10 Best Wedding Salads

Wedding salads can be an amazing addition to your wedding menu. They’re a light, yet nutritious way to start your wedding meal.

They are also colorful, which makes them an eye-catching addition to the buffet table.

Plus, they’ll help you and your guests eat something a bit lighter, so you’re able to dance the night away.

In this post, I’m sharing a round-up of salads that are sure to impress and satisfy your wedding guests. Whichever salad recipe you decide to serve from this list, you’ll love it!

10 Best Wedding Salads

Avocado Chicken Fresh Salad

349 calories

Ingredients

• 1 Tomato, medium - 22 calories

• 2 cups Leafy greens, spinach, raw - 14 calories

• ½ Avocado, small - 116.5 calories

• 6 oz Chicken breast, boneless, skinless, raw - 190 calories

• 2 Tbsp Red wine vinegar (Tbsp) - 6 calories

• 1 Salt, dash - 0 calories

• 1 Pepper, dash - 0 calories

Instructions

1. Slice chicken in medium sized pieces.

2. Chop up avocado and tomato.

3. Spray pan with an oil spray. Cook chicken pieces for ~7 minutes, turning regularly, until cooked through.

4. Combine all ingredients in a bowl, top with vinegar and spices, and enjoy.

5. No chicken? Use tofu, fish, or beans.

Avocado, Bacon, and Chicken Salad

429 calories

Ingredients

• 2 cups Mixed greens - 20 calories

• 2 Uncured bacon, slice - 88 calories

• ½ Avocado, small - 116.5 calories

• 6 oz Chicken breast, boneless, skinless, raw - 190 calories

• 1 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar - 14 calories

• 1 Salt, dash - 0 calories

• 1 Pepper, dash - 0 calories

Instructions

1. Cut bacon into small pieces with kitchen shears. Cube chicken and avocado.

2. Fry bacon and cook chicken on stove top by cooking on lowest heat for ~10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cooked through.

3. Combine all ingredients in a bowl.

4. No bacon? Use turkey or soy bacon. No chicken? Use tofu or fish.

Blue Cheese Salad with Tomatoes

457 calories

Ingredients

• 2 cups Mixed greens - 20 calories

• 1 Tomato, medium - 22 calories

• ⅓ cup Cheese, crumbled, blue cheese - 159 calories

• ⅛ cup Pecans (cups) - 94 calories

• ½ Avocado, small - 116.5 calories

• 2 Tbsp Dressing, creamy (e.g. ranch), light (less than 50 calories per 2 Tbsp) - 45 calories

• 1 Salt, dash - 0 calories

Instructions

1. Chop tomato and avocado

2. Mix all ingredients

3. No dairy? Use additional nuts and a light vinaigrette 

4. Any creamy dressing is fine, try Bolthouse Blue Cheese dressing if your store carries it

Brussels Pomegranate Salad

408 calories

If you’re having a fall wedding, this salad recipe can be an amazing option.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Brussels sprouts - 56 calories

• 2 cups Leafy greens, spinach, raw - 14 calories

• ½ cup Pomegranate seeds - 87 calories

• 1 oz Cheese, Parmesan, shaved (oz) - 111 calories

• ⅛ cup Almonds - 105 calories

• 2 Tbsp Vinaigrette, light (less than 50 calories per 2 Tbsp) - 35 calories

• ½ Salt, dash - 0 calories

• 1 Pepper, dash - 0 calories

Instructions

1. Spray pan with an oil spray.

2. Cut off rough stem of Brussels and then cut in half (you can also buy pre-shaved Brussels sprouts for this salad if you find it in your store).

3. Stir fry Brussels sprouts ~15 minutes on low-medium heat until you see some browning.

4. Let cool in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.

5. Mix with the rest of the ingredients.

6. Pomegranate seeds too expensive? Use any berry like blueberries

7. Dairy free? Use extra nuts.

8. Note: I like Trader Joe’s fat free vinaigrette – but Paul Newman, Whole Foods, etc. all have good light dressings.

Chicken & Feta Lettuce-Less Salad

403 calories

Lettuce-less salads can be a good idea for weddings, as lettuce can wilt down a bit if it sits in the bowls for a while. 

