Summer is the perfect time to have a tasty big salad for your dinner. Full of all kinds of delicious ingredients, here are 25 low carb big salad recipes you can try for a meal this summer. Flavorful combinations of crispy lettuce and veggies, with tasty meats, cheese and dressings and other healthy foods to help you stick to a low carb diet. Check out this list of easy and healthy salad ideas everyone will love.
You might also like this 77 keto summer side dish recipes.
As the warm weather is upon us, I have gathered a delicious list of 25 keto big salad recipes that you can make when on a low carb diet or even if you aren’t. These salad recipes are easy to put together, refreshing and filling and perfect for a light dinner.
I also add a few unusual and fun salad ideas like a large family size salad and cheese platter, upside down Greek salad served in a skillet and other recipes that don’t have lettuce as the base. I hope you enjoy this delicious list of tasty salads and give one or two a try this summer.
Components of an awesome big salad recipe.
I personally make big salads all year round and honestly just about everyday. To me the perfect salad has a base crunchy fresh veggies and or lettuce, some type of protein if it’s for a meal, some type of tasty fat like cheese, avocado and or dressing and then you can add a number of things like nuts, seeds, pickles, fresh herbs etc.
Here are few ideas for each of these.
- The Base – Most start with a big bowl of lettuce leaves and there are so many leafy greens to choose from. There are the crunchy romaine and iceberg, to the softer butter and mesclun lettuces and baby greens. Peppery arugula leaves are a great addition too. However you can also use veggies as the base such as cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, green beans or cabbage and kale.Â
- Colorful Vegetables – I like to add color, crunch and nutrition with low carb fresh vegetables like radishes, red onion, sweet bell peppers, grape or cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, celery, carrots, green onions, green beans etc. You can use as many of these raw veggies as you want though some have more carbs than others.
- Protein – The addition of protein makes it more of a meal but there are so many things you can add that are high in protein such as ground beef, chopped chicken breast, bacon, turkey, salami, pepperoni, ham, tuna, salmon, shrimp, crab etc. Eggs and tofu are two vegetarian sources of extra protein as are cheeses, nuts, seeds etc.
- Cheese – I love crumbled blue cheese or feta cheese are my two favorite cheese for salads. However other great choices are fresh parmesan cheese, goat cheese, sharp cheddar, asiago, and more.
- Crunchy Extras – This is where I like to add crunch with nuts like almond slices, pecans, walnuts. Or seeds like crunchy sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds (pepitas), etc. Both often add go well with the cheeses.
- Fresh Herbs or Edible Flowers – These add both nutrition and flavor without many carbs. Some of my favorites are fresh basil, dill, cilantro, parsley, chives, mint, chive blossoms, nasturtium flowers, watercress, etc.
- Miscellaneous Items – I love avocados on my salads but don’t put them on all the time. Other things I sometime try are various kinds of olives, dill pickles, pickled onions, sun dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, hearts of palm, roasted peppers, etc.
- Good Salad Dressing – I prefer homemade salad dressings but sometimes I don’t have time to make them so I have a few favorite varieties in the refrigerator at all time. However you can easily mix some vinegar, oil, salt and pepper to make a dressing and if you use really good olive oil and a flavored vinegar it’s great. Here is a large list of 18 keto homemade dressing if you want to try one.
- And if you don’t care about carbs – try different beans (garbanzo beans, chick peas, black beans, kidney beans) or simple carbs items like croutons, pita bread, naan bread, fresh fries, sweet potato fries, small pasta shapes, etc. Hearty grains like bulgur wheat, quinoa, barley, couscous, wild rice etc are delicious but are high in carbs.
So now you know of a wide variety of salad ingredients you can use to make a delicious salad. Let’s get on to the 25 low carb salad recipes I have for you today.Â
25 Low Carb Big Salads Recipes for Dinner
Summer is the perfect time to have a tasty big salad for dinner. Full of all kinds of delicious ingredients, here are 25 low carb big salad recipes with flavorful combinations of crispy lettuce and veggies, with tasty meats, cheese and dressings.
