 1/2 cup sliced almonds

  • 1/4 cup feta cheese or goat cheese

  • For the honey vinaigrette:
  • 1/4 cup olive oil

  • 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

  • 2 tablespoons honey

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

  • Assemble all salad ingredients in a large bowl.
  • Make the dressing by adding all ingredients to a jar with a lid, secure the lid then shake until combined. Drizzle over spring mix salad and enjoy!

Recipe Video

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I found myself in a salad rut recently. While I LOVE my buffalo chicken salad, it was getting kinda old. So I switched things up this week and added this La Scala chopped salad into the rotation, along with another reader fave, the Jennifer Aniston salad. I simply assemble the salad, portion it into four containers, then store the dressing separately – and it’s been awesome having a quick and easy lunch ready to go every day of the week!

If it’s good enough for a Kardashian, then it’s good enough for me! That’s my motto when it comes to this salad. While I haven’t personally been able to try the original La Scala chopped salad, I scoured the internet for the exact ingredients and recipe to bring you this incredibly delicious replica. It’s fresh, crunchy, full of flavor, and super easy to make. I just know you’re going to love it!

overhead image of la scala chopped salad in a bowl with parmesan cheese on the side.

What You’ll Need to Make the La Scala Chopped Salad

Lettuce – Any crunchy lettuce will work! La Scala uses iceberg lettuce, but I prefer romaine (it has more flavor, in my opinion). Whatever lettuce you use, chop it into small pieces – just like La Scala does!

Chickpeas – Drain and rinse a can of chickpeas, then add to your salad. Chickpeas offer a nice bit of protein to this easy lunch recipe. However, if you don’t have chickpeas, feel free to use any white bean you’d like. Navy beans or cannelloni beans would also taste great!

Italian Salami – Chopped Italian salami adds so much flavor to La Scala’s chopped salad. I recommend using deli salami, and slicing it into strips. Or, you can buy a whole salami, then fully slice it yourself! For a vegetarian/meatless salad, simply leave the salami out.

Mozzarella Cheese – Fresh shredded mozzarella is best, but pre-shredded works as well!

dressing being poured over la scala chopped salad.

Tips and Tricks

  • To meal prep this salad, simply make the salad and divide it between four containers. Then, whisk together the dressing and store separately. When ready to eat, pour dressing over your salad and enjoy!
  • This La Scala chopped salad is gluten-free! However, if you want a little extra crunch, a small handful of croutons makes a delicious addition to this salad.
  • This “Kardashian” salad recipe is also great for a crowd! Toss together in a big bowl, then bring it to your next potluck or dinner party. Everyone will go crazy for this hearty and oh-so satisfying side dish!
la scala chopped salad in a bowl with a fork.

Adjust This Recipe to Your Dietary Needs

Make it Vegan: For a completely plant-based La Scala salad, simply leave out the salami and swap the cheeses for your favorite vegan cheeses. I love Myoko’s Cashew Milk Mozzarella and Violife’s Vegan Parmesan Cheese!

Make it Dairy-Free: Similar to the vegan options, either swap out the cheeses for your favorite non-dairy cheeses, or leave them out of this salad recipe altogether.

close-up overhead image of la scala chopped salad
3.62 from 89 votes

La Scala Chopped Salad aka “The Kardashian Salad”

The La Scala chopped salad is widely known as a Kardashian favorite – and it’ll quickly become your favorite, too! Super quick and easy to make, with only a handful of simple ingredients. Make this famous Los Angeles salad at home in just 5 minutes.
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 head lettuce, finely chopped (iceberg, romaine, etc.)
  • 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 pound Italian salami, chopped
  • 1 cup freshly shredded mozzarella cheese

For the dressing:

  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • Add all salad ingredients to a large bowl and toss.
  • Add all dressing ingredients to a small bowl and whisk to combine.
  • Drizzle dressing over salad right before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 300kcal

Perfectly pan-seared steak atop a bed of fresh greens, finished off with a drizzle of tangy cilantro-lime vinaigrette! Super quick and easy, this steak salad comes together in under 15 minutes.

