I was missing my grab and go salads that I get for variety, and learned that I can stand the same salad a few days in a row if I have different dressing. I had half a dozen divided containers that came in a set with a size I needed. Also, a couple little OXO silicone lunch bag sized, dressing squeeze bottles. I've ordered some more bottles. They're easy to fit in the fridge where space has been very tight, and i'm so used to making dressing for one big salad, so goes better with my style. This week, I have green salad bowl lettuce, romaine, watercress, sauteed mushroom, sliced boiled egg, avocado, strawberry, sunflower seed and almond sliver. The nuts and seeds, and the strawberry pieces are in the separated area. And a mayonnaise based kind of Southwest flavor dressing (thinned with wine) and a red wine vinegar, herb vinaigrette.

Previously, I had spinach and arugula, walnut, pepitas, puffed quinoa, chicken, avocado, and some other stuff.

What I find works well for me not to get bored (the salads are just for me) is to make sure there are different textures and different flavors. Then I scrounge around and find stuff that can go in. I have wonton and tortilla strips, which I wouldn't usually buy, on my grocery list. I just can't bring myself to work that hard to make salad crunchies. Oh, and I'm getting puffed spelt since I can't find more quinoa.

The thing about entree salads is that so much depends on what you have! I think of it more as a framework. Say you have salmon and boring lettuce (iceberg, romaine). That could go with lemon and capers (think picatta), pickles and tomatoes, lemongrass and ginger, orange and sesame, etc. Given a flavor profile, I start looking for other things that go with it, always looking for harmonious colors and textures. For themes, if I'm stuck, I think of cuisines, or sauces, or classic pairings.

Hm... I was hoping to answer your question, but I think this isn't what you wanted. I hope it's a bit helpful, if not.

There's also classic restaurant recipes: Cobb, Market, Chopped Italian, Louie, Barbeque Chicken, "Chinese", Fajitas, Southwest, Hamburger, Crunch (uses commissary fried chicken, fried green beans, etc., which you might have in the freezer), Chef, Salad on Salad (tuna or chicken salad on top of a green salad), Pizza (cheese, pepperoni, bread stick chips, etc.). But, really, you can take any dish you like, from ham sandwich to veal parm, and rethink the ingredients to build into a salad.

I don't give an "entree salad" a name....usually what i have in the refrigerator plus a dressing.
I make a spinach salad, with bacon hardboiled egg slices and fresh mushrooms with a "red" dressing made from chili sauce, olive oil rice wine vinegar, garlic and some ground red chili for heat.
and i will put any leftover meat on my salad....chicken breast, lean pork slices from an extra chop, steak slivers....ham and other deli meats as well....plus all kinds of cheese...be inventive.
I also marinate some beans to toss in as well....garbanzo, canellini....whatever.
And i use all sorts of things for crutons, toasted cut up rye bread, pretzels, melba toast, corn chips....whatever.
If I get a compliment on the salad, I say eat up because you will never see one just like that again!

Any protein works for us... Chunks of chicken (goes nicely with avocado slices, honey lemon dressing), leftover thin sliced steak (or just cook a steak and divide for 2 or 4 servings) with maybe feta/blue cheese, any vinaigrette, with minced garlic or roasted garlic. Poached eggs are wonderful on a salad, if you like them. Beans, made ahead and chilled are a nice addition (got that from sleevendog). Turkey, bacon, cheddar. The options are endless!

Romaine and Baby Gem are my go to lettuces. We love Caesar salads, with anchovies. I frequently make a chef's salad for lunch with ham, turkey, cheese and croutons. A Cobb salad is always good, and a salad nicoise is a favorite. A spinach salad with sliced mushrooms, hardboiled egg, bacon and a poppyseed dressing will fill me up nicely. When our restaurants reopen, we will go back to have our favorite salad made with mixed greens, gorgonzola, dried cranberries, candied walnuts and a sweet and sour dressing.

