My garden is just starting to produce salad greens for us, and I have the most GORGEOUS Spinach I’ve grown in years, so I went looking for ideas to UP my Salad Game:
The 6-Step Formula For the Best Salad You’ll Ever Eat
1. A Good Dressing Is Everything: Yes, you can make your own, and you will be so glad you did. Not only will you know exactly what’s in it, but you can whip one up in minutes. Better yet, whip up a big batch to stash in the fridge for salads all week. Here’s one of our favorite all-purpose dressings to keep on hand for those salad-for-dinner nights: Multipurpose Vinaigrette. If you’re a store-bought dressing fan, that’s fine too. Here’s how to make a store-bought dressing taste homemade.
2. Your Favorite Greens: Most importantly, says Nicole, “choose what you like.” If you try to veer too far into salad for the sake of health and not preference, you’re not going to enjoy it—or want to make it again. Popular choices include romaine, baby spinach, arugula, mixed greens, and butter lettuce. And make sure you know how to store your greens so they’re as fresh as possible when salad making time hits.
3. Protein Punch: “This will take your salad to full-meal status and keep you satisfied longer,” Nicole says. The options are vast: grilled chicken, tofu, shrimp, hard-boiled eggs, deli meat, and fish are no-fail options.
4. Cheese, Please: “Cheese adds richness and saltiness to help round out flavors and adds a different, softer texture to your cold crunchy salad,” Nicole says. Crumbly cheeses (like feta or goat cheese) are common picks, but using a vegetable peeler to add wide shreds of Parmesan or Pecorino Romano to your salad is also a delicious route. You can also cut cheeses like cheddar or swiss into very small cubes and toss them on in.
5. Sliced Fruits and Veggies: “Obviously this is a broad category,” Nicole says, but these are the side kicks to your base of greens. “Fruits and veggies can be raw or cooked, fresh, or dried, even pickled. Pickled veggies add great acidity, juiciness, crunch, and a great contrast to textures and temperatures within the salad.”
6. Bonus Crunch: “This is so important in order to achieve the perfect bite,” Nicole says. “Your crunch factor can come from nuts, seeds, croutons, or crushed up chips or crackers.
I should plant some spinach. If the weather keepw up like this it probably won’t bolt!