Overhead image of steak salad on parchment paper with cilantro lime dressing on the side.

What You’ll Need To Make This Steak Salad Recipe

Flank Steak – Flank steak is a thin, lean cut of beef, and takes just a few minutes to cook. I love pan-searing flank steak, which gives it this incredible brown crust. We also keep the seasoning on the steak simple, since the rest of our salad is loaded with flavor. A generous sprinkling of salt and black pepper is all you’ll need, followed by a drizzle of avocado oil for cooking.

Mixed Salad Greens – Feel free to use any type of salad greens you’d like! I love a good spring mix for my steak salad, but really any bed of greens would taste delicious. I’ve made this recipe with fresh arugula, chopped kale, and baby spinach – all of which turned out perfect!

Cilantro – I’m one of those people who looooves cilantro. It’s perfectly fresh and flavorful. However, if you don’t like cilantro, you can use fresh parsley in its place. And whichever herb you use, make sure to reserve a little extra to top off your finished salad.

cilantro lime dressing being poured over steak salad.

Tips and Tricks

  • Have fun with this healthy lunch or dinner recipe! Add or remove any fresh herbs and/or veggies you’d like. This is also a great meal to use up any leftover produce you have lying around …before it goes bad!
  • Add this steak salad to your weekly meal prep! The best way to prep this recipe is to cook the steak and assemble your salads, then store them separately from your dressing. When ready to eat, toss in the cilantro lime vinaigrette and enjoy!
  • If marinated steak is more your thing, then marinate the flank steak in half of the cilantro lime vinaigrette for 30 minutes before cooking. If you have the time, this extra step truly takes this recipe to the next level!
close-up image of steak salad.

Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

Make it Vegan/Vegetarian: Replace the flank steak with either cauliflower steaks or tofu steaks for an easy, healthy vegan meal.

Add Cheese: If not dairy-free, sprinkle a small handful of crumbled queso fresco, or herby goat cheese into this steak salad!

Steak Salad with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

0 from 0 votes
Recipe by Samantha Course: MainDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

5

minutes
Total time

15

minutes

Perfectly pan-seared steak atop a bed of fresh greens, finished off with a drizzle of tangy cilantro-lime vinaigrette! Super quick and easy, this steak salad comes together in under 15 minutes.

Ingredients

  • For the steak:
  • 1 pound flank steak

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil, or any high-heat oil

  • For the salad:
  • 6 cups mixed salad greens

  • 1 ear sweet corn, sliced off the cob

  • 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

  • 1 avocado, sliced

  • 1/2 English cucumber, chopped

  • 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

  • small handful fresh cilantro, chopped

  • For the cilantro-lime vinaigrette:
  • 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves

  • 1/2 cup olive oil

  • 2 limes, juiced

  • 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup

  • 1 garlic clove, peeled

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

  • Pat steak dry with a paper towel and season on both sides with salt and pepper, then drizzle steak in avocado oil.
  • Place steak in a hot pan, and cook about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare steak.
  • Remove steak from pan and let rest on a cutting board for at least 10 minutes, before thinly slicing against the grain.
  • Make the cilantro lime dressing by adding all ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
  • Make the cilantro lime dressing by adding all ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

Recipe Video

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A classic French Niçoise salad, fully loaded with all things fresh and delicious! Bursting with seasonal spring veggies such as crisp green beans, baby potatoes, cherry tomatoes, and capers. This hearty Niçoise salad is then finished off with a tangy and herby dijon vinaigrette.

overhead image of nicoise salad in a bowl with dressing on the side.

What You’ll Need To Make This Niçoise Salad

Dijon Mustard – This French mustard works perfectly in this French recipe! Two tablespoons of tangy, slightly spicy Dijon mustard gives our dressing loads of delicious flavor. If you don’t have Dijon mustard, you can use spicy brown mustard or 1 teaspoon of ground mustard seed in its place.

