The Best Macro Salad Recipes To Quickly Hit Your Macros
- Updated on Jun 05, 2023
Macro salad recipes are a great way to eat nutritious meals while making sure you get the right balance of macronutrients.
Following a macro diet involves ensuring that you are eating the right percentage of carbs, fats and protein for your health or weight loss needs.
These macro-friendly salads are tailored to 6 different diets, each with a different balance of macros.
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What are macronutrients?
Macronutrients are the nutrients we need in larger quantities, namely fats, carbs and proteins. Getting the right proportion of these is important for your general health and can also help optimise your body for weight loss.
Micronutrients are things like vitamins and minerals, a variety of which are needed in far smaller, but equally important, quantities. Healthy recipes with macronutrients contain a balance of macros and micros.
There are various different interpretations of what a standard balance of macronutrients should be. Some say it should be 40% carbs, 40% protein, 20% fats.
Others suggest 40% carbs, 30% protein, 30% fat. Some even suggest 50% carbs, 30% protein, 20% fat.
There is no general consensus, however it is widely accepted that carbs should make up a large part of your bowl and healthy fats be included in the smallest quantities (but never excluded).
What is a macro-diet?
A macro diet focuses on achieving the right balance of protein, fats and carbs. This is done by calculating the amount of each macro you consume in a day.
Nutritional information calculators are a good option for doing this. Alternatively, you can find macro-friendly recipes designed with macro-diets in mind.
As demonstrated above, there is no one set balance of macros that you should be aiming for. You can shift the percentages according to your goals.
For example, if you want to build muscle, you could up protein levels. If you are trying to improve heart health, you might want to reduce saturated fat.
I have come up with six categories, with macros balanced to fit the needs of each category.
There are healthy macro salads for every occasion!
Why eat macro-friendly salads?
When following a macro diet, you can risk focusing too much on protein, fat and carbs and lose sight of all the important micronutrients that our body also needs.
Many vitamins and minerals are found in vegetables and grains, so using macro-friendly salad recipes is a great way to ensure that you are not only getting your macronutrients, but your micronutrients too!
Plus, salads make easy, quick macro meals that you can easily prep and bring to work. A great choice for busy people!
Macro-friendly salads: the list
The categories I have chosen are Weight Loss Salads, Low Carb Salads, High Protein Salads, Low Fat Salads, Low Calorie Salads and Muscle Building Salads. I hope there will be something for everyone! Dig in, and enjoy!
As we are primarily a vegetarian site, we focus on veggie recipes. Don’t worry, you still get the full sets of macros, just as they would be if meat was included!
Weight loss salads
For these weight loss salads, we have focussed on keeping the protein levels fairly high and reducing fat. All these salads contain at least 15g protein and less than 25g fat, of which no more than 8g are unhealthy saturated fats.
Protein is important for weight loss as it is the most filling macro-nutrient, meaning that a meal with plenty of protein will stave off hunger pangs for longer and help you to stick to your meal plan.
Fat is very calorie dense, so if you need to maintain a calorie deficit, reducing fat intake is a good way to make sure your meal is not too calorific.
Instead of high fat ingredients, having plenty of filling carbs and protein in your salad allows you to eat more for fewer calories.
Check out our weekly weight loss meal plans to learn more about healthy weight loss as a vegetarian.
1. Turkish Lentil Salad
Bonus: vegan, high in vitamin K
Turkish Lentil Salad with a honey mustard dressing. Easy and quick, ready in 7 minutes. Full of fiber, protein and vitamin K.
2. White Bean Salad with Quinoa
Bonus: high fiber, high protein
High Protein White Bean Salad that’s healthy and vegan. High in fiber, vitamins A, C, E, B2 and B6 as well as iron and calcium. Takes less than 20 minutes.
3. Lentil Tabbouleh
Bonus: complete protein, vegan
Looking for an easy tabbouleh recipe? Get a load of our lentil tabbouleh – a protein packed take on the classic dish!
4. Cooling Cantaloupe Summer Salad
Bonus: light, refreshing
With lime and mint providing mojito vibes, this summer cantaloupe salad will make you feel like you’re on holiday!
5. Crazy Quick White Bean Salad
Bonus: simple, filling
High Protein White Bean Salad that’s healthy and vegan. High in fiber, vitamins A, C, E, B2 and B6 as well as iron and calcium. Takes less than 10 minutes. With bell pepper, fresh herbs and delicious sun-dried tomatoes.
6. Quinoa Chickpea Buddha Bowl
Bonus: transportable, well-balanced
This easy (and animal-friendly) lunch and dinner bowl hits all the right spots – grains, greens and a legume! What’s not to like?
