30 Creative Salad Recipes Ready in 30 Minutes (2024)

For a quick salad recipe to make as a side or to take to potlucks, try these potato, pasta, veggie and fruitsalads ready in 30 minutes or less.

1.Loaded Potato Salad

Get a load of this: sour cream, bacon, shredded cheddar, green onions and more come together to giveyou all the richness of restaurant potato skins at your next picnic. —Monique Boulanger, Greenwood,Nova Scotia

2.Creamy Grape Salad

Everyone raves when I bring this refreshing, creamy salad to potlucks. For a special finishing touch,sprinkle it with brown sugar and pecans. —Marge Elling, Jenison, Michigan

3.Bacon Macaroni Salad

This pleasing pasta salad is like eating a BLT in a bowl. Chock-full of crispy crumbled bacon, choppedtomato, celery and green onion, the sensational salad is draped in a tangy mayonnaise and vinegardressing. It’s a real crowd-pleaser! —Norene Wright, Manilla, Indiana

4.Crunchy Broccoli Salad

Growing up, I never liked broccoli, but I’m hooked on this salad’s light, sweet taste. It gives broccoli awhole new look. —Jessica Conrey, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

5.Creamy Coleslaw

A package of shredded cabbage and carrots really cuts down on prep time for this coleslaw recipe. It’sgreat for potlucks or to serve to your family on a busy weeknight. —Renee Endress, Galva, Illinois

6.Blueberry Romaine Salad

I love to bring this delicious salad to school gatherings. The homemade dressing couldn’t be simpler, so Iwhip it up in advance and just give it a quick toss with the other ingredients when I get to any event.—Kris Bristol, Charlotte, Michigan

7.Pina Colada Fruit Salad

Give friends a taste of the tropics on warm summer days with this refreshing fruit blend. For a little extrapunch, you might add a splash of coconut rum. —Carol Farnsworth, Greenwood, Indiana

8.Sour Cream Cucumbers

It’s been a tradition at our house to serve this dish with the other Hungarian specialties my momlearned to make from the women at church. It’s especially good during the summer when thecucumbers are fresh-picked from the garden. —Pamela Eaton, Monclova, Ohio

9.Strawberry Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

My family really enjoys this refreshing salad. If strawberries aren’t available, you can substitutemandarin oranges and dried cranberries. —Irene Keller, Kalamazoo, Michigan

10.Candy Bar Apple Salad

This creamy, sweet salad with crisp apple crunch is a real people-pleaser. It makes a lot, which is good,because it will go fast! —Cyndi Fynaardt, Oskaloosa, Iowa

11. Balsamic Green Bean Salad

Serve up those green beans in a whole new way! The tangy flavors and crunch of this eye-appealing sidecomplement any special meal or holiday potluck. —Megan Spencer, Farmington Hills, Michigan

12.Crowd-Pleasing Taco Salad

While this recipe might sound involved, it can be fixed in just 30 minutes. It’s a hit at the potlucktable—and I don’t have to bring any home after the shindig! —Ann Cahoon, Bradenton, Florida

13.Quick Bacon Potato Salad

My family was tired of the same old potato salad at family functions, so I created this with theingredients I had on hand. Now I’m always asked to bring it to potluck gatherings. —Tami Gallagher,Eagan, Minnesota

14.That Good Salad

When a friend shared this recipe, it had a fancy French name. Our children can never remember it, sothey say, “Mom, please make that good salad.” Now our friends and neighbors request it for potluckdinners. —Betty Lamb, Orem, Utah

15.Tomatoes with Buttermilk Vinaigrette

I like to make the most of tomatoes when plentiful, and I love an old-fashioned homemade dressingwith a summery taste. — Judith Foreman, Alexandria, Virginia

16.Almond Chicken Salad

My mother used to prepare this salad for an evening meal during the hot summer months. It also serveswell as a delicious but quick luncheon or potluck dish. You can’t beat the tasty combination of chicken,grapes and almonds. -Kathy Kittell, Lenexa, Kansas

17.BLT Bow Tie Pasta Salad

I first had this summery salad at a family reunion, and it’s become one of my husband’s favorite dinners.Sometimes, we leave out the chicken and serve it as a side dish instead. —Jennifer Madsen, Rexburg,Idaho

18.Pea & Peanut Salad

Even people who don’t like peas love this crunchy recipe, including my own children. I love the fact thatit’s so easy and makes a refreshing alternative to more traditional salads. A friend gave me the recipeyears ago and I’ve been making it ever since. —Laurinda Nelson, Phoenix, Arizona

19.Mama’s Potato Salad

This old-fashioned potato salad recipe doesn’t have many ingredients, so it isn’t as colorful as many thatyou find nowadays. But Mama made it the way her mother did, and that’s the way I still make it today.Try it and see if it isn’t one of the best-tasting potato salads you have ever eaten! —Sandra Anderson,New York, New York

20.Minty Watermelon-Cucumber Salad

Capturing the fantastic flavors of summer, this refreshing, beautiful watermelon-cucumber salad will bethe talk of any picnic or potluck. —Roblynn Hunnisett, Guelph, Ontario

21.California Pasta Salad

Not only does this salad travel well to get-togethers such as picnics or tailgate parties, but peopleabsolutely love it when it gets there. —Jeanette Krembas, Laguna Niguel, California

22.Fresh Mozzarella & Tomato Salad

A splash of lemon and hint of refreshing mint brighten up the medley of red tomatoes, creamymozzarella and ripe avocados in this colorful, sensational salad. —Lynn Scully, Rancho Santa Fe,California

23.Tortellini Caesar Salad

This salad was served at a dear friend’s baby shower by a health-conscious friend, who suggested thedressing be prepared with low-fat or fat-free ingredients. Either way, the creamy dressing has plenty ofgarlic flavor and coats the pasta, romaine and croutons nicely. —Tammy Steenbock, Sembach Air Base,Germany

24.Pizza Salad

A fun summer dish, this is a different salad that tastes as good as it looks. I love to take it to parties—thewonderful zesty flavor really complements a barbecue! —Debbie Terenzini-Wilkerson, Lusby, Maryland

25.Brunch Fruit Salad

This appealing fruit salad is a lovely addition to breakfast, lunch or even supper. Light and refreshing, it’sperfect alongside egg bakes, sausages and other hearty staples you find on breakfast buffets. —MillieVickery, Lena, Illinois

26.Asparagus-Spinach Pasta Salad

Fresh spinach, crunchy cashews and penne pasta are tossed with roasted asparagus to create thisdelightful spring salad. —Kathleen Lucas, Trumbull, Connecticut

27.Apple Salad with Maple-Mustard Vinaigrette

This seasonal salad will be a hit at any gathering. It’s also easy for weeknights; just halve the recipe.—Beth Dauenhauer, Pueblo, Colorado

28.Cherry Tomato Salad

This recipe evolved from a need to use the bumper crops of delicious cherry tomatoes we grow. It’sbecome a summer favorite, especially at cookouts. —Sally Sibley, St. Augustine, Florida

29.Colorful Spiral Pasta Salad

Tackle gatherings to go with a bright pasta salad. This tricolor toss-up with broccoli, tomatoes, olives anda hardworking dressing is the easiest one you could take. —Amanda Cable, Boxford, Massachusetts

30.Fresh Apple &Pear Salad

This fun combination of ingredients comes together beautifully in one flavor-packed dish. Crunchyapples and ripe, juicy pears are fantastic tossed with crisp, cool cucumbers and a spicy dressing. —JeanEcos, Hartland, Wisconsin