33 Easter Salad Recipes to Complete Your Holiday Menu

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6

"I love a good ol' Caesar…or even just a pile of mixed greens with a creamy dressing," former PureWow senior food editor Katherine Gillen admits, "but when a salad needs to have enough pizazz to cut through a rich meal, I reach for a recipe that's more complex." Enter this mix of pleasantly bitter radicchio and frisée dressed in creamy, homemade ranch dressing.

• Time Commitment: 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, no cook
• Serves: 4

Think of this Easter salad like a modern update on the beloved-yet-dated combination of spinach and strawberries. Best of all, the dressing practically makes itself. "The strawberries are marinated with rice vinegar and honey, releasing their juices to coat the greens," Gillen explains.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <30 minutes, low carb
• Serves: 6

Here, goat cheese gets whipped into a tangy dressing and crumbled on top for good measure. It’s creamy yet light, and nothing like that dry, sad log sitting on your cheese board (and that’s a very good thing).

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <30 minutes, vegetarian
• Serves: 6

Panzanella is an Italian salad made with bread (and no guest would dare complain about more of that). Recipe creator Erin McDowell traded the usual tomato medley for spring vegetables, like asparagus, peas and watercress for a fresh, seasonal touch.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, vegetarian, make ahead
• Serves: 4

OK, fine, you caught me. Crudités aren’t technically salad…unless you rebrand them as a “deconstructed” salad. But still, who could resist the creamy roasted red pepper dip that comes on the side? (It'll last in the fridge for up to five days, and you can spread it on sandwiches, serve it with seafood or use it as a dip for basically any veggie.)

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 6

Ooh la la. It’s like the classic French combination of radishes and butter, but the vegetables are roasted for deeper flavor. A quick stint in the oven and they transform from peppery to sweet. I should also mention it comes together with six ingredients.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, <500 calories
• Serves: 2

Even though this spring-ready dish is nothing like the pasta creation from which it takes its name, it's proof that the flavor pairing of Parm and black pepper makes everything it touches a little tastier. "You could add raw zucchini noodles in place of cucumber if you wanted to, serve it on top of thin, crispy or grilled chicken cutlets, or you could pile it on top of baked pizza crust," recipe creator Jess Damuck says.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, no cook, dairy free, vegetarian
• Serves: 4

"I like to shave the raw vegetables very thin on my mandoline, recipe creator Kirsten Buck writes. "It makes for a beautiful salad with lots of color and texture." But if you don't have one, no sweat. Just use a chef's knife to cut the produce as delicately as possible.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly, make ahead
• Serves: 4

This monochromatic dish is equal parts easy and elegant, getting its striking appearance from a combination of purple sweet potatoes, radicchio, blood oranges and purple basil. (That said, take it from recipe creator Molly Baz: "Should you not be able to find purple sweet potatoes, purple basil or blood oranges, everything will be fine with their non-purple counterparts.") A spicy tahini-maple vinaigrette binds everything together.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4

Yep, you're going to use the entire lemon: peel, pith and all. "When combined with buttery almonds, a touch of sweet honey and a generous glug of olive oil, [it] makes for a complex vinaigrette that's unlike anything you’ve had before," recipe creator Sheela Prakash claims.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6

Leave the lettuce, take the garlicky dressing. As it turns out, it's an ideal companion to almost any green vegetable, including the springy asparagus that's taking over the farmers market this time of year. Bonus points for making your own croutons (I'm partial to sourdough).

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 6

More of a fruit salad crowd? Don’t settle for boring old cubed fruit. Instead, round up the last of the good winter citrus and arrange it into an artful platter with a sprinkling of chopped nuts. "Pistachios are chopped ultra-fine until they transform into a bright green magical dust that adds incredible flavor," recipe creator Kim Kushner explains.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
• Serves: 6

Shaved Brussels sprouts are an ingenious way to bulk up a salad with greens that won’t wilt, while the fresh citrus brings color and vibrancy to the Easter menu. It’s bright, crisp, packed with seasonal ingredients and, surprisingly, make-ahead friendly.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: gluten free, <30 minutes, no cook
• Serves: 4

This is like a celebration of spring’s best fresh produce in one bowl. The gang’s all here: asparagus, snap peas, spinach and radishes, all coated in a lemony dressing and topped with a generous dose of pistachios and Parm. Need I say more?