7. Vegan Mediterranean Pasta Salad
Bonus: vegan, perfect for meal prep
Looking for a healthy vegan pasta salad that you can prep ahead for lunch? Try our Mediterranean pasta salad with juicy cherry tomatoes.
8. Thai Quinoa Salad
Bonus: high protein, high fiber
Thai Quinoa Salad – Tropical Vibes. A refreshingly light, tasty Asian super-dish with lots of protein, fiber and tropical flavour. Get your summer feeling here.
Low carb salads
If you are following a keto diet, low carb salads make great options. These contain no more than 10g carbs per serving, meaning that you have more room for healthy fats and plenty of protein.
The idea behind a keto diet is to put your body into a state of ketosis. Ketosis is what happens when your body stops burning through carbs and starts burning through fat instead. This allows you to lose weight rapidly.
If you are after more keto recipes, try our vegetarian Indian keto recipes, or check out our top 10 favorite vegan keto dishes.
9. Healthy Mexican Corn Salad
Bonus: colorful, simple
This esquites-style Mexican corn salad is my healthy answer to indulgent street food. High in protein and super tasty!
10. Colourful Christmas Slaw
Bonus: vegan, festive
Colourful Christmas Slaw. The perfect mix of veggies and fruits in one bowl. Ready in 20 mins. Easy to make and brightens up any Christmas table.
11. Vegan Broccoli Salad
Bonus: speedy, vegan
Quick and delicious veggie side dish. High Protein, low carb, vegan and done within 10-12 minutes. In my opinion a must-have recipe with simple ingredients.
12. Easy Green Bean Salad
Bonus: quick, simple
This easy green bean salad is ready in a staggering three minutes. Not many lunches can beat this delicious salad!
13. Grandma’s Creamy Cucumber Salad
Bonus: refreshing, light
A family favorite that has spanned generations. We’re sure you’ll love this fresh cucumber salad as much as we do! A great recipe for a summer picnic!
High protein salads
If you do a lot of exercise, when choosing your macro recipes high protein is what you should look for.
Protein helps to make you strong and gives you lots of energy, so it is important that anyone athletic gets plenty of it!
All these recipes contain more than 20 grams of protein per serving, so you can be sure you’ll be getting your protein macros in.
14. Poke Bowl with Sesame Tofu
Bonus: vegan, filling
Need a fresh and healthy new recipe for lunch or dinner? Our vegan poke bowl with sesame tofu is for you – try it now! This is easily one of our favorite ways to eat tofu.
15. Saucy Eggplant Tomato Pasta
Bonus: hearty, full of veg
A tasty vegan eggplant and tomato pasta with navy beans and kale. Super healthy and super tasty!
16. Avocado Chickpea Salad with Quinoa
Bonus: packed with superfood, healthy fats
Avocado Chickpea Salad. Supercharge Your Lunch: High in protein, fiber and put together in 5 minutes before you go to work. Easy and tasty.
17. Chickpea Salad with Quinoa
Bonus: flavorful, aesthetic
This chickpea salad with quinoa is absolutely protein packed thanks to its two main ingredients being vegetarian protein powerhouses!
18. Crispy Potato Lentil Buddha Bowl
Bonus: filling, hearty
Four easy steps to a delicious and nutritious crispy, crunchy potato lunch with a greek yogurt and parsley sauce. Make your colleagues jealous!
19. Heavenly Halloumi Salad
Bonus: high fiber, rich flavor
Full of protein, fiber and loads of other nutrients this halloumi salad will keep you feeling full for hours – and you’ll secretly be looking forward to more!
20. Vegan Tuna Salad
Bonus: simple, delicious
All the taste and all the goodness – without the fish. The new kid on the vegan block is even tastier than the original!
21. Arugula Lentil Salad From Heaven
Bonus: high iron, high fiber
High protein, iron and fibre in exotic Arugula and Lentil Salad that’s healthy and vegan. Only 12 minutes to make with easy to find ingredients.
Low fat salads
If fat content is what you’re concerned about, then why not try lowering the percentage of fat consumed in your macro diet. These recipes contain no more than 8g fat per serving, of which less than 3g is saturated fat.
When choosing fat sources, stick to healthy fats like extra virgin olive oil. Try these low fat vegetarian recipes for more meal plan inspiration.
22. Vegan Potato Salad
Bonus: vegan, high fiber
Damn Delicious Vegan Potato Salad – take your BBQ to the next level without oil or mayo in this delicious animal friendly classic.
