You can never have enough easy side dish recipes, am I right?? I like to keep my side dishes simple so they don’t steal the show from my main dish, and they don’t add...
Salad Recipes
With so many people going back to work but without the luxury of being able to use their break room microwaves or refrigerators, classic cold lunches like tuna salad are making a comeback! So...
I ate my teriyaki meatball bowls all week as meal prep and absolutely loved them, but I desperately need another vegetable side to balance things out. So, I whipped up a quick crunchy cabbage...
Fresh sweet corn is one of my favorite things about summer. It’s so sweet and juicy when it’s fresh, and the smell of the husks as you peel them back from the cob brings...
This salad is one of the very first recipes I ever posted on Budget Bytes. Like, way back when I was still taking photos with my pre-smart-phone era phone. Yikes! Because this Sesame Cucumber...
This is kind of just like a basic Italian pasta salad, but I’m calling it “Pizza Pasta Salad” because this is how I use my leftover pizza toppings. Haha! When you buy a jar...
We’re still experiencing a lot of grocery shortages in the middle of this pandemic, but when I ventured out to the grocery store this week I noticed something. The produce department was very well stocked,...
I was lucky enough to get a bunch of fresh broccoli last week, so I wanted to share this super simple salad that I made with it, along with some ideas for variations to...
Canned tuna is a lot more versatile than I think many people realize. In other words, there’s a lot more you can do with it than just mixing with mayo and slapping it between...
I always hear people talk about how expensive vegetables are, and that’s why it’s impossible to eat healthy on a budget. Au contraire, mon frere! Sure, some vegetables are expensive, but there are so many...
I never knew I was a coleslaw person until I made it myself. I had eaten it plenty of times at restaurants, never once having been impressed, and always wondering what the appeal was....
Just because it’s not summer anymore, doesn’t mean I stop rollin’ with my refrigerator salads! This Chipotle Butternut Squash and Quinoa Salad is a little smoky, uses hearty autumn vegetables, and can be served...
I’m moving forward full speed ahead with indulging my autumn obsession, despite the fact that it’s still 95 degrees outside. A good compromise between the crushing heat and my desire for all things fall...
Making sure I get vegetables into my diet takes daily effort. But one thing I know for sure is that if I have them prepped, I am 1000x more likely to eat them. So...
A few months ago I made a batch of Honey Mustard Sauce and I literally could not stop dipping broccoli florets into it, so I knew right away that I just needed to make a...
I made the most amazing Lemon Dill Tahini Dressing this week and I have a looooong list of foods that I can’t wait to pour it over, but my first choice was this light...
Have you ever seen those packets of flavored tuna in the grocery store? They were on sale once and I got curious, so I bought a few. The idea was interesting, but the execution...
I’m living off refrigerator salads all summer, what about you? Oh, you don’t know what a refrigerator salad is? It’s a salad that holds up well to refrigeration (doesn’t go limp and soggy like...
Fresh corn is one of the highlights of summer. When it’s in season it’s sweet, juicy, and super affordable, so I love to take advantage! For this salad I paired fresh sweet corn with...
Off the record, I call this one “poor man’s Caprese salad” because it’s based on Caprese salad, but with all the budget swaps I’ve made, I don’t think I can get away with calling...
I’m not sure there is anything more summery than this Cucumber Mango Salad. It perfectly marries sweet, sour, and spicy flavors with that whoosh of cucumber freshness, for a light and refreshing summer side...
This Cold Peanut Noodle Salad is the perfect meal prep for summer! No need to reheat, it’s light but filling, and the flavors are oh so fresh. It’s topped off with a homemade tangy,...
If you want to change up your salad game, the easiest way is to use a new salad dressing. This Peanut Lime Salad dressing is sweet, savory, tangy, and creamy all in one! And...
If you need one more fresh summertime salad for this Memorial Day weekend, I’ve got ya! This light and fresh Cucumber and Black Bean Salad is the perfect side for all your summer grilling,...
I’ve never really been a ranch dressing person. And definitely not one of those “ranch dressing on everything” people. But then, last January while I was doing my Vegetarian Challenge, I got hooked. I...
