How To Make A Basic Salad

The Simple Green Salad

A green salad is a great friend to the home cook. Once youre deep into making dinner, figuring out how to also get a fresh vegetable on the table can seem impossible. Enter the simple green salad. Just a serving of fresh leaves, it doesnt need much more than a vinaigrette, but if you like the taste and color that come with a sprinkle of shredded carrots, finely sliced onions or diced tomato, they absolutely belong in your bowl.

What Else Could You Add To This Tossed Salad

The joy of a tossed salad is that it is a blank canvas for whatever you feel like adding to it.

Want a more carnivorous salad? Add in some finely chopped, crispy bacon or some shredded chicken. Want more of a crunch? Add a handful of toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds, or even some whole walnuts!

This recipe serves as an excellent base for whatever you prefer in your salads. Just make sure you dont add so much stuff that it becomes unhealthy!

Dull Lifeless Salads Are So Yesterday We’re Breaking Down How To Make Salad The Right Way By Covering The Different Types Of Salad Topping Ideas And More

Everything you know about how to make salad is getting turned on its head. Well run through our best salad recipes, dressings and salad tips thatll make you think twice about the dish. Its time to say goodbye to sad, wilted lettuce and plain bottled dressing and start enjoying your leafy greens. Follow our ultimate guide on how to make salad.

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Farro Salad With Tart Cherries

This delicious farro salad features farro, a healthy whole grain, along with apple, arugula, and tart cherries. Sprinkle a bit of feta cheese for a savory saltiness, and then cover the entire salad in a tart cherry vinaigrette. With the red and the green, its visually stunning, and it tastes incredible: tangy, tart, sweet, and savory all at once. Though it features lots of fresh ingredients: apples, arugula and cherries, its one of those salad recipes that can be eaten year round since many of these ingredients are available throughout the year.

How To Make Vinaigrette

Were going back to basics today with one of my most essential everyday recipes, vinaigrette! You know how much I love salads, and Im surprised I didnt think to share my basic vinaigrette recipe with you until now.

Vinegar and olive oil-based vinaigrette is a light, zippy, heart-healthy salad dressing. Its great on greens, vegetables and fruits. You can change up the flavor by using different vinegars. Vinaigrette is easy to adjust to taste, and Ive included notes how to do so in the recipe.

Once you start making homemade vinaigrette, you wont go back. Whisk together some basic ingredients, and youll end up with dressing that tastes infinitely better than store-bought dressings. No preservatives here!

Homemade vinaigrette keeps for 1 to 2 weeks in the refrigerator, so its worth the 5 minutes it takes to mix it up. Then you can keep it on hand for all of your salad needs. Lets get to it!

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How To Make Chef Salad

This keto chef salad comes together in just 3 easy steps, heres how to make it:

• Chop. Get all your chef salad ingredients sliced and diced, as described above.
• Plate. You can put everything into one large salad bowl, or individual serving bowls.

• Add dressing. Top salad with dressing and toss to coat, or serve the dressing on the side.

Recipe: The Ultimate Potato Salad

This is my go-to potato salad recipe. Feel free to make adjustments to seasonings and mix-ins to suit your taste.

Servings: Six to eight

• 2 pounds New/Baby potatoes, Red Bliss, or Fingerling potatoes, cut into two inch pieces
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• cup mayonnaise, regular or light
• cup sour cream, regular or light
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ½ pound bacon, about 6 to 8 strips, cooked until chewy-crisp and chopped
• ½ cup chopped green onions
• 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
• 4-ounce jar pimentos, drained and chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• Paprika, for serving

Preparation:

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Why Simple Side Salads Are Awesome

Simple side salads have become one of my favorite quick side dishes to make with dinner because

• The light texture and zingy flavor of the dressing can really lighten up a heavy meal
• They take five minutes to assemble
• Theyre a great way to use up leftover vegetables in your fridge
• They add so much color, texture, and flavor to your plate
• They instantly make your meal feel put together
• Its an extra dose of vegetables!

+ Easy & Healthy Salad Recipes

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These easy and healthy salad recipes make the best of fresh seasonal produce. Theyre filled with bright flavors and a variety of delicious textures. Whether youre looking for a snappy lunch salad or a large dinner party salad, this list has something for everyone.

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This Easy Potato Salad Recipe Is The Only One You’ll Ever Need Here’s How To Make It

Few things rival the classic potato salad when its made right. But sadly, most homemade versions can be lackluster. The process seems easy enough, so whats the issue?

Truth is, when crafted at home, there are many ways potato salad can go sideways. Hiccups run the gamut from over- or under-cooked potatoes to under-seasoning. These missteps lead to potato salads that are mushy or too firm, bland or oilynot what you want when making Americas favorite spring and summer side dish.

