14 Spoon Salads You'll Want to Eat With a Shovel

These spoon salad recipes are perfect for summer BBQs, meal prep, or packed lunches any time of year.

Spoon Salads: The Unsung Heroes of the Salad World

I love a salad. But I especially love a salad I can eat with a spoon. No wilted lettuce leaves, no cherry tomatoes dodging your fork. Just cozy, spoonable satisfaction in every bite.

If you’ve never heard of a spoon salad before, it's a pretty simple concept. Spoon salads are made up of small, bite-sized components—grains, chopped veggies, beans, crumbled cheese—tossed in a killer dressing and meant to be scooped, not stabbed.

Why Spoon Salads are The Best Salads

Why are spoon salads so great? Let's talk about it.

• They keep well in the fridge, making them perfect for meal prep.
• They travel well, so they're great at picnics and backyard gatherings.
• They're often packed with protein and fibre.
• They are SUPER satisfying to eat, and a great way to get lots of veggies in!

Spoon Salad Components

Spoon salads can be made with 100% crunchy vegetables, but they often include some soft of starch or legume in the mix to add heartiness and bulk to the salad. Pasta, grains, beans, and lentils, are popular ingredients in spoon salads. Nuts and seeds are also great additions, since they blend right in rather than weighing down lettuce leaves. (IYKYK).

A spoon salad framework

To create your own crowd-pleasing spoon salad recipes, a good framework is key. Include a combination of the following components and you'll be in business!

• Fruit and vegetables: No need for leafy greens here. Spoon salads call for crunchy and hearty fruit and veggies. They can be raw, (like chopped cucumber), or cooked, (like roasted squash or boiled potatoes) or a bit of both for textural variety.
• Grains and starches: Adding grains or starches is a great way to bulk up the salad and add heartiness. Things like quinoa, rice, farro, pasta, bulgur wheat, and couscous are all popular options.
• Beans and legumes: Along with adding protein and fibre to salads, beans and legumes also bring creamy, hearty texture, and earthy flavor. Chickpeas, lentils, black beans, and white beans, are excellent choices.
• Herbs and spices: An easy way to add tons of flavor to spoon salads is with herbs and spices. Fresh herbs, like parsley, dill, mint, and cilantro, add so much freshness. Whereas dried spices, like cumin, coriander, sumac, and cayenne, add intensity and sometimes a bit of heat!
• Dressings: Spoon salads can be lemony, vinegary, or creamy, but they've gotta be dressed in something or else they just won't pack the same punch. Generally speaking, grain and bean-based salads love citrus or vinegar-based dressings, whereas pasta and potato salads can go either way. Dressings can be as simple as a drizzle of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon, and salt.
• Nuts and seeds: If you like a bit of crunch in your salads, try bringing nuts or seeds to the party. Sesame seeds, toasted flaked almonds, sunflower seeds, and chopped walnuts can really elevate a spoon salad. When making your salads ahead of time, consider leaving the nuts and seeds out at first. When you're ready to serve, sprinkle them on top for maximum crunch.
• Meat, seafood, and plant-based protein: This is a great way to turn any spoon salad into an entire meal. Adding grilled shrimp, canned tuna, rotisserie chicken, or marinated tofu will make your salad extra filling and satisfying. This is of course optional. Without it, you can always top your spoon salads with something fresh off the grill.

Spoon Salad Roundup

Here is a collection of shovel-worthy spoon salads from around the internet to get you started.

I hope you enjoyed this foray into the delicious world of spoon salads! Be sure to drop your favorite combos in the comments so we can try them out too. 🥗