This Scallion Herb Chickpea Salad, is light, bright, filling, and just perfect for spring (please spring, come quickly). The dressing is creamy but still light, and is bursting with fresh vibrant flavors. This salad...
Despite having a website is full of recipes, in real life at least half of my meals are “sweep the kitchen” or “throw together whatever you have” type meals. Even though they’re not exactly...
Sun dried tomatoes are a fairly expensive ingredient, but I think this Sun Dried Tomato, Kale, and White Bean Skillet perfectly demonstrates how higher priced ingredients, when properly combined with less expensive ingredients, can...
For week 2 of my Vegetarian Challenge, I knew that I wanted a “refrigerator salad.” By that I mean a salad that I can prepare in the beginning of the week and will hold...
This salad is totally giving me life right now! While I love the warm comforting foods of winter, after a few weeks of all those heavy roasted and stewed foods I start craving fresh...
While I’m really glad that most quick serve restaurants have hopped on the “meal salad” bandwagon (Hi Panera!) they’re still too expensive to eat on a regular basis. Giant salads can be tough to...
Another day, another salad! I try to make some sort of salad each week that I can build meals on or just eat as a quick meal on its own when I’m on the...
I’m still trying to take full advantage of the fresh summer veggies before they’re gone. This Roasted Vegetable Couscous is the perfect side dish for the transitional season, when the markets are still full...
OMG you guys… This Curried Tofu Salad is SO GOOD and SO PERFECT for summer. So good, in fact, that I made twice in a row because after after it was gone, I still...
This super fresh and vibrant Cowboy Caviar combines two types of beans, colorful summer vegetables, and a sweet and tangy lime dressing for a bold and versatile dish that you’ll find yourself making over and...
I love using parsley as a base for my salads because it’s inexpensive, flavorful, full of nutrients, and it holds up well in the refrigerator, even when dressed! It might take a minute to...
It’s hot outside. Like molten hot, and that calls for some cold, no-heat meal prep ideas! I’m all about huge salads full of yummies that are filling and totally meal-worthy. Cobb salad is a...
It’s only the second week of June but it’s already a million degrees outside. I barely want to eat, let alone cook when it’s this hot outside, so I practically live off of big...
This salad is SUPER basic, but I literally ate it every day last week and will happily be eating it again all this week, so I think that alone makes it worth sharing. The...
Where did last week go? I didn’t get to cook much as I’d have liked last week, so I found myself with a refrigerator full of miscellaneous ingredients that I wasn’t quite sure what...
It’s about this time every year that I start craving fresh vegetables. Between all the holiday food, football food, and generally heavy, slow cooked winter dishes, I need something light and fresh! Unfortunately a lot...
While red cabbage is still on sale for $0.50/lb., I’m just going to keep going with it! This super simple Sesame Slaw is fast, fresh, and a nice break from the heavy, cooked down...
I’m a huge fan of “refrigerator salads.” Or salads that hold up well in the fridge so you can make them in the beginning of the week and have something wholesome to eat from...
I’ve learned a lot over the past eight years of cooking and my palate has definitely become more refined, so today I’m using that new knowledge to give one of the first recipes I...
If you follow me on Instagram you may have seen my story the other day where I was trying to figure out what to do with a pound of ground beef that I had...
I’m trying to work my way through a large tub of spinach this week before it gets wilted, so today I threw a bunch of it into a really simple salad with orzo, sun dried...
Happy Saturday, everyone! I hope your weekend is off to a good start. I wanted to take a few moments to share a salad I made this week with some of the leftovers in...
I feel like I’ve stumbled upon gold with this recipe, guys. This Roasted Broccoli Salad with Almonds uses almost all ingredients that I keep on hand, and is so good that I was literally...
The aroma from this salad is the most deliciously fresh aroma of cucumbers, parsley, and crunchy green peppers, and it’s beyond delightful. The only thing better than the aroma is the flavor. In short,...
Y’all know I’m obsessed with eggs. You may also know about my undying love for sriracha (I don’t care if it’s been over done, I still love it!!). So it’s only natural that I make...
