10 Deliciously Simple Salads That Need Just 5 Ingredients
Think salads have to be complicated to be good? Think again. With just five simple ingredients, you can toss together fresh, flavorful salads that taste like you spent way more time (and money) than you actually did. Whether you need a quick lunch, a side dish, or a light dinner, these easy recipes prove that simplicity is the ultimate secret to deliciousness.
5 Ingredient Tortellini Salad

This quick and easy cold tortellini salad is perfect for summer! With mozzarella, tomatoes, pesto, and arugula for a simple pasta salad side dish. Vegetarian.
4 Ingredient Pasta Salad
This 4 Ingredient Pasta Salad cooks your noodles directly in the dressing in the Instant Pot. Ready in under 30 minutes, it doesn’t get much quicker or easier than this!
German Cucumber Dill Salad (Gurkensalat)
5 Ingredient refreshing German Cucumber Dill Salad to serve as a salad side dish during the hotter months of the year.
Strawberry Mojito Salad
All you’ll need is four simple ingredients to make this refreshing Strawberry Mojito Salad! Inspired by the abundance of mint in my garden, I chopped it up and tossed it with freshly sliced strawberries, lime juice, and a hint of sugar for a fruity side dish that tastes like the epitome of summer!
Japanese spinach salad with sesame (horenso gomaae)
This Japanese spinach salad with sesame, horenso gomaae, is a delicious combination of nutty, gently sweet and salty flavors mixed through wilted greens. It’s easy to make, great as a side to many mains and perfect for bento, too.
Simple 5 Ingredient Cherry Tomato Caprese Salad
This cherry tomato caprese salad has all the flavors of your traditional caprese salad made cute and miniature with colorful cherry tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, fresh basil leaves, and seasoned with a little salt and flavorful olive oil.
Simple Lemon Salad Dressing
Lemon salad dressing is an easy side dish and my favorite go-to, it comes together in minutes and is perfect for any salad. Pair this lemon vinaigrette with simple greens and some sliced onion for the easiest side dish ever!
Keto Tuna Salad
I keep things simple with this tasty Keto Tuna Salad. Simple ingredients with bold flavor makes this a perfect go-to for any meal prep!
Easy Cabbage Salad
This refreshingly easy cabbage salad could not be simpler to make! All you need is 5 ingredients (plus salt), and the tangy flavor makes it a total crowd pleaser.
Fresh Berry Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
Nothing says summer like fresh berries. This perfect summer salad is an ideal light lunch, a colorful side dish for dinner, or served in a large bowl at summer BBQs.