What exactly defines a salad? Does it have to be green and leafy? Or can a salad be more than just a plate of lettuce? You bet! And to prove it, we’ve gathered some of our favorite “non-salad” salads just for you.

Pasta Salads

Pastas of all shapes and sizes, including penne, fusilli, ziti and more can be used in pasta salads. Just don’t cook two types of pasta together in the same pot, as they may require different boiling times.

Picnic Pasta Salad

Pasta Slaw Salad

Fruit Salads

Nothing is sweeter than fresh, colorful fruits cut into bite-sized pieces and tossed together. To prevent fruit from browning, add a little lemon juice to your fruit salad.

Strawberry Melon Mint Crunch Salad

Watermelon, Mint, & Feta Salad

Potato Salads

The key to perfectly cooked potatoes for potato salad is to boil them with the skins on. Once they’re cool enough to handle, hold potatoes under cool running water and the skins should easily peel off on their own.

Warm Fingerling Potatoes and Broccolini

Old Fashioned Potato Salad

Bean Salads

A bean salad can make the perfect side dish to bring along to a cookout or potluck dinner. Plus, many recipes can be made ahead and refrigerated the night before.

Three Bean Buffet Slaw

Green Bean Salmon Salad

Rice Salads

Add some ethnic flare to your meal with a rice salad. Many recipes are Greek or Indian inspired, containing robust flavors and textures.

Spinach, Brown Rice, & Beet Salad

Warm Brown Rice, Chicken, & Arugula Salad

Definition of Salad

sal•ad | ‘saləd|, noun

A cold dish of various mixtures of raw or cooked vegetables, usually seasoned with oil, vinegar, or other dressing and sometimes accompanied by meat, fish, or other ingredients. Sourced from the Oxford American Dictionary.