I’ve avoided cauliflower for a while because it’s been really expensive. Apparently we went through a shortage at the exact same time that cauliflower rice, cauliflower pizza crust, and cauliflower “alfredo” sauces hit their peak...
Okay, I’ll admit I just made this salad as a vehicle for the lime crema. It’s all about the crema. This stuff is seriously life changing and I haven’t been able to stop making...
Salads aren’t just for the warm weather months, but when I get my vegetable cravings in the winter I change up my salads with heartier vegetables and ingredients that have warm, smoky flavors, like roasted vegetables...
I’m not done with cabbage yet! Hahah, okay, I really am sorry about all this cabbage lately, but I still had half a head in my fridge and a thoughtful reader emailed me a...
Who needs a salad after all that food Thursday?? (👋 Hi, me!) Today I whipped up this super simple Warm Brussels Sprouts and Pear Salad to fill the vegetable void I was feeling. Brussels sprouts...
I’m trying to stock my fridge with some healthy options for the week ahead because I didn’t do so well last week. So, this morning I threw together some of my favorite flavors (garlic,...
A few weeks ago my friend Jenni sent me a link to this recipe for Tzatziki Pasta Salad with the comment that, “it isn’t too Budget Bytes friendly (too many splurgy ingredients), but it’s really...
This post is a little different than my usual. Instead of a “recipe” this is more like an experiment. It’s no secret that I love salad bars, I even wrote a post about How...
I’ve been a little obsessed with Chimichurri since I made it a couple weeks ago. I just keep finding new uses for it! Quite a few people left comments on the original chimichurri recipe...
I have a serious case of salad envy. Every day my Instagram feed is flooded with gorgeous photos of amazing salads overloaded with mouth-watering ingredients. That type of food is hard to create when...
I loooove me some broccoli. When it’s cooked, anyway. For some reason the flavor of raw broccoli has always rubbed me the wrong way. BUT I know raw broccoli is super healthy, so I try to...
Oh how I love my dark leafy greens! When I saw that lacinato kale was on sale at Whole Foods again this week, I had to indulge. I used the “sale kale” (haha) to...
I love using just a small amount of bacon to add BIG flavor to a recipe. The tangy mustard vinaigrette in this German Potato Salad is the perfect example. The bacon fat adds body...
I guess we’ve hit that time of the year where just I want to eat cold salads every day (Hi, summer!). So I decided to take one of my favorite pasta salads, Lemony Cucumber...
Once I get started on the Cinco de Mayo train, I just can’t stop. I started with some Cheesy Scallion Stuffed Jalapeños the other day, then ended up making a batch of enchiladas and...
Canned salmon is a great shelf-stable way to get your inexpensive way to work a little more fish into your diet. I love the convenience of canned fish. No cooking necessary, it’s there when...
I’m experimenting with a new grain this week, farro, and the first thing I wanted to make was a salad. Farro is a delightful chewy grain with a neutral flavor that will make any...
I don’t think I can accurately articulate how delicious and fresh this Nam Sod is. Imagine a fresh and zesty ginger and lime dressing that has a little bit of spicy heat, and a...
I’ve had a cabbage in my fridge that needed to be used up ASAP, so I decided to make a salad, similar in fashion to this Vinaigrette Slaw with Feta, but using some other...
I’m a firm believer that side dishes should be kept simple. I like my main dish to be the star of the show, and who wants to make dinner more any more complicated than...
The “cold and crunchy” summer food cravings continue for me. So, this week I reached into my vault (text files that I created 15 years ago when I first moved out on own) and...
I’m still on a vegetable binge, wanting to eat every vegetable in sight. More specifically, I want cold, crunchy, crispy vegetables. A light summer slaw sounded like the perfect fix. This awesome Apple Cabbage...
#FancyFriday Okay, so this Plum Salad with Lemon Ginger Dressing is a little fancy for me, but after overdosing on pasta and pizza over the past week or so, I needed a salad BAD....
Shopping for produce can be a bit tricky in the United States. Some items are priced by the pound while others are priced per item, and if you happen to confuse the two, you can wind...
