13 High-Protein Salads for Light Yet Filling Warm-Weather Meals
They’ll fuel your day without weighing you down.
When the weather heats up, it makes sense that we start craving light and refreshing meals. You don’t want anything weighing you down, plus the bounty of spring and summer veggies is too hard to resist. But you want something to fill you up, too. Sure, a few fresh tomatoes and crisp lettuce taste good in a salad recipe, but you’ll probably feel hungry in about an hour. That’s where protein comes in! Protein helps you feel satisfied after meals, so you stay fuller longer.
Want the best of both worlds? Try these high-protein salads perfect for warm weather. They’re great for both quick lunches to fuel your day and easy dinner ideas for any night of the week. You can also take advantage of those grill recipes and turn them into a salad version for a healthy meal. Think: barbecue chicken and chile-lime marinated steak. Heck, you can even turn cheeseburgers into a salad with all the fixings you like.
And it doesn’t matter what protein you prefer, because there’s a twist on a classic salad for that. You can use pork, shrimp, salmon—they’re all very high in lean protein and cook up in just minutes. Everything listed here is packed with protein (and if you want to double-check the amount, just click the handy dandy nutritional information button under the ingredients). These high-protein warm weather salads will fill you up without weighing you down and keep you satisfied all season long.
Barbecue Chicken Salad
Is there anything better than BBQ chicken when the weather is warm? Chicken is an easy way to get your fill of protein, and this salad has an added bonus of black beans. That’s a win-win!
Get Ree’s Barbecue Chicken Salad recipe.
Shrimp Salad with Ginger-Lime Dressing
When it's hot outside and you want something done fast, this light and fresh salad is the way to go. Shrimp are packed with lean protein and cook in just a few minutes. The tangy ginger-lime dressing will really wow your tastebuds.
Cheeseburger Salad
Good news: Both ground beef and cheese are good sources of protein. And now you can get your burger fix and your serving of veggies by turning the cookout classic into a salad.
Get the Cheeseburger Salad recipe.
Grilled Pork Salad with Strawberries
Break out that grill! Juicy, lean pork chops cook up in no time and make a nice savory contrast to sweet seasonal strawberries. Tangy goat cheese helps balance out the dish (and adds more protein, too).
Get Ree’s Grilled Pork Salad with Strawberries recipe.
Salmon Niçoise Salad
Niçoise salads are perfect to let seasonal produce shine. And while the classic version uses tuna, try flaky, roasted salmon instead. Boiled eggs amp up the protein even more.
Get Ree’s Salmon Niçoise Salad recipe.
Chicken Parm Salad
If you have a craving for chicken parm, try this lighter salad version instead. It uses sweet, seasonal cherry tomatoes for extra freshness. You won’t lack for protein, with both chicken and mozzarella piled on top.
Get Ree’s Chicken Parm Salad recipe.
Chile-Lime Steak Salad
An easy marinade and quick flip on the grill make steak a tasty warm-weather meal. Layering it on a veggie-forward salad with a spicy-sweet dressing make it healthy and flavorful at the same time.
Get Ree’s Chile-Lime Steak Salad recipe.
Grilled Shrimp Panzanella
Your seasonal tomatoes and fresh basil are begging you to make this classic Italian summer salad. Grill up plump shrimp to toss in for enough protein to satisfy you for hours to come.
Get Ree’s Grilled Shrimp Panzanella recipe.
Tex-Mex Chicken Caesar Salad
You don’t even have to turn on the oven if you use rotisserie chicken in this easy meal. Shred it and add avocado, romaine, monterey jack cheese and a smoky, spicy chipotle dressing. Top with tortilla chips for extra crunch.
Get Ree’s Tex-Mex Chicken Caesar Salad recipe.
Pork and Rice Noodle Salad
Give pork tenderloin a Vietnamese twist! Infuse it with a tangy-sweet marinade before roasting it to juicy perfection. Slice it thin and pile it over rice noodles, romaine lettuce, cucumbers, carrots, and fresh herbs.
Get Ree’s Pork and Rice Noodle Salad recipe.
Niçoise Salad
You’ll be amazed how fast you can turn protein-rich canned tuna into a fancy-looking French salad. Along with tons of veggies and hard-boiled eggs, it is super satisfying without feeling heavy.
Get Ree’s Niçoise Salad recipe.
Chipotle Caesar Salad with Grilled Salmon
Did you know one six-ounce salmon filet has over 30 grams of protein? Plus, it’s so easy to grill! The spicy, smoky twist of chipotle turns an everyday meal into something spectacular.
Cajun Cobb Salad with Shrimp
Classic Cobb salads give you lots of protein-forward ingredients like eggs, bacon, and cheese. Take it to the next level with spicy shrimp and creamy Cajun ranch dressing. Nothing boring here!
Get the Cajun Cobb Salad with Shrimp recipe.
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