Keto Cheesesteak Salad with Creamy Parmesan Dressing
This tasty and filling keto cheesesteak salad is covered in a delicious creamy parmesan dressing. It’s your answer to any cheesesteak cravings on a keto carb diet. Easy to make and perfect for busy weeknight dinners. The beefy flavor of the cheese steak mixture over crunchy and cool lettuce is then topped with a creamy keto Parmesan dressing.
Low Carb Asian Zucchini Noodle Salad
This crunchy, Asian zucchini noodle salad is a delicious way to eat your veggies. Spiralized zoodles mixed with a super tasty Asian dressing and topped with grilled chicken to make a complete meal. This is an easy and healthy lunch or dinner and you won’t miss the pasta. Only 5.2g net carbs and 214 calories without the chicken.
Low Carb Italian Sub Salad
This easy low carb Italian sub salad is so good you won’t miss the bun! It’s a deconstructed Italian sub sandwich in delicious salad form and only takes a few minutes to make. The tasty blend of grilled meats and cheese along with sub toppings makes for a tasty and filling keto salad! Each serving has only 3.6 grams of net carbs and 16.7 grams of protein!
Keto Bacon Cheeseburger Salad
This keto bacon cheeseburger salad is loaded with tasty ingredients like crispy bacon, creamy blue cheese and burger fixings you want. So when you’re craving a burger but not the carbs try this tasty and easy low carb salad. Even if you aren’t counting carbs, this burger salad is delicious with only 5.2g net carbs.
Keto BLT Salad with Shrimp
This keto BLT salad is loaded with succulent shrimp for a simple and delicious low carb dinner! The classic flavors of bacon, lettuce and tomato is even better with shrimp and a creamy low carb avocado dressing. You won’t miss the bread and it takes just 10 minutes to make. Best of it’s full of flavor and has just 4.7g net carbs!
Low Carb Big Mac Salad With Special Sauce Dressing
Have you ever tried a low carb Big Mac Salad? This cheeseburger salad is made with seasoned ground beef, keto special sauce dressing, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions but without the sesame bun. Great keto salad for dinner type meal! Only 3.7g net carbs for the whole salad!
Keto Zucchini Pasta Salad
This easy and delicious keto zucchini pasta salad will be the perfect gluten free and low carb side dish for your next summer party or picnic. It’s full of veggies, pepperoni, cheddar cheese and a great spice blend. It’s super easy and delicious summer dish. Eat it as a light meal or side dish. And it only has 3.6g net carb per serving.
Keto Taco Salad Recipe
This keto taco salad is the perfect low carb lunch or dinner. Filled with spicy taco ground beef and fresh toppings this dish is one of my favorite keto recipes. And it tastes even better with homemade dairy free ranch dressing! This large salad serves two and has just 2.1g net carbs per serving!
Antipasto Keto Cabbage Salad
This antipasto keto cabbage salad is a nice change from your standard creamy coleslaw. It’s made with cabbage and other vegetables as well as Italian meats and asiago cheese. Full of flavor, this Italian coleslaw makes a great low carb lunch or even picnic salad and only takes about 10 minutes to make.
Salmon Strawberry Salad with Honey Ginger Dressing
A fresh and delicious strawberry salmon salad is perfect for spring and summer weather. The sweet kick of honey ginger dressing compliments the fresh and colorful salad and savory seared salmon. It’s super easy to make for a healthy keto lunch or dinner.
Keto Sesame Ginger Dressing for Tuna Steak Salad
This easy keto sesame ginger dressing is the perfect addition to a fresh tuna steak salad or really any salad at all! Full of flavor this sesame salad dressing can be made in just minutes and 1 serving has just 0.8g net carbs!
Low Carb Chicken Taco Salad
These low carb keto chicken nachos taste great as a taco salad too! Making chips and taco shells out of cheese is the perfect vehicle for making Mexican dishes such as these. Either as nachos or a taco salad there is only 2.6g net carbs!
