What Salad Goes With Swedish Meatballs? 15 Best Salads

Knowing what salad goes with Swedish meatballs is essential if you want to create a well-rounded and delicious meal.

While these meatballs are often served with mashed potatoes or egg noodles, a light and fresh salad is the perfect way to balance out the dish.

There are many different salads that pair well with Swedish meatballs, but I’ve compiled a list of my favorites.

From simple green salads to more complex grain salads, there’s something on this list for everyone.

So, whether you’re looking for a side dish for your next family dinner or you need some inspiration for your next potluck, look no further than this list of the best salads to serve with Swedish meatballs.

Related: 13 Delicious Desserts that Go with Swedish Meatballs

What Salad Goes With Swedish Meatballs? 15 Best Salads

A salad can be a great way to round out a meal of Swedish meatballs.

The right salad can complement the flavors of the meatballs and help to balance out the rich and savory flavors.

On the other hand, a bad salad can easily overwhelm the delicate flavor of the meatballs and leave you with a bland and unappetizing dish.

Fortunately, there are a number of great salads that pair well with Swedish meatballs.

Here are 15 of the best salads for Swedish meatballs:

Salad Caprese

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

It is usually seasoned with salt and olive oil.

This salad is awesome because it is so simple and light, but still has a ton of flavor.

The sweetness of the tomatoes pairs perfectly with the salty cheese and the fresh basil brings it all together.

Pro Tips:

• If you can’t find fresh mozzarella, you can substitute with bocconcini or even regular shredded mozzarella.
• For the tomatoes, you could use cherry tomatoes or sun-dried tomatoes.
• And finally, for the basil, you could use mint or cilantro.

Nicoise Salad

This salad usually consists primarily of olives, tomatoes, anchovies, tuna, and beans – which makes for a really robust and satisfying flavor profile.

I love how all of the different components come together to create something greater than the sum of its parts.

Pro Tip: If you’re not a fan of fish, you could swap out the tuna for chicken or hard-boiled eggs.

Cobb Salad

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

It’s full of healthy fats from the avocado and eggs, and the blue cheese dressing is to die for.

Plus, it’s super easy to make ahead of time and pack for work or school.

Pro Tip: For an extra crunch, add some chopped bacon to the salad.

Substitutions:

• Swap out the blue cheese dressing for ranch or vinaigrette.
• Use hard-boiled eggs instead of fried eggs.
• Add grilled chicken or shrimp instead of bacon.

Caeser Salad

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

It’s simple to make, but still feels like a treat.

Pro Tip: For extra flavor, grill or roast your chicken before adding it to the salad.

Substitutions:

• Swap out the chicken for shrimp or steak
• Try a vegan Caesar dressing
• Add roasted kale or Brussels sprouts for extra greens

Waldorf Salad

This salad goes great with Swedish meatballs, roasted chicken, or as a standalone dish.

I love the creamy dressing and the sweetness from the grapes.

The crunch from the celery and apples is also a nice touch.

Pro Tip: If you want a little bit more of a crunch, you can swap out the apples for pears or add some chopped nuts to the salad.

Substitutions:

• Swap out mayo for Greek yogurt in the dressing
• Add in diced avocado
• Use spinach leaves instead of lettuce

Thai Chicken Larb Salad

This salad is a boldly flavored, yet still light and refreshing.

It’s perfect for a summer day, or really any day when you’re in the mood for something bright and flavorful.

The lime juice and fish sauce give it a nice umami flavor, while the mint and cilantro add a beautiful brightness.

The peanuts provide a lovely crunch, and the chicken is perfectly cooked.

Pro Tip: If you don’t have time to cook your own chicken, you can use rotisserie chicken instead.

3 Substitutions You Could Make:

• Swap out the chicken for shrimp
• Use tofu instead of chicken
• Add mangoes for a sweet touch

Tabbouleh Salad

This salad is known for being light and refreshing, but it’s also packed with flavor.

The combination of fresh herbs, diced tomatoes, and lemon juice is always a winner in my book.

And, since it’s made mostly of veggies, it’s a great way to sneak some extra nutrients into your diet.

Pro Tip: If you can’t find fresh parsley or mint, you can use dried herbs instead. Just make sure to adjust the amount you use – 1 teaspoon of dried herbs is equal to 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs.

3 Substitutions You Could Make:

• Swap out the parsley for cilantro
• Use diced cucumbers instead of tomatoes
• Add in some feta cheese for a little extra salty flavor

Russian Olivier Salad

Your Swedish meatballs are going to love this Russian Olivier Salad.

