What Salad Goes With Seafood? 15 Best Salads

Knowing what salad goes with seafood is important.

Why?

Well, because the wrong salad can ruin a perfectly good seafood dish.

But don’t worry, I’m here to help.

I’ve got 15 delicious salads that will perfectly complement your next seafood meal.

So, whether you’re looking for something light and refreshing or something a little more hearty, I’ve got you covered.

What Salad Goes With Seafood? 15 Best Salads

Dinner is all about balance and when you’re trying to find the perfect salad to go with seafood, you want something that will complement the flavors of the seafood without overpowering them.

At the same time, you don’t want a salad that is going to be lost in the flavor of the seafood.

Fortunately, there are a number of great salads that work well with seafood.

Here are 15 of the best salads for seafood:

Salad Caprese

Caprese salad is a simple Italian salad made of fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil.

It’s a perfect summer dish because it uses peak-season ingredients and comes together in less than 10 minutes.

The key to this salad is using high-quality mozzarella and tomatoes.

I like to use heirloom tomatoes for their sweetness and juiciness.

Pro Tip: To prevent the salad from getting watery, drain the mozzarella before adding it to the salad.

Substitutions:

• If you can’t find fresh mozzarella, you can use burrata or bocconcini.
• Swap out the basil for another herb like mint or oregano.
• Use roasted cherry tomatoes for a more intense flavor.

Nicoise Salad

This salad usually consists primarily of olives, tomatoes, anchovies, tuna, and beans (usually green beans, although I’ve seen it with all sorts of different beans), which are all ingredients that I absolutely love.

It’s a really filling salad, but the flavors are so light and bright.

I also love that it’s a really pretty salad, so it’s perfect for entertaining.

Pro Tip: If you can’t find fresh beans, you can use frozen beans.

Just blanch them for a minute or two before adding them to the salad.

Substitutions:

• If you’re not a fan of anchovies, you could leave them out or substitute in capers.
• Not a fan of tuna? You could use chicken, shrimp, or hard boiled eggs.
• Don’t like olives? Swap in roasted red peppers or artichoke hearts.

Cobb Salad

This protein-packed salad is perfect for a light lunch or dinner.

It’s full of healthy fats, fiber, and antioxidants.

Plus, it’s incredibly easy to make.

You can use any type of lettuce, but I prefer romaine or iceberg.

For the protein, you can use chicken, turkey, or tofu. And for the toppings, feel free to mix it up with your favorite fruits and vegetables.

Pro Tip: To make this salad even healthier, swap out the mayo for avocado or Greek yogurt.

Substitutions:

• Lettuce: arugula, spinach, kale
• Protein: salmon, shrimp, beef
• Toppings: tomatoes, cucumbers, onions

Caeser Salad

With a rich and creamy dressing, crunchy croutons, and salty Parmesan cheese, this salad has everything you could possibly want.

The best part?

It’s so easy to make at home!

Just toss together some chopped lettuce, croutons, Parmesan cheese, and chicken (optional), and you’re good to go.

Pro Tip: For an extra- flavorful dressing, add a bit of anchovy paste to your Caesar dressing recipe.

Substitutions:

• Swap out the romaine lettuce for kale or spinach
• Use any type of bread for the croutons (I like using sourdough)
• Try swapping out the Parmesan cheese for another type of hard cheese, like Pecorino

Waldorf Salad

This salad was originally a simple apple-celery-mayo combo (and it’s still delicious as such), but I like to add a few extra ingredients to give it some more depth of flavor.

I add grapes for sweetness, chopped walnuts for crunch, and diced red onion for a little bit of sharpness.

The result is a creamy, crunchy, sweet-and-sour salad that’s irresistible.

Pro Tip: If you’re not a mayo fan, you can use Greek yogurt in its place.

Substitutions:

• Use green apples instead of red apples
• Add raisins or dried cranberries instead of grapes
• Use toasted pecans or almonds instead of chopped walnuts

Thai Chicken Larb Salad

This salad is a boldly flavored and healthy weeknight meal. It’s packed with protein and fresh veggies, and it comes together in less than 30 minutes. I love the combination of spicy, salty, sweet and sour flavors in this salad, and the crushed peanuts add a nice crunch.

Pro Tip: If you can’t find ground chicken, you can substitute ground turkey or ground pork. To make this salad vegetarian, omit the chicken and add extra tofu or beans. Finally, if you’re not a fan of cilantro, you can use mint or basil instead.

Tabbouleh Salad

This salad goes well with seafood – for example, try it with some grilled shrimp on top.

It’s also a great side dish for a summer BBQ.

