Main Dish Salad Recipes

Salads come in many varieties, like this salmon salad. — Getty Images/Flickr Open

Now that the warm weather has arrived, it's time to rotate flavorful main dish salads back into your dinner routine. These recipes are nutritious and there's something for everyone to enjoy from various cuisines — ranging from Russian and Australian to Japanese. With so many flavor combinations, it's hard not to get excited. Enjoy any of these low-calorie main course salads lounging on your back porch in the sun, at a picnic with friends, or just under a tree in the shade curled up with a good book. It's time to look forward to a sunny, delicious and healthful summer.

Sign up for the AARP Health Newsletter.

Vietnamese Crab Salad with Rice Noodles by Rachel Allen

This Vietnamese salad isn't only a great combination of sweet and salty, it has some good health benefits, too. Crab is a lean source of protein, as well as omega-3 fatty acids, and it's low in saturated fat, which is great for maintaining healthy blood lipids.

Per serving: 277 calories, 8g fat, 15g protein, 2g fiber

Beet-Apple Salad with Pistachios and Goat Cheese Dressing by Robin Miller

Need a sweet pick-me-up? This tangy, crunchy, sweet salad would make a refreshing lunch for a hot summer's day. It also provides lots of vitamins and nutrients; as they say, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away," and adding in some beets, honey and nuts won't hurt either.

Per serving: 168 calories, 5g fat, 4g protein, 5g fiber

Tofu "Egg" Salad by Mollie Katzen and Walter Willet

This vegetarian version of an American classic is quite malleable, able to be eaten plain, in a sandwich, as a side dish, or in a main course salad. The authors recommend pairing this egg salad with a bed of greens, fresh vegetables, tomatoes and olives to make a formidable salad.

Per serving: 153 calories, 9g fat, 8g protein, 2g fiber

Fresh Tuna and Radish Salad with Wasabi Dressing by Michel Nischan and Mary Goodbody

The key to this salad is quality, fresh ingredients — especially the tuna. This Japanese dish is rich in nutrients, as tuna contains high amounts of protein, B vitamins and amino acids. This salad capitalizes on the full flavors that its ingredients bring to the dish, appreciating each ingredient's flavor, in true Japanese style.

Per serving: 166 calories, 2g fat, 28g protein, 1g fiber

Next: 6 more light salads with global flair. »