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: no cook, vegetarian, gluten-free
• Serves: 4

If you ask me, citrus season isn’t over until the juiciest grapefruit sings (even with winter in the rearview). Plop the fruit in a bowl alongside ripe avocado and crisp fennel, and suddenly you have a salad that’s ideal for the transition to warmer weather.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, <500 calories
• Serves: 4 to 6

The name says it all. This is a bounty of fresh greens and crisp vegetables, and it’s a delicious way to say goodbye to the dreary days of winter. It’ll pair beautifully with any Easter entrée, from lamb to ham to a big roast chicken.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, gluten free, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 4

The second I see strawberries at the market (or grocery store), I'm snagging as many pints as I can get my hands on. This combination of candied nuts, creamy goat cheese and juicy fruit is impossible to resist. Avocado makes the salad a bit richer and more filling to boot.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: gluten free, vegan, <30 minutes
• Serves: 4

This bright bowl is a great way to showcase in-season snap peas without just plopping them alongside a store-bought dip. They're crunchy and sweet, and can hold up to a flavorful dressing, like this mustard-lemon concoction. It's only ten ingredients away (and they're mostly pantry staples).

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, <10 ingredients, gluten-free
• Serves: 4

The Easter Bunny is going to love you this year. While doubling up on carrots might sound boring, consider this a lesson in building an interesting salad with plenty of contrasting textures (but not a ton of complicated ingredients). Soaking the raw carrots in ice water will ensure they’re crisp before they hit the table.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, gluten free, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 2 to 4

Speaking of carrots, they might not sound groundbreaking as an Easter salad recipe, but have you ever tried them roasted? It’s an easy and foolproof way to coax out their natural sweetness. Paired with an herbaceous and creamy dressing, no one will think they’re boring.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, gluten-free, make ahead
• Serves: 4

This salad might sound simple, but it’s peppered with crunchy cucumbers, radishes, pickled onions and avocado for a cool, crunchy and creamy bite in every forkful. P.S.: "You can substitute full-fat plain yogurt for the sour cream," recipe creator Sylvia Fountaine explains, "but I would add a teaspoon or two of olive oil to the dressing."

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6

Frying up quinoa in a skillet is a smart way to add texture to your Easter salad, especially if anyone on the guest list has a nut or gluten allergy that keeps you from adding nuts or croutons. Even better, the homemade green goddess dressing comes together with a quick blitz of your blender.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
• Serves: 6

Cabbage slaw? Groundbreaking. But wait—this one features tart Granny Smith apples, a hint of spicy jalapeño, a squeeze of bright lime juice and refreshing mint and cilantro. It’s elegant, crisp and nothing like the pre-made slaw you know from past summer picnics.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4

If you’re making a really rich main course (like roast lamb or steak), a heartier salad will stand up to its bold flavors. This one is packed with so many toppings (crispy shallots! rosemary cashews! dried cranberries!) that even so-called kale haters will want seconds.

• Time Commitment: 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 6

On the flip side, sometimes you just need a simple bowl of greens to lighten up the menu. This Easter salad recipe comes together with just nine ingredients, but it will make your meal feel complete. "This salad is best eaten fresh and not stored," recipe creator Gaby Dalkin says. "If you're prepping ahead for a dinner party, you can prepare the lettuce and vinaigrette ahead, but only add the avocados and mix in the vinaigrette when it's time to serve."

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4 to 8

Skip the bottled balsamic this time around in favor of your own vinaigrette—you won’t regret it. It’s as easy as combining oil, vinegar, Dijon, maple syrup, garlic, salt and pepper. The secret trick? Ditching the whisk and shaking the ingredients up in a mason jar.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion­-worthy, make ahead
• Serves: 2 to 4

If you’re making your holiday meal ahead of time, half-wilted lettuces aren’t going to cut it. Choose a hearty green vegetable (like Brussels sprouts), shave it ultra-thin and use it as the base for your Easter salad for a premium texture and unexpected presentation.

• Time Commitment: 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: gluten-free, vegetarian, <30 minutes
• Serves: 4 to 6

Crunchy and refreshing, I'm a sucker for a cucumber salad. This one features feta for a creamy, tangy element, but you could leave it out if you want to make the dish vegan. Cherry tomatoes, Castelvetrano olives and chili crisp would all be stellar additions, too.

• Time Commitment: 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, gluten free
• Serves: 8

I don’t throw around the “P” word lightly, but it’s hard to beat a spring-ready combination of asparagus, artichokes, radishes and mint. The lemon-Champagne vinaigrette is simple to make but ties everything together (and sounds downright fancy, if you ask me).

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, gluten-free, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4

Easter falls on April 20 this year, which means depending on where you live, it might still be a bit cold to light up the grill. If that’s the case, just roast your carrots in the oven instead and save the barbecuing for May.

• Time Commitment: 5 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4

Spring greens and a maple-balsamic dressing? This is just what your Easter menu needs. It won’t outshine the other side dishes, but it’ll give you something to wash down your third helping of bread. (No? Just me?)

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 8

You had me at warm bacon vinaigrette. Drizzled over greens and a few toppings (here, it’s tender figs and funky blue cheese), the cider vinegar–honey dressing makes a big impact on this Easter salad.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
• Serves: 6

If you’re still waiting on fresh strawberries to make their annual reappearance, you don’t have to settle for flavorless cubed melon and halved grapes. Take advantage of the remaining winter produce for a fruit salad that will actually get eaten at Easter brunch.