A Simple Dinner Salad

Salads are not very complicated, but there are some simple things that you can do to create the best, most flavorful salad possible even when you are just making a basic dinner salad on a Tuesday night. If you are a salad professional then feel free to skip ahead to the next recipe, but if you are new to the salad game or are looking for easy ways to make a great salad in your own kitchen then let’s get started…

Step #1 – Chop your ingredients

The way you slice, chop, dice and tear your ingredients can have a big impact on the end result of your salad. Romaine should be sliced long and about a half inch wide, iceberg is best chopped into bite sized squares and leafy greens, curly endive or butter lettuce is best served hand torn.

Tomatoes are best diced into about a half inch dice, so if you are using large tomatoes they can be sliced into large slices and then cut into small cubes or if you are using cherry tomatoes they can be halved or quartered.

Cucumbers, mushrooms and peppers should be sliced small and onions should be diced tiny, so they don’t overwhelm the flavor.

Cheese can be shredded thick or thin, crumbled or diced small depending on what kind of cheese you want to add to your salad.

Proteins like chicken or steak should be sliced into bite sized pieces, so they do not need to be cut again once they are added to the salad.

Step #2 – Layer & season the ingredients

The order that you combine the ingredients into your bowl can effect the flavor and texture of your salad, because certain ingredients need to be seasoned or dressed more than others in order to taste the best.

Begin with your greens. The absolute best way to dress your greens is to drizzle the bowl with your dressing or oil and then toss in the greens. This may seem a little extra, but it is a great way to prevent uneven dressing of the greens. This is totally optional, but a great tip towards achieving the absolute best result.

Another thing that I highly recommend when it comes to dressing your greens is to very lightly dress them with olive oil regardless of what dressing you will be adding. So, even if I am adding ranch or caesar to my salad, I start by lightly dressing the greens with olive oil for added layers of flavor and then I also need less of the creamy dressing to make the salad feel fully coated.

If you are adding tomatoes or hard boiled eggs into your salad, I suggest lightly sprinkling them with salt and black pepper before they go into the salad. They need more seasoning than some of the other ingredients, so I like to give them a little extra attention.

Step #3 – Finishing touches

If you plan on adding croutons, cheese, nuts or anything crunchy, add this right before serving. The longer that these ingredients hang out in the salad, the bigger the chance that they may become soggy.

Although your greens are already dressed with olive oil, if you want to add an actual salad dressing or balsamic vinegar, lightly drizzle a bit over the compiled salad. This will bring the flavor to the salad without weighing it down.

Add a pinch of sea salt and a few cracks of fresh black pepper before serving.

A great salad can be everything from a light lunch to a full main course meal. Salads can take on so many different flavor profiles and can fit into virtually any diet plan. They are a healthy, filling meal full of colorful vegetables with great textures… whats not to love?

If you follow these simple steps, you will be sure to build a flavorful salad that you will truly enjoy. Once you have a base salad recipe that you love, I highly recommend you begin branching out to add new ingredients, dressings and proteins.

If you are looking for some truly delicious salad recipes, check these salads out…

• • • Crispy Chicken Caesar Salad – breaded chicken over a creamy, salty caesar salad
    • Taco Salad – spicy ground beef over crunchy lettuce and your favorite taco toppings
    • Chopped Rainbow Salad – bite sized pieces of super crunchy vegetables in every color
    • Strawberry, Arugula & Farro Salad – a hearty salad with warm grains and sweet berries
    • Panzanella Salad – an Italian crouton salad with chunky vegetables, oil and vinegar
    • Italian Cobb Salad – all of your favorite Italian ingredients brought together in one bowl