How Do I Make a Salad Filling Enough for Dinner?

A salad that is just greens and vegetables will not keep you full for long. A dinner salad needs three things that most side salads are missing: sufficient protein, a grain or starchy element for sustained energy, and a fat-based dressing that slows digestion and carries flavor.

Start with protein

Aim for 25 to 30 grams of protein minimum for a dinner. That is a palm-sized portion of salmon, chicken, tuna, shrimp, or tofu, or about a cup and a half of cooked lentils or chickpeas. The protein is the foundation. Everything else builds around it.

Add a grain or starchy vegetable

Farro, quinoa, brown rice, roasted sweet potato, roasted beet: one of these added to a salad takes it from a starter to a meal. They provide sustained energy in a way that greens alone cannot.

Use a real dressing

A dressing with fat (olive oil, tahini, avocado) slows digestion, increases satiety, and helps your body absorb the fat-soluble vitamins in the vegetables. A fat-free dressing leaves the salad tasting flat and does not provide the staying power you need from dinner.

The Mediterranean Salmon and Lentil Salad, the Blackened Salmon with Caramelized Onion and Sweet Potato, and the Grilled Chicken Quinoa Power Salad are all built to function as complete dinners.

Sous can help you build a dinner salad around your protein targets. Available in the Kitchen membership at chefhealthyhenry.com.