Most of us have our favourite salad recipe that we return to time and time again. Mine is Nessa Robins’ hearty Winter’s Salad. Sometimes, though, it’s nice to try something a little different. Combining the contents of your fridge is a good place to start, but the results are rarely spectacular, are they? With summer just around the corner, it’s time to take your salad game to the next level. Mix and match your favourite ingredients from each section to create your perfect salad.
Choose your base
In the blue corner, weighing nothing more than a few grams, we have the greens. In the red corner, adding a little weight to proceedings, we have the grains. It’s the ultimate salad showdown. Which will you choose? (Or go mad and choose both. It’s what I’d do.)
Add a protein boost
This is where things start to get delicious. (Let’s face it, plain salad leaves do not make a tasty salad.) Grab a handful of your favourite protein source to bulk out your salad. Leftover roast chicken is a great option, but why not try something a bit different? Beans make a great protein-packed addition to salads.
Veg out
Time to add some veggies. I like to choose something sweet like grated carrot or red peppers to help balance out the savoury flavours of the salad, while cucumber adds a burst of freshness. Roasted vegetables help bulk out your salad - try tossing them in your favourite spice before you roast them.
Try some texture
Texture is everything. If you’ve chosen rocket, crispy bacon and cucumbers so far, you probably need to add something soft to balance the textures, like cheese or avocado. If your salad is in need of a little crunch, consider adding bread, nuts or seeds.
Something new
If you’ve managed to create your usual salad using the first four steps, this is where things get interesting. It’s always worth adding a little bit of something that you might not have considered before. Sweet fruits like melon work beautifully if your salad is deliciously salty and savoury.
Play dress up
The salad dressing is what brings everything together, and it’s important to choose a dressing that complements your salad. A robust, meaty salad can take something creamy, and if your salad is light and sweet, try a simple squeeze of lemon.
We tried out this delicious salad recipe recently and it's pretty much everything you'd want in a salad. It skips the 'vegetables' step, but it's hearty enough that it doesn't need any veggies. (I think roasted sweet potato would take it to a new and delicious level though.) It's a tasty combination of rocket (the base), croutons and cheese (the texture), bacon (the protein), and caramelised apple (something new). The sweet dressing contrasts beautifully with the salty cheese and bacon. (Trust me when I say that you'll never need another sweet dressing recipe again.)
We'd love to know what your favourite salad combinations are. Do you stick with a trusty Caesar salad, or do you love trying out different salad ideas? Let us know in the comments or come find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.