Olive Oil – Plenty, and I mean plenty of olive oil is essential to a smooth and creamy vinaigrette! I like having two different kinds of olive oil in my kitchen – one cheaper, less flavorful kind, and one higher quality kind. The higher quality olive oil is exactly what I’d reach for in this, or any, salad dressing recipe. Whereas the cheaper, less flavorful olive oil is perfect for cooking, since much of its flavor will get cooked off anyway!

Baby Potatoes – These creamy, adorable potatoes are traditional to all Niçoise salads recipes. Either red or yellow baby potatoes will work here (I used a combination of both). To prep them for this dish, give them a good scrub under cold water then slice each one in half. Once prepped, quickly boil the baby potatoes until fork tender, then coat in dressing and add to your salad!

Lettuce – Really any kind of lettuce would work in this salad! Boston or butter lettuce taste both fresh and crisp, and are the perfect base to this hearty salad. However, I’ve swapped out the lettuce for arugula, baby spinach, and romaine – all were delicious!

Eggs – Hard boiled eggs, soft boiled eggs, or anywhere in between! There are a ton of boiled egg how-tos out there on the internet, in case you need some guidance. I followed this jammy egg recipe and my boiled eggs turned out PERFECT.

Tuna – It’s not a Niçoise salad without some flaked tuna! Similar to the olive oil in this salad recipe, we want to use good quality tuna as well. Also, look for solid canned tuna, as opposed to chunk light tuna. And for an even richer, more flavorful tuna, use tuna packed in oil – it’s extra buttery and delicious!

close-up image of nicoise salad on a plate

Tips and Tricks

  • When making the Niçoise salad dressing, *slowly* pour in the olive oil, while whisking. Doing this will help to emulsify the oil into the dressing, creating a smooth and well-combined vinaigrette. And take your time here, because rushing this step could cause the dressing to separate.
  • Boil the fresh green beans for no more than a few minutes! Green beans cook quickly, and can overcook even quicker. Therefore, to ensure they maintain their crisp-ness, boil them for no more than 3 minutes, then immediately transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking!
  • Add this Niçoise salad into your weekly meal prep! To do this, simply chop and prep all salad ingredients, then whisk together the dressing. Divide and assemble your salads into four separate containers, and store the dressing on the side – then, when ready to eat, dress your salads and enjoy!
nicoise salad on a plate with white wine on the side

Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

Make it Vegan: For a vegan Niçoise salad, leave out the hard boiled eggs, and replace the tofu with a cup or two of cooked lentils.

Make it Paleo: This recipe is easily made paleo by leaving out the potatoes! If you’d like, you can even use cauliflower florets in their place.

Fresh and Delicious Niçoise Salad

0 from 0 votes
Recipe by Samantha Course: MainCuisine: FrenchDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

10

minutes
Total time

20

minutes

A classic French Niçoise salad, fully loaded with all things fresh and delicious! Bursting with seasonal spring veggies such as crisp green beans, baby potatoes, cherry tomatoes, and capers. This hearty Niçoise salad is then finished off with a tangy and herby dijon vinaigrette.

Ingredients

  • For the dressing:
  • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar

  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

  • 1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped

  • 1 teaspoon honey

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

  • 3/4 cup olive oil

  • For the salad:
  • 1 pound baby potatoes, sliced in half

  • 8 ounces green beans, trimmed

  • 1 head Boston lettuce or butter lettuce, chopped

  • 2 (5-ounce) cans tuna, drained (see Notes)

  • 4 eggs, boiled

  • 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

  • 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

  • 5-6 radishes, ends trimmed and cut in half

  • 1/4 cup mixed olives

  • 2 tablespoons capers

Directions

  • Make the dressing my whisking together all ingredients except olive oil. Once combined, slowly pour in olive oil while whisking to emulsify oil and create a smooth dressing.
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add in the sliced potatoes along with a pinch of salt. Cook potatoes until fork tender, about 10 minutes, then drain from water. Transfer potatoes to a large bowl and toss in ¼ cup of dressing.
  • Bring another large pot of water to a boil, then add in trimmed green beans. Cook green beans until tender, about 2-3 minutes, then transfer to an ice bath to stop the cooking. Once cool, remove green beans from ice bath.
  • Assemble all salad ingredients on a large platter – cooked potatoes, green beans, lettuce, tuna, boiled eggs, red onion, tomatoes, radishes, mixed olives, and capers. Drizzle some dressing over salad and serve with extra dressing on the side.