Keto Goat Cheese & Salmon Salad With Sugar Free Raspberry Vinaigrette
This keto goat cheese & salmon salad with it’s sweet and tangy, sugar free raspberry vinaigrette dressing is a refreshing summer dinner. It’s full of tasty ingredients and perfect for when it’s too hot to cook. Only 3.6g net carbs for the salad and 0.1g net carbs per tablespoon of dressing.
Low Carb Layered Ham Salad
This low carb layered ham salad is a great way to use leftovers from Easter. You can use both leftover ham and hard boiled eggs to make this delicious low carb salad. It’s a big salad that you can eat as meal or would be great for picnics or parties. There are 8 layers of deliciousness and this keto ham salad has only 2.6g net carbs.
Low Carb Chef Salad With Red Roquefort Dressing
This low carb chef salad is a hearty salad you can eat for dinner and feel very satisfied. I topped mine with a low carb red roquefort dressing that was sweet, tangy and full of blue cheese. Only 3.0g net carbs for the whole salad.
Spinach Salad with Keto Hot Bacon Dressing Recipe
This classic spinach salad goes perfectly with a keto hot bacon dressing recipe. The flavor combination of bacon, eggs and vegetables topped with the warm, salty and sweet dressing to make the perfect winter salad. It’s low carb and sugar free too. Each serving has only 3.4g net carbs.
Low Carb Antipasto Cauliflower Rice Salad
If you are looking for a delicious keto salad this summer, you have to try this low carb antipasto cauliflower rice salad. It’s full of color and tasty antipasto ingredients like salami, asiago cheese, peppers, olives and more. Just chop and toss and you will have a delicious low carb lunch or picnic salad in minutes. Just 5.2g net carbs per serving!
Middle Eastern Chicken Salad
If you love fattoush salad but can’t eat the bread, try this low carb Middle Eastern chicken salad. It has all the flavors of fattoush in both the chicken and the salad and is FULL of flavor. Perfect with fresh herbs and vegetables from the garden and only 5g net carbs per serving.
Bacon Ranch Chicken & Broccoli Salad
This bacon ranch chicken & broccoli salad is a scrumptious low carb salad that is perfect for a hot summer day or to take to a picnic. Loaded with chicken, bacon, ranch, cheese and the brightness of chopped broccoli to make a filling low carb lunch with only 3.7g net carbs per serving. The chicken makes it more like a low carb meal.
Spring Roll Tuna Salad
If you are looking for a quick and tasty summer dinner, try this low carb spring roll tuna salad. It just takes 15 minutes to make and it’s full of color and flavor!
Low Carb Layered Cobb Salad
This low carb layered cobb salad is reminiscent of a seven layer salad but with all the fixings of a regular cobbb salad! Usually used for picnis and parties you can still eat this as a dinner for 2-4 people. Only 3.4g net carbs per serving.
Kung Pao Chicken Salad
This Kung Pao chicken salad is a delicious and healthy dish to satisfy that take out craving. This low carb recipe has a Kung Pao dressing that is full of flavor and easy to whip up.
Bruschetta Salad With Grilled Chicken
This Bruschetta Salad with Grilled Chicken is another low carb and Paleo dish that uses all those ripe tomatoes from your garden. The best thing is that it can easily be made in minutes!
Keto Gyro Hamburger Skillet Recipe
This recipe is more of an upside down salad. It's an easy low carb dinner with all the flavors of a gyro that uses ground beef full of spices and topped with all of your favorite gyro toppings including a tasty and easy tzatziki sauce. Fresh and healthy, this ground beef skillet has only 4.3g net carbs and 290 calories! Plus it’s done in 15 minutes.
Low Carb Large Salad & Cheese Platter
This is an easy idea that serve 2 or more people at one time. This low carb large salad & cheese platter is perfect for entertaining or even for a light dinner party. With a quick trip to Aldi and a few minutes putting this together, you can have a festive low carb dinner salad.
Well I hope you enjoyed these low carb salad recipes ideas and get out a big bowl and try one o them. If you find a delicious combination yourself, please let me know about it in the comments!
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