15 Salads with No Fruit
Fruit in salads is just wrong! Well, according to quite a few salad lovers fruit does not have a place in the savoury world of vegetables, fish and meat. We hear you so here’s a collection of salads without fruit!
Salads are meant to be savoury, and fruit is sweet. Should they belong together in a salad recipe? For some, apparently not, vehemently defending their stance. Where do you stand?
At The Sidesmith, we love adding fruit to our salads.
However, within our own circle of family and friends, we know people who don’t!
To clarify, we’re excluding produce that are botanically classified as a fruit, but we eat them as vegetables like tomatoes, avocados or peas.
Sammy’s son doesn’t like mixing fruit in savoury salads because he doesn’t like mixing sweet and savoury together.
Phen’s oldest son does not like mango in salads. Yup, only mangos because they are mushy and traditional salads are meant to be crisp and fresh.
And yes, he does eat mangos on its own.
Amy’s dear friend complains non stop, and in the many years of her making salads for potluck dinners or celebrations, she always had to make another salad that was purely savoury just for him. And he had no qualms voicing his displeasure either! Well, all in jest yet serious at the same time.
He would always say “fruit salad again?” or “why did you spoil your salad with fruit?”.
The irony of it all is that he likes fruits! Just not on a bed of lettuce, I suppose.
“People who like fruits in salads are just wrong.”
“There are so many vegetables to make into a salad, so why complicate things?”
“Do you ever see a fruit salad with potato in it???”
We do have to admit that when we’re making multiple salads, we ensure that if we’re making one with fruit in it, we will make the others without.
Otherwise, it won’t provide an interesting enough of a variety to suit differing palates.
Much like some people don’t like cooked fruit, there are salad eaters out there who find the concept of mixing fruit and vegetables simply unnatural.
We respect everyone’s choices and preferences, and of course, we have a great range of salad recipes without fruit.
Wonder what they think about salad dressings with fruit in it? Fruit for thought.
Salad with Roasted Potatoes and Arugula
1/15
Let’s bring Hasselback potatoes back into vogue by making a salad of roasted potatoes with a difference. Crispy on the outside and fluffy and creamy on the inside. Served with a sweet mustard vinaigrette, what more could you ask for?
Mushroom and Water Chestnuts Salad (Vegan Lettuce Wraps)
2/15
Earthy mushrooms mixed with crunchy water chestnuts, fresh snow peas and cut chillies, served over crisp baby gem lettuce salad cups, this is a delicate Asian salad that looks and tastes fantastic.
Roasted Rainbow Carrots with Pearl Couscous
3/15
A deliciously colourful salad with roasted heirloom rainbow carrots and red onions layered on top of a bed of chewy pearl couscous, fresh mint and chopped almonds. A salad that satisfies.
Chinese Cauliflower Salad with Shredded Chicken
4/12
This lean and healthy Chinese Cauliflower Salad celebrates quintessential Asian flavours with a new kid on the block.
The sweet and tender stalks of this new vegetable mixed through with a clean protein is simply delicious!
Chorizo Salad with Sweet Potato
5/15
Surely sweet potato and salty semi-cured Spanish sausage would be considered a pairing to die for!
This Chorizo Salad is further completed by the freshness of baby spinach leaves and more natural sweetness from roasted red onions. No dressing needed. It speaks for itself!
Egg Tofu Salad with Omelette and Chives
6/15
This egg-cellent salad of egg tofu and thinly sliced omelette is accompanied by the crunch of the green beans and rounded off by the sweet and sour plum sauce vinaigrette.
Creamy Beef Sausage and Crunchy Roast Potato Salad
7/15
Inspired by the classic bangers and mash and transforming that idea into a Roast Potato Sausage Salad that’s bold in flavour and big in heartiness.
Rainbow Vermicelli Salad with Soy Dressing
8/15
A celebration of colours, this Asian Vermicelli Salad delivers on flavour and presentation.
Mixed through with aromatic Vietnamese mint, crunchy sugar snap peas and pungent fish sauce, this salad will soon become a dinner party favourite!
Potato Salad with Crème Fraîche [No Mayo, Gluten Free]
9/15
Give your everyday potato salad something different with marinated artichoke hearts, crispy maple-glazed pancetta tossed together with a tangy crème fraîche salad dressing.
This delicious, comforting potato salad is gluten free and has no mayo, perfect for entertaining the crowds.
King Oyster Mushroom Salad with Yellow Beans
10/15
A special occasion calls for a majestic salad. This King Oyster Mushroom Salad exudes umami flavours complemented with sweet yellow beans and butter crisped sage. What a decadent combination!
Gochujang Chicken Salad with Noodles and Tofu
11/15
This Korean inspired Gochujang Chicken Salad is an explosion of mouth-watering flavours and prickly heat. It’s almost too good to share!
Salad of Dutch Carrots, Hummus and Soft-Boiled Eggs
12/15
Enjoy the creaminess of this Dutch Carrot Salad without the use of any dairy.
The combination of the hummus and the oozing soft-boiled eggs provide for a velvety alternative. Add in the crunch of the pistachios and you have a delectable side salad.
Kingfish Sashimi Salad with Pickled Radish
13/15
This salad is not for the faint-hearted home cook. Designed to impress, this Kingfish Sashimi Salad requires sophisticated plating, a gourmet palate and use of a unique ingredient. Inspired by Japanese flavours, your guests will appreciate you all the more!
Purple Cauliflower Salad with Lemon Mustard Tahini
14/15
Hearty and wholesome. Two words not normally used to describe a salad. But this Purple Cauliflower Salad is exactly that due to its creaminess, roasted undertones and nutty flavours.
Lotus Root Salad with Pickled Shiitake Mushrooms
15/15
Pickled shiitake mushrooms, stir fried lotus root, crunchy edamame beans and dash of chilli and ginger, gives this healthy Lotus Root Salad a whole lot of kick that is perfect as a meal on its own or as a comforting side dish for entertaining
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So many delicious recipes. I don’t know where to start! I just saved a few of the recipes and can’t wait to give them a try. Thanks for this lovely roundup!
Thank you Natalie! Do let us know if you made any that you particularly enjoyed.
Such a fantastic selection of salads, the chorizo and sweet potato particularly caught my eye. I must admit, although I like some fruity salads (green papaya salad is so good) I’m not a big fan of certain fruits in a salad like raisins or citrus.
Raisins is such a common ingredient that people don’t like in salads! But no citrus? OK, hopefully some of these will catch your eye.
These are just like any main meal. What a fab selection of salads.
Yes, so true! Salads for mains is something we do very often.
I love salads without or with fruit, but I love that I have a ton of options here for family members who are really fussy!!
We are on the camp! And yes, it’s about having the ability to cater to different people. Also when we make a few salads, we do tend to have ones with and without fruit.
Wow! What a great collection! So many options not having to add fruit to the salad! Thanks for sharing!
You welcome! We actually love fruit in salads but understand not everyone does!