The best and easiest potato salad you’ll ever make starts with buttery-soft potatoes that are laced with a satiny mayo dressing and studded with smoky bacon, crunchy celery, fresh green onions and sweet pimentos.

It’s a completely foolproof recipe I know you’ll keep coming back to.

Follow my suggestions below to create the perfect potato salad every time.

Dinner upgrade: Try this easy recipe for penne alla vodka

Is A Chef Salad Keto Friendly

Wondering if you can have chef salad on keto? Yes! There are just 4.3 grams net carbs in chef salad using this recipe.

Many classic chef salad recipes include croutons and are topped with a chef salad dressing that is made with sugar, so those would not be keto.

Fortunately, this salad has simple staples that everyone would enjoy, so even if youre not keto or you have friends or family members that are not its still delicious to serve for just about anyone.

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The Best Greens For Side Salads

There are a lot of options for salad greens out there, but for simple side salads I like to go with a green that is light, delicate, and that has a lot of color and texture. So that means that my favorite is spring mix or baby greens. Of course you could use anything from kale to spinach, or even finely shredded cabbage.

Just dont use iceberg because while it does have texture, its totally lacking in the flavor and color department. Its better suited for situations where it is utilized solely for its texture.

Did You Make Any Of These Salad Recipes

Please leave a comment and rating below, and let me know what you thought of this round up of easy salad recipes at home. Be sure to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram or share it on the Pinterest pin so that I can follow along.

HUNGRY FOR MORE? Don’t forget to sign up for my email newsletter so that you don’t miss any recipes. You can also follow along on and for more recipe updates.

• Total Time:5 minutes

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Everyones Favorite Salad Recipes

Lets start with some of my top salad recipes that everyone always comes back to. Theyre crazy good, perfect for any occasion , and are so darn easy to make.

• Broccoli Salad: No joke, this is everyones go-to salad, no matter what time of year it is. Its perfect as a Thanksgiving side dish or summer barbecue salad. Plus, it holds up well in the fridge as the perfect meal prep salad.
• Salmon Avocado Salad: Topping a salad with warm, pan seared salmon really takes it up a notch. And you cant beat those creamy avocado slices.
• Chicken Salad: When the warm weather hits, this chicken salad is a must. Its deliciously creamy, crunchy, fresh, and will convince you to never buy store-bought chicken salad again.
• Caprese Salad: Ill gladly eat layers of fresh tomato, mozzarella, and basil on repeat. Just drizzle a little balsamic glaze for a summer classic that never fails to please.
• Tuna Salad: If you love my chicken salad, this tuna version is a no brainer. And all you really need is canned tuna, mayo, dijon mustard, and some fresh greens and herbs.

Salad Dressings You Can Make In Minutes

It’s the last thing you think of when you’re putting together a no-fuss summer salad: the dressing. With this in mind, we’ve created 10 super-easy dressings you can throw together for any occasion, to suit every possible leafy combination. All of these easy recipes take minutes to make and need just a handful of ingredients to create something full of flavour, taking your salad to the next level.

Check out our ultimate collection of salad dressing recipes for more inspiration, and browse our best ever salad recipes for pairing ideas.

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Tips For Storing Salad

• Make ahead instructions: Almost all of these salads can be made ahead of time. My biggest suggestion is to store the ingredients separately from the dressing, and toss when ready to serve. To prep ahead of time, you can chop up all the ingredients and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
• How to store: If you do have leftovers, most salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Refer to the specific recipe post for complete storing instructions.
• How to customize. Most salad recipes are versatile and completely customizable. You can add in different vegetables or add in extra protein such as grilled chicken, grilled shrimp, salmon, or tofu.

Arugula Salad With Parmesan Lemon And Olive Oil

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Have you read the book, Essentialism, yet?

After hearing literally dozens of friends, colleagues, and even neighbors talk about this book over the past few years, I finally bought a copy to bring on my trip to New Zealand this past February with Barclay. I was looking forward to curling up with it on the couches of our various AirBnBs. But after dozens of hours of podcasts, playlists, and conversations during our long drives all across the country, I randomly asked B one day if hed like me to read the first chapter aloud for something different. He did. And so I did. And after just a few pages, we were completely hooked. And then proceeded to be those nerdy American tourists who read the book aloud to one another during the rest of the trip.

Yet one more reason I like this guy. )

Yet one more reason I like these friends.

Turns out that fancy New Zealand wineries and Essentialism and a cute boyfriend pair quite well together. )

For some reason, the Essentialism quarterly questionnaire isnt in the book. But its basically just a bunch of questions that you can revisit each quarter to check in with yourself, see what feels most essential right now, see what has changed over the past three months, set some goals for the next three months, etc. Stuff like:

And next quarter, I already want to make this salad again!