I can feel it, y’all! I can feel the summer coming! And in its honor, I wanted to make something refreshing, crisp, and crunchy. Hello, Cumin Lime Coleslaw! Seriously, though. Ever since the weather...
Have you ever checked out Food52.com? They have really simple, elegant recipes and I love browsing through their beautiful photographs. The other day while perusing through their stuff I saw this recipe for One Pot...
So I made this awesome Blackened Tilapia a while back, but didn’t use all the seasoning. The leftover seasoning had been sitting on my counter in a little Ziploc container staring at me ever...
If you think a salad can’t fill you up, think again. This awesomely crunchy and flavorful salad has chicken, almonds, and lots of fiberlicious kale and celery to keep your belly full. And flavor?...
You may be looking at that picture and thinking, “But where is the falafel?” Well, it’s not a salad with falafel, it’s a salad made out of falafel ingredients. Falafel Salad, get it? You see, I was...
THIS is the salad of the summer. This Lemony Cucumber Couscous Salad is so fast, so easy, and SO refreshing! I just love it. Bring it to a potluck, eat it as a cold refreshing...
You know how I love kale. You know how I love lentils. You know how I love sweet potatoes. This salad has them all together in one bowl! Yes! It has everything you need...
As soon as the weather warms up, I get really into salads. I like the fact that they’re cold (or at least warm or room temp) and they provide a lot of texture and...
I was really craving some chicken salad this week, so I set out to find a new twist on the old classic. I knew I wanted cranberries, so I took quick inventory of my...
I’ve been loving “quick fixes” lately because I’m cooking triple time in preparation for the cookbook. So, at the end of the day the last thing I want is something elaborate, time consuming, and...
I was definitely slow to get on the curry bandwagon. In fact, I distinctly remember not liking curry spices for the first 20 years of my life. Luckily, people grow and change over time...
I’m in love. The dressing alone on this Apple Dijon Kale Salad was enough to make me swoon. It’s just a very simple Dijon vinaigrette, but it’s so good that I kept dipping my...
That’s “keen-wah tab-ooh-lay.” Don’t let the name scare you away from this incredibly simple and refreshing salad! I’ve been obsessed with tabbouleh since I first tried it as a child. It’s full of texture...
It’s crisp, it’s crunchy, it has an amazing, tangy, homemade dressing, and it goes perfectly along side your lentil tacos ;D Honestly, this recipe started out with me craving a crunchy salad, but it...
As much as I love eggs, I never make egg salad. I guess it just always seemed a little too heavy, ooey, and gooey. This egg salad, on the other hand, is light, fresh,...
Taking advantage of seasonal produce is definitely one of the most important principles of budget byting. I mean, anytime you can get produce for under $1 per lb, you’ve just gotta do it! Butternut...
I made this Chicken and Apple Salad on a total whim today and I’m SO glad I did. It is so delicious that I want to eat it every day for the rest of...
There is a constant war going on between my brain and my stomach. My brain likes things that my stomach doesn’t, and when I eat it anyway, my stomach throws a fit. Raw cabbage...
I’ve been craving pasta salad lately so onto the menu it went. In effort to up my vegetable intake, I packed this Summer Vegetable Pasta Salad as full of as many veggies that I possibly...
Wow, I’ve had so many good recipe suggestions from readers lately! And I guess that’s a good thing because I’ve been so busy with school and other projects that I don’t even have time...
Last year for Thanksgiving I made an apple walnut stuffing that was *out of this world* good, despite using a boxed mix. I was so happy with that recipe that I really didn’t plan...
DING! DING! DING! We have a WINNER! (that means I really really like this recipe) Avocados have a wonderfully unique flavor and texture and are for that reason one of my favorite fruits (it...
People take their potato salad very seriously here in the south. I learned that quickly after moving to southern Louisiana from northern Michigan (I know, right?). I was never a fan of potato salad...
This recipe was inspired by a dish that I saw at Whole Foods Market. I don’t have their recipe so I made this up based on what I thought theirs was. It turned out...