This is timely since we just had Caesar salad with leftover grilled tri-tip for lunch.

Another one I like is to use the following marinade for boneless chicken breasts, grill them, then slice and add to a Caesar salad or the Orange and Pecan Salad below for another option.

Marinade

2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
2 T. Dijon mustard
1 T. soy sauce
2 T. lemon juice
1 tsp. dried rosemary, thyme or herbs de Provence
1/4 cup olive oil

Mandarin Orange and Pecan Salad

Dressing:
2 T. sugar
2 T. red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
3-4 dashes Tabasco sauce
1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil

Salad:
Greens of choice (Spring Mix is nice)
Sliced red onion
1/2 cup sliced celery
1 can (11 oz.) mandarin oranges, drained (can also use fresh orange segments)
1/2 cup pecan halves (plain or candied)

Crumbled blue cheese (optional)

Thanks all. I guess I didn't word my query very well, there are lots of great suggestions above. What I meant to ask was do you have any new to you, revolutionary combinations? I recently made a scraping-the-bottom-of-the-fridge combo of grilled chicken, avocado and pink grapefruit sections over buttercrunch and romaine. Seagrass, I like the sound of your favourite restaurant salad. Will have to put gorgonzola on the shopping list and figure out a sweet and sour dressing.

Probably not a Main course, but I made a snow pea/radish slaw that was killer last year. Unfortunately have lost the recipe and will have to find it again.

I've done it here with leftover steak which isn't quite the same luxury, but my fav restaurant salad is romaine and baby greens, grilled steak, asparagus and blue cheese vinaigrette. So good!

I've been adding broccoli slaw to my salads to up my cruciferous consumption. I limit my animal protein intake, so I use chick peas often. I've found I can use them whole or smash them and mix them with other ingredients like you would for tuna or chicken salad. I like a mix of sweet, crunchy and salty.

I stole some ideas from these Trader Joe's prepared salads. You can see the ingredients on the bags if you click on the picture.

Not a salad idea, but for those of us who are losing the extra Corona kilos, sometimes you want a supremely low calorie crunch. I make a cracker out of filo pastry. Cut a sheet in half, brush with beaten egg white, fold in half, brush again, fold again, brush and bake 5 minutes. 1 weight watcher point and really crispy.

Nice with sweet and savoury. We get a low fat Boursin here. 1 point. So a nice addition.

Here are some photos of T&T as well as "new to me" salads I've done. Aside from the shrimp in that one salad pictured last, it's easy to change out the veggies, change out the salad dressing, add protein like leftover chicken or sliced beef, or to add more Italian cold cuts. If you make "enough" then it's an entree salad! -- add maybe a poppyseed muffin and Bob's your uncle!

It's peak spring endive season in the garden right now (following the peak fall/winter endive season a few months ago - we grow a lot of endive), so salade lyonnaise time (aka bacon and egg salad) at our house. Endive dressed with some lardons of bacon, dressing made with bacon fat, dijon, a bit of honey, shallots, pepper, red wine or sherry vinegar. Add a few homemade croutons and top with a poached egg.

I've been most impressed with Sweetgreen. Inspiration for a while now. Headquarters in LA. They have been way ahead of the new normal for a while. They, I think, will succeed and are doing superb servicing the front lines and the city of NYC. Contactless service and with an app to order, then pick up. That has been in place forever. Some of the 100 locations had to close but the ones open were very easily converted to accommodate safety.

Long gone are the 90's salad bars and hot bars with 200 choices. Mostly are tired and filthy and packed. I walked in and out of one last Fall.

Sweetgreen is all behind a counter and very good variety.

They even quickly adjusted to a variety of family meals for delivery.

So makes sense that my home meals are similar. Every three-4 days I make a mixed grain, then 2-3 days later more grains and maybe some beans. Quick pickles and a big sheet pan of roasted veg. Lots of fresh and blanched/sauted greens. Always a protein in rotation.

Linky to their website, check the salad menu for ideas, HERE