We Taste-Tested Every Salad at Panera—Here's What We Would Order Again

First opened in 1987 in St. Louis, Panera has since expanded to hundreds of locations across the United States. The fast-food chain is a convenient option with plenty of menu items to choose from, whether you're popping in for breakfast, lunch or dinner. One menu category worth exploring is salads—so we decided to put them to the test to help you find the tastiest options.

Before we get to our ratings, it's important to talk about nutrition. Depending on your order, a Panera salad can range from 140 milligrams to 1,330 milligrams of sodium (the latter of which is over half of the recommended daily amount). Eating too much sodium can lead to bloating, headaches and high blood pressure. If you're watching your sodium intake, one option is to order a half-size salad instead of a whole one. Or, opt to use less dressing (something we recommend below for reasons aside from nutrition), which can often be high in sodium.

For our test, we ordered eight full-size salads from Panera's current menu. For salads that were listed on the menu with and without chicken, we ordered the latter, as not everyone eats poultry. Each salad was tossed with the full amount of dressing provided and enjoyed as is.

Here is our ranking of Panera salads, from least favorite to most, according to EatingWell's registered dietitians and food editors.

8. Strawberry Poppyseed Salad

If we had to describe the Strawberry Poppyseed Salad with just one word, it would be sweet. While our editors liked the fresh fruit, including strawberries, pineapple, blueberries and oranges, the pairing of the fruit with the overwhelming sweetness of the dressing was too much. In addition to the cloying dressing, the lettuce wasn't the freshest, which led to an unattractive visual. We'd pass on ordering this option again and opt for tossing together our Grilled Peach Salad or Pear, Gorgonzola & Walnut Salad instead when we want to pair fruit and leafy greens.

Nutrition Info for Strawberry Poppyseed Salad

240 calories, 12 grams total fat (1 g saturated fat), 0 mg cholesterol, 140 mg sodium, 34 g carbohydrates, 8 g fiber, 25 g total sugars, 5 g protein

7. Greek Salad

A Greek salad can be a thing of beauty, but Panera's offering was just OK. There wasn't anything inherently wrong with the salad—aside from being a bit oily—but the flavor didn't wow any of our testers. If you're looking for something simple to pair with a soup or sandwich from Panera, the Greek salad is a fine choice. But our testers have had better Greek salads in the past and preferred other options from Panera, which results in its low ranking.

Nutrition Info for Greek Salad

400 calories, 35 g total fat (9 g saturated fat), 30 mg cholesterol, 1,080 mg sodium, 16 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber, 7 g total sugars, 8 g protein

6. Caesar Salad

Caesar salads are a popular menu offering at many restaurants, and a great Caesar salad has the perfect mix of romaine, Parmesan, croutons and dressing. Unfortunately, our testers felt that Panera's version of the dish was a little lacking in the add-ins, so the ratio of lettuce to the other components felt askew. Plus, the croutons in our order tasted stale. Overall, we felt that this Caesar salad wasn't anything special.

Nutrition Info for Caesar Salad

330 calories, 25 g total fat (6 g saturated fat), 45 mg cholesterol, 640 mg sodium, 18 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 3 g total sugars, 10 g protein

5. Asian Sesame Salad with Chicken

Panera's Asian Sesame Salad with Chicken was a 50-50 split of positives and negatives, earning its place in the middle of our ranking. Our testers enjoyed the wonton strips, which provided a nice contrast of texture, and the chicken, which tasted fresh. On the flip side, the dressing was a bit on the too-sweet side (which we later discovered was due to the inclusion of monk fruit) and the romaine got very soggy after being tossed. Overall, our feelings toward this salad are pretty neutral. Would we order it if it was the only option on the menu? Sure, but there are other Panera salads that we'd much rather eat.

Nutrition Info for Asian Sesame Salad with Chicken

410 calories, 21 g total fat (3 g saturated fat), 70 mg cholesterol, 700 mg sodium, 28 g carbohydrates, 6 g fiber, 7 g total sugars, 30 g protein

4. Fuji Apple Salad with Chicken

We've officially reached our top picks on the menu and Panera's Fuji Apple Salad with Chicken proves that a salad with fruit can be delicious. The dried apple rings provided a nice visual and crunch, although as the salad sat they softened. While the dressing was a touch on the sweet side, there were enough savory elements—Gorgonzola crumbles, peppery arugula and pecans—to keep the salad well-balanced in flavor. The ultimate seal of approval came from one tester who said they probably would not have ordered the salad on their own prior to the taste test, but would order it now.

Nutrition Info for Fuji Apple Salad with Chicken

560 calories, 34 g total fat (7g saturated fat), 85 mg cholesterol, 750 mg sodium, 37 g carbohydrates, 6 g fiber, 22 g total sugars, 30 g protein

3. Citrus Asian Crunch Salad with Chicken

Panera's Citrus Asian Crunch Salad with Chicken had one standout ingredient: the chicken. While other salads on the menu used grilled chicken strips, this salad featured juicy seared chicken thighs, and our editors loved the flavor. In fact, several testers wished they could swap this chicken in for the other variety. To complement the chicken, the salad also includes a tangerine-soy-ginger dressing. Although we liked the flavor of the ginger-forward dressing, there was a little too much of it, so we recommend scaling back when you toss it (which would also help lower the sodium). Edamame, pickled onions and cilantro are other delicious additions to the salad, adding plenty of crunch, acidity and freshness, respectively. If you're looking for a zesty, filling salad, this option would be a great choice for lunch or dinner.

Nutrition Info for Citrus Asian Crunch Salad with Chicken

620 calories, 33 g total fat (5 g saturated fat), 105 mg cholesterol, 1,330 mg sodium, 46 g carbohydrates, 8 g fiber, 26 g total sugars, 36 g protein

2. Green Goddess Cobb Salad with Chicken

People say everything's better with bacon, and that saying rings true in this Green Goddess Cobb Salad with Chicken. While the bacon bits added a delicious smokiness to the salad, that was just one of many ingredients that stood out. Our testers were also a huge fan of the blend of leafy greens, which included kale, romaine, arugula and red leaf lettuce. Other highlights included the herbaceous, creamy green goddess dressing, pickled red onions and the hard-boiled egg, which was perfectly cooked. Our editors would definitely order this salad again! But when we have the time, we'd also re-create it at home with our Copycat Panera Green Goddess Cobb Salad recipe, which delivers on all the same flavors but with almost 50% less sodium.

Nutrition Info for Green Goddess Cobb Salad with Chicken

500 calories, 28 g total fat (6 g saturated fat), 270 mg cholesterol, 940 mg sodium, 26 g carbohydrates, 8 g fiber, 13 g total sugars, 39 protein

1. Southwest Caesar Salad with Chicken

Drumroll, please … our favorite salad to buy at Panera is the Southwest Caesar Salad with Chicken. Now, I know what you're thinking, how can our editors rank the original Caesar Salad at No. 6 but give the Southwest version the top spot? Well, there were several key elements that transformed this one into our must-have pick. First, the chipotle aioli lended a nice spiciness to the salad, but it didn't overpower the other flavors. Our editors loved the aioli so much, they wished there was more of it in the salad. The blue corn tortilla strips provided a pop of color and texture, while the avocado added a nice richness. Plus, the chicken strips were well seasoned and juicy. Overall, this salad checked all of the boxes—it was colorful, delicious and satisfying. What more could you ask for?

Nutrition Info for Southwest Caesar Salad with Chicken

630 calories, 48 g total fat (10 g saturated fat), 120 mg cholesterol, 980 mg sodium, 22 g carbohydrates, 8 g fiber, 4 g total sugars, 32 g protein