It’s officially salad season again. I personally love a good salad, I love the variety of colours, textures, and flavours you can pack into one bowl. As runners, you need food that, sustains your energy levels, and provides the protein, healthy fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals needed for recovery and muscle repair. Well built high protein salads can absolutely do that. So, if you are one of those runners who thinks there is no way a salad for lunch will keep you fuelled through the day, especially if you have already run or plan to train later, let’s change that mindset.
If you look at the dictionary definition of a salad, it kind of feeds into that belief that a salad is just lettuce and tomatoes on the side of the plate:
“A salad is a mixture of raw or cold foods such as lettuce, cucumber, and tomatoes. It is often served with other food as part of a meal.”
Collins Dictionary
But in culinary terms, a salad is much broader than that:
“A salad is any dish of mixed ingredients served cold, warm, or at room temperature. It typically features a base of vegetables, fruits, proteins, or grains, and is often tossed or bound with a sauce or dressing.” Wikipedia
I definitely lean towards the second definition. A salad can be hearty, satisfying, protein-packed, and substantial enough to keep you feeling fully nourished. The key is building it properly and adding ingredients you genuinely enjoy eating. The combinations are endless, which means salads never have to feel repetitive or boring.
The Components of Nutritious High Protein Salads
High protein salads does not mean simply topping your lettuce and tomato with a chicken breast, can of tuna or chickpeas. You can do that, but why not make it more interesting. A great salad is about balance and high protein salads for runners should be a good mix of protein, carbohydrates, healthy fats, fibre and not forgetting texture and flavour.
I believe every salad, should be composed of four components; the base, protein, colour & crunch, and dressing.
| Component | Purpose | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Base | Forms the foundation of the salad and provides volume, fibre, and carbohydrates for energy | Rocket, spinach, kale, romaine lettuce, mixed leaves, quinoa, couscous, rice, pasta, sweet potato, lentils |
| Protein | Supports muscle repair, recovery, satiety, and helps keep you fuller for longer | Grilled chicken, salmon, turkey, pork, tuna, prawns, eggs, tofu, tempeh, chickpeas, lentils, black beans, cottage cheese, feta, |
| Colour And Crunch | Adds flavour, texture, nutrients, and variety | Tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, beetroot, carrots, red onion, broccoli, strawberries, mango, pomegranate seeds, avocado, nuts, seeds, crispy chickpeas, croutons, fresh herbs, roasted vegetables |
| Healthy Fats | Supports hormone health, nutrient absorption, flavour, and satisfaction | Olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds, tahini, olives, cheese |
| Dressing | Brings all the ingredients together and adds flavour and moisture | Lemon tahini dressing, balsamic dressing, Greek yogurt herb dressing, honey mustard dressing, sesame ginger dressing, mayonnaise, oil & vinegar |
Salad Prep Tips to Make Life Easier
One of the reasons people default to the usual sandwiches for lunch is because salads can seem time-consuming if you are starting from scratch every day. But with a little preparation, you can throw together high protein salads in minutes.
Pre-cooking proteins at the start of the week makes a huge difference. Cook a batch of chicken breasts, salmon, tofu, hard-boiled eggs, or roasted chickpeas so they are ready to add straight into your meals. Preparing your salad base ahead of time also saves effort. Wash and chop lettuce, kale, spinach, cucumber, peppers, carrots, or cabbage and store them in airtight containers in the fridge. You can also cook grains like quinoa, couscous, rice, or pasta in bulk so you always have a carbohydrate source ready to go. Roasted vegetables such as sweet potatoes, beetroot, or squash also keep well for several days and add extra flavour and substance to salads.
To keep salads fresh, store dressings separately and only add crunchy toppings like nuts, seeds, or croutons just before eating. Once you have a few proteins, grains, vegetables, and dressings prepared, you can mix and match ingredients throughout the week without getting bored. Having all your components on hand turns salads into an easy, high protein, balanced meal that supports your training and recovery.