Pro Tip: This salad is best if made a day in advance so that the flavors have time to meld together.

Substitutions:

• If you don’t like beets, you can leave them out or substitute them with another veggie like celery or green beans.
• If you’re not a fan of mayo, you can use Greek yogurt or sour cream as a replacement.
• If you want to make this dish vegetarian, you can leave out the chicken or substitute it with tofu.

Greek Salad

If you like appreciate fresh veggies (and feta cheese), this salad is definitely for you.

It’s the perfect light meal or side dish, and it’s so easy to customize.

I love to add Kalamata olives and red onion to mine, but you could also add chickpeas, cucumber, or roasted red peppers.

Pro Tip: To make this salad even more flavorful, add a little bit of oregano and garlic powder to the dressing.

Substitutions:

• If you’re not a fan of feta cheese, you could swap it out for goat cheese or mozzarella.
• Not a fan of olives? You could leave them out, or add in some chopped up green onions instead.
• I like to use romaine lettuce in my Greek salads, but you could also use spinach or arugula.

Asian Slaw

With just a few ingredients (and no cooking required), this salad is a crunchy and refreshing side that goes with just about anything.

I love the sweet and tangy dressing, and the addition of cilantro and peanuts give it so much flavor.

This salad is also very versatile – if you don’t have cabbage, you could use broccoli slaw mix or even shredded carrots.

Pro Tip: For an extra crunch, add chopped up wonton strips or rice noodles to the salad.

Substitutions:

• Broccoli slaw mix for cabbage
• Shredded carrots for cabbage
• Wonton strips or rice noodles for extra crunch

Broccoli Salad

Broccoli, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, and bacon bits are brought together with a mayonnaise and vinegar dressing in this salad.

It’s the perfect mix of sweet, savory, and crunchy.

Pro Tip: To save time, you can buy pre-cooked bacon bits.

3 Substitutions You Could Make:

• Swap out the bacon for grilled chicken for a protein-packed option.
• Use slivered almonds or chopped pecans in place of the sunflower seeds.
• Try using dried cherries or blueberries in place of the dried cranberries.

Healthy Brussels Sprout Salad

I love adding cranberries and pecans to almost any salad, but they really shine in this healthy Brussels sprout salad.

The sweetness of the cranberries pairs perfectly with the savory pecans and crispy bacon.

And, since the dressing is made with Greek yogurt, it’s a lot healthier than your typical creamy salad dressing.

Pro Tip:

• If you can’t find fresh cranberries, you can use dried cranberries or cherries.
• And, if you’re not a fan of bacon, you could use diced chicken or ham.

Pasta Salad

There are so many different kinds of pasta salad, which is why I love them so much.

You can really put anything you want in them and they’ll still taste good.

This particular pasta salad has a great mix of textures and flavors.

The creamy dressing ties everything together perfectly.

Pro Tip: To avoid your pasta salad getting soggy, cook the pasta al dente and let it cool completely before adding it to the rest of the ingredients.

Substitutions:

• Swap out the pasta for quinoa or couscous
• Use a different kind of cheese, like feta or goat cheese
• Add in some chopped up fruit, like grapes or oranges

Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad (Gluten Free + Vegan)

This yummy orzo pasta salad recipe uses a rainbow of veggies (cherry tomatoes, red onion, yellow bell pepper, Kalamata olives, and cucumber) for a beautiful presentation.

It’s tossed in a simple homemade vinaigrette made with olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and oregano.

This salad is perfect for summer BBQs, potlucks or picnics!

Pro Tip: If you want to make this dish ahead of time, wait to add the cucumbers until just before serving so they don’t get too soggy.

Substitutions:

• If you’re not gluten free or vegan, feel free to use regular pasta and feta cheese.
• Not a fan of orzo? Swap it out for any other type of pasta.
• Don’t have all the veggies on hand? Just use whatever you have in your fridge!

Taco Salad

When you serve this taco salad with your Swedish meatballs, you’re in for a real flavor fiesta.

The salad is packed with veggies, beans, and a zesty dressing that really ties the whole dish together.

Plus, it’s so easy to make ahead of time.

Pro Tip: For an extra boost of flavor, try roasting the veggies before adding them to the salad.

Substitutions:

• Swap out the ground beef for ground chicken or turkey.
• Try using a different type of bean, like black beans or pinto beans.
• Add some chopped fruit, like mango or pineapple, for sweetness and texture.