Salad, we are sorry that you were so misunderstood. You are more than one side dishyou are more than one aperitif. You are more than a collection of green vegetables, dipped in bottled vinaigrette. We know you for the complex, sophisticated bowl that you are: hearty yet refreshing, nutritious yet exciting. For the skeptics and haters, these salads have something to say, and we read them loud and clear.
Roasted Shallot and Arugula Salad with Fried Eggs
Jennifer Causey / Food styling by Margret Monroe Dickey / Props styling by Nidia Cueva
This hearty salad packs a punch. It combines spicy arugula, cracked black pepper, parmesan, prosciutto, fried eggs and shallots. The shallots are charred under the grill, where they develop umami and subtle sweetness. The powerful garlic dressing is delicious alongside spicy greens, salty cheese, rich eggs and fatty meat, where the richness of the runny egg yolk mixes perfectly with the tangy dressing.
Chicken salad with zucchini, lemon and pine nuts
Chef Armand Arnal uses ingredients from his restaurant’s huge organic garden to create seasonal Provençal dishes like this chicken salad garnished with pine nuts and lemon-marinated zucchini.
Shrimp Wedge Salad with Old Bay Breadcrumbs and Zesty Vinaigrette
Taking inspiration from Chef Nina Compton of Bywater American Bistro, we add a vinaigrette topped with Crystal Hot Sauce to this wedge salad and po’boy sandwich mix. Toasting breadcrumbs in Old Bay-infused oil doubles the rich flavor of boiled shrimp.
Nicoise Salad With Salmon
Tender salmon, briny olives, tender-crisp green beans, and satisfying potatoes infuse the zesty, perfectly balanced vinaigrette in this twist on a classic tuna Niçois. Don’t skip the anchovy garnish – it provides pops of umami flavor that elevate this salad.
Marinated Chickpea Salad with Radish, Cucumber and Queso de Freir
This quick chickpea salad from pastry chef Paola Velez is loaded with veggies and topped with a simple, flavorful lemon-garlic and cumin vinaigrette. Crispy, melty strips of fried queso de freir – a favorite cheese from Velez’s childhood – cover the dish. The salad comes together in 30 minutes, making it ideal for busy nights.
Cobb Salad with Roasted Sweet Onion Vinaigrette
Hearty and made with ingredients ranging from bacon to avocado, this salad is enhanced with flavor thanks to a roasted sweet onion and garlic vinaigrette.
Juicy steak and tomato salad
This summer salad from F&W Culinary Director Justin Chapple is quick and easy to prepare and is a total crowd-pleaser. Leftover steak works great with this recipe.
Large Italian Salad
Part green salad, part antipasto salad, this recipe combines lettuce, celery, onion, peperoncini, olives and cherry tomatoes, all tossed in an oil-based vinaigrette. olive, vinegar and a little mayonnaise.
Sweet Pea Salad
Sweet peas give this light summer salad from Ivan Conill’s Branch Line in Boston a satisfying crunch, while whole-milk ricotta adds weight with its sweet, creamy richness. The shredded roast chicken can be omitted for a vegetarian version, or you can replace it with flaked hot-smoked salmon.
Charred Broccolini Caesar with Kale and Chickpeas
Smoky, charred broccolini and chickpeas give this version of Caesar salad the heft it needs to be a main dish. Texture is the secret to a salad’s wow factor. Here, Little Gem lettuces, hearty kale and crisp-tender Broccolini bring three levels of crunch and provide plenty of leafy nooks and crannies to catch the thick anchovy vinaigrette.
Poached salted cod salad with sweet peppers
Chunks of lightly sweet and pleasantly chewy poached salt cod feature in this hearty salad of sweet peppers, purslane, herbs and cherry tomatoes. After being soaked in water to rehydrate and remove salt, the cod fillets are poached in a bath of olive oil, garlic, bay leaf and thyme, giving them flavor and giving the fish a little succulence. The cooled oil and aromatics are then strained and used in a parsley puree to season the salad and to blister the sweet peppers, adding flavor to each element of the dish.
Spinach salad with smoked chicken, apple, walnuts and bacon
This delicious and satisfying salad calls for thickly sliced smoked chicken, but smoked turkey also works.
Warm Lentil and Root Vegetable Salad with Coconut Tzatziki
Hearty root vegetables and lentils make this warm salad from Sakara Life the perfect vegetarian main dish. It comes with a pleasantly sweet and tangy coconut yogurt tzatziki.
Flatiron Steak Salad with Thai Dressing
“This is the dish I make to show wine lovers what beer can do with food,” says chef Sang Yoon of this tender grilled beef salad with its enticing citrus and soy vinaigrette. “I love the acidity of lime juice and fish sauce in Thai cuisine. These sharp flavors are impossible with wine, but a silky Belgian beer like Tripel Karmeliet allows them to shine through.”
Greek salad with shrimp and kamut
Kamut, an ancient variety of wheat, adds hearty texture to this dish inspired by a classic Greek salad. Soak the kamut overnight to help it cook faster, or for an even simpler dish, cook the kamut in advance to reduce the prep day to 30 minutes.