Ingredients

• 1 cup Tomatoes, grape - 32 calories

• 1 Cucumber, small - 32 calories

• ¼ Onion, red - 13.75 calories

• 6 oz Chicken breast, boneless, skinless, raw - 190 calories

• ¼ cup Cheese, crumbled, feta - 99.75 calories

• 1 Oregano, dash - 0 calories

• 1 Salt, dash - 0 calories

• 2 Tbsp Vinaigrette, light (less than 50 calories per 2 Tbsp) - 35 calories

Instructions

1. Halve tomatoes, dice onion, and chop cucumber.

2. Cube raw chicken.

3. Spray a pan with an oil spray. Cook chicken for ~10 minutes, until cooked through. 

4. Combine ingredients.

5. No chicken? Use tofu, tuna, or beans. No dairy? Use a regular, oil-based vinaigrette, not a light vinaigrette.

6. Note: I like Trader Joe’s fat free vinaigrette – but Paul Newman, Whole Foods, etc. all have good light dressings.

Chicken & Sun Dried Tomatoes Salad

360 calories

Ingredients

• 2 cups Mixed greens - 20 calories

• 6 oz Chicken breast, boneless, skinless, raw - 190 calories

• 1 Tbsp Olive oil (Tbsp) - 119 calories

• 1 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar - 14 calories

• 1 Tbsp Tomatoes, sun-dried - 17 calories

• 1 Salt, dash - 0 calories

• 1 Pepper, dash - 0 calories

Instructions

1. Slice chicken into strips.

2. Spray a pan with an oil spray and stir fry chicken on medium heat ~8 minutes, until cooked through.

3. Combine all ingredients to make a salad.

4. No chicken? Use tofu, fish, or beans.

Chickpea, Artichoke & Goat Cheese Salad

486 calories

While this salad recipe can work for any season, I think it would be extra good for a summer wedding, as you’ll be able to have fresh in-season ingredients.

Ingredients

• ½ Cucumber, small - 16 calories

• ½ cup Tomatoes, grape - 16 calories

• ½ cup Beans & legumes, garbanzo beans (chickpeas), cooked - 134 calories

• 1½ slice Artichokes, canned (pieces) - 15 calories

• 2 cups Leafy greens, lettuce, raw - 10 calories

• 6 oz Chicken breast, boneless, skinless, raw - 190 calories

• ½ oz Cheese, goat - 51.5 calories

• ⅓ Tbsp Olive oil (Tbsp) - 39.27 calories

• ¼ Onion, red - 13.75 calories

• 1 Salt, dash - 0 calories

• 1 Pepper, dash - 0 calories

• 1 Basil, dash - 0 calories

• 1 Oregano, dash - 0 calories

Instructions

1. Dice chicken.

2. Spray a pan with an oil spray & add in chicken.

3. Stir frequently until chicken has cooked through, ~8 minutes on medium heat.

4. Chop cucumber, tomatoes, and onion.

5. Combine all ingredients in a bowl.

6. No dairy? Use a dairy-free cheese or additional Tbsp oil.

Italian Caprese Salad

373 calories

Ingredients

• ½ cup Pasta, cooked - 100 calories

• 1 cup Tomatoes, grape - 32 calories

• 1 Cucumber, small - 32 calories

• 1 oz Salami - 104 calories

• 1 oz Cheese, sliced, mozzarella, full fat/ regular - 70 calories

• 2 Tbsp Vinaigrette, light (less than 50 calories per 2 Tbsp) - 35 calories

• 1 Salt, dash - 0 calories

Instructions

1. Cook pasta as instructed on package.

2. Slice tomatoes, cucumber, and mozzarella into small pieces.

3. Combine all ingredients and toss with dressing and seasonings.

4. No dairy? Use a dairy-free cheese or avocado. No gluten? Use a gluten free pasta. No meat? Use extra cheese.

Lettuce-Less Shrimp Avocado Salad

327 calories

Ingredients

• 2 Cucumber, small - 64 calories

• ½ Avocado, small - 116.5 calories

• 5 oz Shrimp, fresh or frozen - 140 calories

• 2 Tbsp Red wine vinegar (Tbsp) - 6 calories

• 1 tsp Red pepper flakes - 0 calories

Instructions

1. Spray a pan with an oil spray

2. Cook shrimp on medium heat until cooked through, drain away any excess liquid, let cool

3. Chop veggies, mix all ingredients

Light Pasta Salad

378 calories

Ingredients

• 2 cups Mixed greens - 20 calories

• 3 Uncured bacon, slice - 132 calories

• ¼ Onion, red - 13.75 calories

• 1 Tbsp Olive oil (Tbsp) - 119 calories

• 1 Tbsp Red wine vinegar (Tbsp) - 3 calories

• ½ cup Pasta, whole wheat, cooked - 90 calories

• 1 Salt, dash - 0 calories

• 1 Pepper, dash - 0 calories

Instructions

1. Cook pasta as instructed on package

2. Dice onion

3. Cut bacon into small pieces with kitchen shears

4. Add bacon to a pan, cook on low heat, stirring frequently, until cooked through, about 8 minutes

5. Mix all ingredients in a bowl, top with seasonings, oil, and vinegar

6. No bacon? Use turkey or soy bacon, or sunflower seeds

7. Gluten free? Use gluten free pasta