23. Vietnamese Spring Rolls
Bonus: light, delicious
Gỏi cuốn – these summer rolls are easy, authentic and require absolutely no cooking. We’ve even included two simple but to die-for sauces! Full of fresh veggies, green onions, and rice noodles.
24. Vegan Lentil & Potato Salad
Bonus: vegan, super satisfying
This protein packed vegan lentil and potato salad is a perfect weight loss recipe. It’s filling, healthy and nutritious, while still tasting amazing!
25. Fitness Lentil Bean Salad
Bonus: super high protein, super high fiber
Fitness Lentil Bean Salad. Ridiculously high in protein post-workout salad. 40g per bowl. Ready in 7 minutes. Tasty and effective.
26. White Bean Salad
Bonus: speedy, simple
Speedy White Bean Salad – this tangy take on the classic is super-quick and super-tasty. It’s time to make lunch a thing to look forward to again.
Low calorie salads
If you don’t want a salad to take up a large chunk of your daily calorie allowance, you might want to try a low calorie salad. These are particularly good as side dishes or light lunches.
If you are trying to lose weight, you will want to maintain a slim calorie deficit. This could require you to choose some low calorie options for certain meals.
However, it is important to remember that fewer calories is not always better! You need to eat enough for your body to function healthily, or you are more likely to sabotage your weight loss goals.
Check out our Free 7-day Vegetarian Weight Loss Meal Plan to learn more about healthy weight loss.
These low calorie salads are between 250-500 calories per serving.
27. Refreshing Nectarine Summer Salad
Bonus: beautiful, sweet
A wholesome salad of bulgur, arugula, and goat cheese, topped with golden nectarines; a delicious combination!
Equipment
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup bulgur (dry bulgur or 1 cup=180 g cooked bulgur)
- 1 medium nectarine or peach (or large)
- ½ avocado
- 3 oz goat cheese
- 1 ½ tsp olive oil
- 1 ½ tsp balsamic vinegar
- ½ orange
- 1 ½ tsp honey
- 1 oz arugula or lamb’s lettuce
- 3 tsp hemp seeds
- 1 tbsp chives, fresh (chopped)
- ½ tsp salt
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook ⅓ cup dried bulgur according to packet instructions.⅓ cup bulgur
- Cut nectarine or peach in half lengthwise and open in half by turning it around. Remove the pit and cut into thin slices.1 medium nectarine or peach
- Cut avocado into cubes or slices.½ avocado
- Dice or crumble goat cheese.3 oz goat cheese
- In a small bowl mix olive oil, balsamic vinegar, juice from half an orange, honey and a pinch of salt to make the dressing.1 ½ tsp olive oil, 1 ½ tsp balsamic vinegar, ½ orange, 1 ½ tsp honey
- In a salad bowl place the cooked bulgur or grains. On top lay the baby spinach or lamb's lettuce, peach or nectarine slices, avocado, cheese, hemp seeds and chopped chives.1 oz arugula or lamb’s lettuce, 3 tsp hemp seeds, 1 tbsp chives, fresh
- Sprinkle ½ tsp of salt and black pepper per taste. Drizzle dressing, give a little mix and serve immediately.½ tsp salt, Black pepper to taste
NOTES
Nutrition
28. Roasted Broccoli & Cauliflower Salad
Bonus: vegan, gluten-free
Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad – forget fads and so-called superfoods, this is the real deal. Vegan, delicious and rammed with nutrients.
29. Watermelon & Feta Salad
Bonus: fruity, bright flavors
This exceptionally quick and easy watermelon and feta salad is also incredibly tasty – and we even include a guide to picking the right watermelon!
30. Falafel Salad with Fake Tahini Sauce
Bonus: vegan, easy
This quick take on the falafel salad is packed with protein – and adds even more with our peanut sauce! It’s quick, it’s easy and completely animal-friendly!
31. Avocado Citrus Salad with Feta
Bonus: sharp and creamy
After something different for lunch? Try this avocado and citrus salad with feta – it’s sweet, sour & packs a punch!
32. Couscous & Pear Salad with Cheese
Bonus: filling, sophisticated flavors
After a salad recipe that actually fills you up? Try our Couscous & Pear Salad! It’s high protein, high fibre & low fat!
33. Spring Salad with Peas & Lentils
Bonus: high protein, fresh
Looking for a salad that is filling, healthy and high in protein? Try this spring salad with lentils & fresh veggies now!
