Calories in Salad
A simple green salad is 20-50 kcal per cup. Restaurant salads with proteins, cheese, dressing range from 350 to 900+ kcal — often the calorie-dense item is the dressing.
Nutrition by portion size
| Portion | kcal | Carbs (g) | Protein (g) | Fat (g) | Fiber (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 cups green salad with vinaigrette | 95 | 9 | 2 | 6 | 3 |
| Chicken Caesar salad (restaurant) | 520 | 22 | 32 | 32 | 4 |
| Cobb salad | 680 | 18 | 40 | 50 | 5 |
| Grilled chicken garden salad (light dressing) | 380 | 18 | 36 | 16 | 6 |
| Greek salad | 350 | 16 | 12 | 28 | 5 |
| 1 Tbsp Caesar dressing | 80 | 1 | 1 | 8 | — |
| 1 Tbsp ranch dressing | 73 | 1 | 0.3 | 7.7 | — |
| 1 Tbsp balsamic vinaigrette | 45 | 2 | 0 | 4 | — |
About these numbers
"Salad" calorie content is the most variable in food tracking because the assembly determines almost everything. A simple green salad with vinaigrette is 50-100 kcal — practically a free addition. Restaurant salads loaded with cheese, bacon, croutons, fried protein, and creamy dressings often exceed 700 kcal — more than a burger. The dressing alone often contributes 200-300 kcal in restaurant servings.
Use the calculators
- Calorie Deficit Calculator — find how this portion fits your daily target
- Glycemic Load Calculator — compute exact GL for any serving size
- Macro Calculator — set protein, carb, fat splits for cut/maintain/bulk
- Net Carbs Calculator — useful for keto and T1D insulin dosing
Related foods
Frequently asked questions
- Are restaurant salads healthy?
- Often not. Cobb salads (~680 kcal), Caesar salads with chicken (~520 kcal), and "Asian chicken salads" with crispy noodles and sweet dressings can exceed 700 kcal. Often more calories than the burger on the same menu. Strategies: ask for dressing on the side, choose vinaigrettes over creamy, skip croutons and cheese, choose grilled over crispy chicken.
- How many calories in a homemade salad?
- Depends on assembly. Plain greens + tomato + cucumber + light vinaigrette: 100-150 kcal. Add 4 oz grilled chicken: +185 kcal. Add 1/4 avocado: +60 kcal. Add 1 oz cheese: +110 kcal. Add 2 Tbsp dressing: +90-160 kcal. The math accumulates fast.
- Best salad for weight loss?
- Greens + 4-6 oz grilled chicken + lots of vegetables + light vinaigrette = 350-450 kcal with 30g+ protein. The fastest path to a satisfying, low-calorie, high-protein meal.
- Salad dressing calorie watch-list?
- Ranch: 73 kcal/Tbsp. Caesar: 80 kcal/Tbsp. Blue cheese: 75 kcal/Tbsp. Honey mustard: 80 kcal/Tbsp. Olive oil + balsamic (mostly oil): 80 kcal/Tbsp. Vinaigrette only (light): 30-50 kcal/Tbsp. Restaurant portions are often 4+ Tbsp — 300+ kcal in dressing alone.
Track it
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