The fresh herbs give it a bright flavor, and the lemon dressing ties everything together.

Pro Tip: If you can’t find fresh parsley, mint or bulgur wheat, you can substitute with 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro, 1/4 cup of chopped mint and 1/2 cup of quinoa.

Russian Olivier Salad

This salad is perfect as a side salad for a holiday feast, a bbq, or really any time you want to show off your culinary skills.

It’s a bit more complicated than your average green salad, but the pay-off is totally worth it.

The salty, umami flavors of the olives and capers are perfectly balanced by the sweetness of the corn and tomatoes.

And who doesn’t love a good hard-boiled egg?

Pro Tip: To save time, you can use jarred diced roasted red peppers instead of roasting your own.

Substitutions:

• If you’re not a fan of olives, you could leave them out or substitute with another type of pickled vegetable.
• Don’t have any fresh corn on hand? Frozen corn will work just fine.
• Don’t have any eggs? You could leave them out or substitute with crumbled tofu or cooked chickpeas.

Greek Salad

This salad also goes well with seafood dishes – imagine a light and refreshing salad next to a grilled salmon or shrimp.

The flavors are bright and the textures are varied, making it an interesting and satisfying salad.

Pro Tip: To make this salad even more flavorful, add a sprinkling of sumac before serving.

Substitutions:

• If you don’t have sumac, you could use lemon juice instead.
• Swap out the feta cheese for goat cheese or ricotta salata.
• Use Kalamata olives instead of green olives.

Asian Slaw

With just a few ingredients, this salad is incredibly flavorful and satisfying.

The crunch from the cabbage, the sweetness from the Mandarin oranges, and the savoriness from the sesame seeds all come together perfectly.

Not to mention, it’s a pretty healthy dish too!

Pro Tip: If you can’t find Mandarin oranges, you could use regular oranges or even mangoes.

And if you’re not a fan of sesame seeds, you could try chopped peanuts or almonds instead.

Broccoli Salad

Fresh and colorful broccoli, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, and bacon bits – this salad has it all!

The homemade dressing is made with mayo, apple cider vinegar, and sugar, and it ties all of the flavors together perfectly.

This is my go-to salad for potlucks and barbecues because it’s always a hit!

Pro Tip: For extra flavor, add a bit of garlic powder to the dressing.

Substitutions:

• Swap out the bacon bits for diced ham or turkey.
• If you’re not a fan of dried cranberries, try using raisins or chopped dates.
• Sunflower seeds can be replaced with chopped nuts or croutons.

Healthy Brussels Sprout Salad

I love adding cranberries and pecans to this salad for a little sweetness and crunch.

This salad is also awesome because it’s so versatile – you could easily swap out the Brussels sprouts for kale or arugula, and the cranberries for raisins or dried cherries.

The pecans could also be swapped for almonds, walnuts, or even sunflower seeds.

Pro Tip: If you’re short on time, you can buy pre-shredded Brussels sprouts to make this recipe even easier.

Pasta Salad

This classic pasta salad is made with tri-color rotini, vegetables and cheeses in an Italian-style dressing.

See Also: What to Serve with Chicken Pasta Salad? 15 Best Side Dishes

It’s the perfect dish to bring to a potluck or picnic, and it’s always a hit!

Pro Tip: To save time, you can use pre-cut vegetables from the grocery store.

3 Substitutions You Could Make:

• Use any type of pasta you have on hand – shells, elbows, or even penne would work well in this salad.
• Swap out the Italian dressing for a vinaigrette of your choice.
• Add in some protein with cooked chicken, shrimp, or tofu.

Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad (Gluten Free + Vegan)

This yummy orzo pasta salad recipe uses a rainbow of veggies and a bright, herby dressing.

It’s the perfect side dish for a summer BBQ or potluck.

And, it’s gluten free and vegan, so everyone can enjoy it!

Pro Tip: To make this salad ahead of time, simply cook the orzo and chop the veggies.

Store everything in separate containers in the fridge, then dress and mix everything together just before serving.

3 Substitutions You Could Make:

• Use any type of pasta you like – gluten free or not.
• Swap out the veggies for whatever you have on hand.
• Use a store-bought dressing to save time.

Taco Salad

Your whole family will love this EASY, healthy taco salad recipe!

It’s packed with all of your favorite Mexican flavors, but without any of the guilt.

And it comes together in just minutes!

Pro Tip: For an extra boost of protein, add a can of black beans to the salad.

Substitutions:

• If you’re not a fan of cilantro, swap it out for parsley.
• If you want a little bit more crunch in your salad, add some chopped up jicama.
• For a dairy-free option, use avocado instead of sour cream.