34. Wedge Salad with Cashew Dressing
Bonus: made in a jar, creamy
Fresh, easy and delicious vegetarian wedge salad with creamy cashew dressing makes a perfect high protein lunch in a jar.
Muscle building salads
If you want to build muscle, you are going to want to eat bulkier salads with plenty of protein and carbs.
Protein helps build muscle and carbohydrates are important for exercise as they are what your body burns through first when using energy.
It is best to focus on whole grain carbs as they are a slow-release energy source with more nutritional value than processed ‘white’ carbs.
All these muscle building salads contain over 20 grams of protein per serving.
For more information on muscle building, check out my article on muscle building as a vegetarian.
35. Lentils with Vegetables in Tahini Sauce
Bonus: high fiber, filling
A tasty bowl of lentils with vegetables in a tahini sauce and cashews. This veggie comfort food is just what an autumn day calls for.
36. Healthy Egg Salad
Bonus: healthy fats, protein packed
Looking to up your salad game? Try this healthy egg salad recipe with quinoa and beets – the perfect weight loss lunch!
37. Refreshing Pasta in Peanut Sauce
Bonus: creamy, rich
Delicious served hot or cold, this easy peanut pasta salad is an Asian inspired lunch recipe that will get your tastebuds tingling and delight the whole family.
38. Kidney Bean Chickpea Salad
Bonus: easy, filling
This simple chickpea salad is the first step to eating better by building powerful eating habits with simple yet delicious ingredients!
39. Roasted Fennel & Carrots with Chickpeas
Bonus: flavorful, beautiful
Looking for new oven ideas? Try this delicious roasted fennel and carrots with chickpeas! 22g protein per serving!
40. Edamame Poke Bowl
Bonus: colorful, perfect for meal prep
Love the idea of poke, but not a fan of fish? Our edamame bean vegetarian poke bowl is the dish for you! Try it now!
41. Sweet Potato Salad with Feta & Pesto
Bonus: high fiber, super filling
Looking for a tasty, healthy new way to use up some sweet potatoes? Try this Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with red pesto!
42. Smoked Tofu & Hummus Buddha Bowl
Bonus: simple, satisfying
Indulge with this smoky and savory Buddha Bowl. The combination of smoked tofu, hummus, and turmeric rice makes for a perfect vegan lunch (or dinner!)
43. Quick Cottage Cheese Salad
Bonus: light, high protein
Looking for a super-speedy, tasty high-protein healthy salad? This cottage cheese and pear salad is ready in just 12 minutes!
Macro salad recipes FAQs
Do you have more questions about macro salad recipes or macro diets in general? Hopefully I’ve covered them here!
If you have any more burning questions, drop me a line in the comment section below and I’ll do my best to get back to you.
Are macro salads good for vegetarians?
Yes, macro salads are good for vegetarians! As long as you get the right balance of proteins, carbs and fat, these can be from whatever source – vegetarian or not.
If you are a vegetarian and want to eat macro salads, focus on finding good vegetarian protein sources for your salad. Try beans, chickpeas, lentils, greek yogurt, tofu or eggs!
What to put in salad for weight loss?
When making a salad for weight loss, include lots of fresh vegetables. These are low in calories and high in fiber, so they will fill you up for a long time.
Make sure you balance these with a good protein source, for more sustained energy. Try to avoid shop bought dressings as they tend to be very calorific and full of processed fat, sugar and salt.
How to make a Kim Kardashian salad?
The famous Kim Kardashian salad is made of garbanzo beans, iceburg lettuce, salami cheese and a homemade dressing of olive oil, red wine vinegar, dijon mustard, parmesan, and a dash of salt and pepper. Delicious!
What is the 30 day salad challenge?
The 30 day salad challenge asks you to eat salads for at least one meal a day for a month. The idea is that most salads are healthier options as they contain lots of fresh vegetables and other healthy ingredients.
Therefore, eating a salad a day should improve your general health and wellbeing. Some people also do the 30 day salad challenge for weight loss purposes.
What can you add to a salad for protein?
The best things to add to a salad for protein are lean meats, like chicken, fish, legumes, like black beans and chickpeas, or dairy products like eggs.
You can add whatever protein source you prefer, but it is a good idea to steer clear of fatty, processed proteins (like bacon, sausages etc) or your salad won’t be healthy anymore.
I hope you have enjoyed trying these macro salad recipes and learning about what a macro diet is. Let me know what your favorite macro salad recipe was in the comments below!
Dave Bell
I’m not a foodie, although I do love eating. I believe food should serve us and our goals, not hinder. Taking control and responsibility for what I eat is important to me. Lots of veggie protein is my way forward.
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