Recipe Video

Notes

  • Tuna: Canned tuna packed in oil is ideal here, since it’s moist and has more flavor. However, if all you have is canned tuna packed in water then that works too!

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This strawberry spinach salad is both light and satisfying! Sweet strawberries, hearty farro, fresh mint, and healthy spinach are tossed together in a simple honey balsamic vinaigrette. Enjoy this strawberry spinach salad as a quick and nutritious lunch or serve it alongside your favorite protein for a well-rounded lunch!

overhead image of strawberry spinach salad on a plate with a fork

I am SO here for strawberry season! I’ve challenged myself to eat as many strawberries in as many different ways as possible before this delicious season is over. And as someone who loves a good sweet and savory combo, I will forever be pro-fruit in salads. There’s also just something about a strawberry and balsamic combo that is SO incredibly perfect. Also, as someone who loves and needs more quick and easy salad options in her life – this strawberry spinach salad checks all my boxes!

What You Need To Make Strawberry Spinach Salad

Farro – Farro is a grain that’s full of fiber, iron, protein, and magnesium. I know, it’s the total package. If you’ve never had farro before, I highly recommend you give it a try. It tastes like a heartier brown rice. Though it has more than twice the amount of protein as rice! Follow the instructions on the package for how to cook the farro. The method is typically similar to pasta or rice. You’ll boil it in water for about 10-15 minutes, then strain it and let it cool for this recipe.

Spinach – Spinach is another major superfood in this recipe! Along with protein, iron, vitamins, and minerals – spinach is chock-full of antioxidants. The antioxidants found in spinach have been shown to reduce the risk of common diseases and even cancer. Yup, Popeye was seriously on to something with the whole spinach thing…

Walnuts – Here we go again with another superfood! Walnuts are also rich in antioxidants, are an incredible source of heart healthy omega-3s and have also been studied and found to reduce the risk of some cancers. Not only are they good for you, but walnuts give this salad a delightful crunch. I’m telling you, this strawberry spinach salad is the most well-rounded salad in both flavor and nutrition!

Adjust This Recipe To Your Diet

  • Add Protein: Feel free to add a flakey salmon filet or your favorite grilled/roasted chicken to increase the protein in this strawberry spinach salad recipe.
  • Make it Vegan: You can easily make this salad vegan by using maple syrup in place of the honey.
  • Use a Different Grain: Swap the farro for your favorite grain if you’d like! Cooked brown rice, quinoa, or even barley would taste great in this recipe.
  • Add Dairy: Sprinkle some crumbled feta over the top of your strawberry spinach salad.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

0 from 0 votes
Recipe by Samantha Russo Course: MainCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

10

minutes
Total time

20

minutes

This strawberry spinach salad is both light and satisfying! Sweet strawberries, hearty farro, fresh mint, and healthy spinach are tossed together in a simple honey balsamic vinaigrette. Enjoy this strawberry spinach salad as a quick and nutritious lunch or serve it alongside your favorite protein for a well-rounded lunch!

Ingredients

  • For the salad:
  • 1 cup farro

  • 1-2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced

  • 3 cups spinach, sliced

  • 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

  • 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, sliced

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

  • For the honey balsamic dressing:
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon honey

  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

  • Cook farro according to package instructions then set aside to cool completely.
  • Toss all salad ingredients together in a bowl, including cooked and cooled farro.
  • Whisk together salad dressing ingredients in a small bowl, then drizzle over salad and toss again to coat.

Recipe Video

Notes

  • If you don’t have strawberries, fresh blueberries or sliced apples would taste great in their place!

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