All you need are 5 easy ingredients:

• fresh baby arugula
• olive oil

So much freshness. 🙂

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Celery Salad With Apples

Heres a surprisingly delicious salad recipe that deserves a spot on your plate: celery salad! The name doesnt have quite the ring of say, potato salad. But this unique salad is so refreshing, youll become a convert from the first bite. Crunchy celery pairs perfectly with sweet apple, Parmesan shavings and a tangy vinaigrette. Its bright, its crunchy, its hydrating: it works for summer, and its perfect in the winter too.

Ways To Whisk A Vinaigrette

You can make a vinaigrette by whisking it together in a bowl, shaking it together in a jar, or blending it with a blender. Heres more information about all three:

Whisk with a fork or whisk

• Best for: Making a single salad for lunch or dinner.
• What to do: Combine the vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl or right in the salad bowl. Tilt the bowl and whisk the vinaigrette quickly for a few seconds. First youll see bubbles of the oil and vinegar break into each other, and then the vinaigrette will become uniform. The vinaigrette will quickly separate back into oil and water, so use it right away.

Shake in a jam jar

• Best for: Making a large batch of vinaigrette to use throughout the week.
• What to do: Combine the vinaigrette ingredients in a jar or other container with a lid. Screw on the lid and shake the jar vigorously for a few seconds until the vinaigrette comes together. Use what you need for your salad, then store the rest in the fridge. The oil and vinegar will separate as it sits, so youll need to re-shake the vinaigrette every time you use it.

Blend in a blender or with an immersion blender

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Insert The Crunch Factor

For us, the perfect salad is all about textures and layering textures to create the perfect bite. Chewing on lettuce reminds us of a cow chewing the same grass blade repetitively, no one wants this. We believe the key to an interesting salad is the crunch factor raw fennel, crispy snap peas, crunchy radishes, chopped nuts, crispy croutons, sprinkles of seeds, julienned cucumbers or sliced pear. The crunch add’s a bit of oomph that can turn a motionless salad into a soundtrack of bass and melody.

Romaine Salad With Breadcrumbs And Simple Dressing

Fans call Mollys 20-minute salad simple and super yummy, and we feel the need to add smart to that description: She toasts panko breadcrumbs with butter in a skillet for amazing crunch and flavor! Romaine, a lemony homemade dressing and shaved Parmesan complete the meal.

Get the Recipe: Romaine Salad with Breadcrumbs and Simple Dressing

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Orzo Pasta Salad Recipe

This Orzo Salad is so yummy and easy to make! It is the perfect side dish for summer cookouts or dinner parties. I love how fresh and bright the ingredients are. I just cant get enough of the Mediterranean flavors! If you want to make this salad into more of a main dish, then add a protein like grilled chicken, avocado, or shrimp.

My Formula For The Perfect Side Salad

I think the biggest mistake when making side salads is overthinking them. Keep it simple, use as few ingredients as possible, and dont spend more than five minutes on it. Because if you do, youll probably just end up avoiding making the salad altogether, and thats when your spring mix ends up in the trash without ever making it to your plate.

So, to prevent over thinking your salad, use this formula:

Greens + one vegetable + dressing + topper

Thats it. Thats all you need. Now lets go into more detail on each of those elements.

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How Can I Customize This Simple Tossed Green Salad

This is the best part of this salad, I think. However, I do try to keep it simple. So to that end, here are the ways in which Ive changed this salad around while not making it overly complicated.

• Make it Mexican: Swap pepitas for sunflower seeds and add chopped tomatoes, black olives, finely diced jalapenos, and a sprinkling of queso fresco. For the dressing, use mayo, cayenne pepper, garlic and lime juice like I did in this Mexican Street Corn Salad.
• Make it taste like the Mediterranean: This one is another favorite. Skip the sunflower seeds and instead add garbanzo beans. Add in sliced kalamata olives, halved cherry tomatoes, and a dash of each thyme, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper before tossing the salad. Serve with a simple dressing of olive oil and reduced balsamic.
• Have it Hawaiian: This is a little different but hang with me. Add a can each of drained, diced pineapple chunks and mandarin oranges, ham instead of the bacon, and slivered almonds instead of sunflower seeds. I also like to add blue cheese to this kind of salad, something about the tanginess of the cheese with the sweetness of the fruit that just blend so well together.

For dressing, think simply. You already will have a sweet flavor from the fruit juices. Consider sprinkling some red wine or balsamic vinegar along with some oregano, salt, and pepper. Or add a store-bought strawberry vinaigrette.