Salad Dressings
A good dressing can completely transform a salad adding flavour and bringing all together. Dressings do not have to be heavy or overloaded with mayonnaise to taste good either. If you enjoy mayonnaise-based dressings, you can easily lighten them by mixing in a little water, lemon juice, or Greek yogurt to create a smoother, lighter consistency without losing flavour.
One of the biggest mistakes with salads is dressing them too early. Always wait until you are ready to eat before adding the dressing, especially if you are meal prepping. This keeps your ingredients fresh, and prevents the salad from becoming soggy.
There are endless dressings available in supermarkets, but making your own is incredibly easy and usually a much cleaner option. Homemade dressings allow you to control the ingredients, reduce unnecessary sugars and additives, and customise flavours to suit your tastes. Most only take a few minutes to make using simple ingredients like olive oil, lemon juice, yogurt, herbs, mustard, vinegar, or tahini. Once you start making your own, you will never go back to the supermarket versions.
| Dressing | Best With | Ingredients | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lemon Tahini Dressing | Grain bowls, roasted vegetables, Mediterranean salads | 2 tbsp tahini, juice of 1 lemon, 1 garlic clove minced, 2–4 tbsp water, salt and pepper | Whisk together until smooth. Add extra water if needed. |
| Greek Yogurt Herb Dressing | Chicken salads, potato salads, leafy greens | 4 tbsp Greek yogurt, juice of ½ lemon, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 garlic clove minced, dill or parsley, salt and pepper | Mix together until creamy and smooth. |
| Honey Mustard Dressing | Chicken salads, mixed greens, grain salads | 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper | Whisk until fully combined. |
| Balsamic Dressing | Rocket salads, steak salads, tomato salads | 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 garlic clove minced, salt and pepper | Shake or whisk together until emulsified. |
| Avocado Lime Dressing | Mexican-style salads, taco bowls, summer salads | 1 ripe avocado, juice of 1 lime, 2 tbsp Greek yogurt, coriander, 2–3 tbsp water, salt and pepper | Blend until smooth and creamy. |
| Sesame Ginger Dressing | Asian-inspired salads, cabbage slaws, noodle salads | 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp soy sauce, juice of 1 lime, 1 tsp grated ginger, 1 tsp honey | Whisk ingredients together. |
| Green Herb Dressing | Mixed greens, quinoa salads, grilled vegetables | Parsley, basil or mint, 2 tbsp olive oil, juice of 1 lemon, 1 garlic clove, salt and pepper | Blend until smooth. |
| Peanut Lime Dressing | Crunchy slaws, noodle salads, tofu salads | 1 tbsp natural peanut butter, juice of 1 lime, 1 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp honey, warm water | Whisk until creamy and pourable. |
| Simple Citrus Dressing | Light summer salads, fruit salads, seafood salads | Juice of 1 orange, juice of ½ lemon, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp honey, salt and pepper | Shake together in a jar until combined. |
Pesto Chicken Salad
A fresh, protein-packed option that works perfectly for lunch or post-run recovery.
Grilled chicken
Mixed greens
Cherry tomatoes
Cucumber
Mozzarella or feta
Pasta or quinoa
Basil pesto dressing
The pesto adds loads of flavour without needing a heavy dressing.
For full recipe go to ARC Recipes for Runner’s Library
Share Your Favourite High Protein Salads
If you are looking for more inspiration, Achieve Running Club also has a growing recipe library filled with runner-friendly meals, snacks, recovery ideas, and high-protein recipes to support your training. You can explore the full recipe collection here: ARC Recipes For Runners Library
When you start to think a little outside the box, or at least outside of iceberg lettuce and tomatoes, you will find that salads are a great way to get a wide range of nutrients in one easy dish. Get a little bit more adventurous with your ingredients and soon you will be looking forward to opening your salad box when lunch time comes around. Plus if you build it well, add all your components and a tasty dressing your salads can become nutrient-dense meals packed with protein, carbohydrates, healthy fats, fibre, vitamins, and minerals that support your running and keeps you satisfied through the day.
When it comes to salads, the possibilities are endless. Let us know your favourite high protein salads and we will share them with the ARC community.
