How to Make an Epic Salad

My family loves BIG, vibrant, flavorful salads; and I make A LOT of them all year round. SO I know the secrets to making a good salad, and today I'm sharing them with you! Top 3 tips: Tons of texture, something crunchy, and a killer dressing!

Salads should never be boring! There are too many ways to make them delicious! If you're looking to up your salad game or you just want to add more plants to your plate, but you don't know where start - don't worry, I've got you covered.

Salads are an easy way to get extra veggies in all year long. In the winter, add warm roasted veggies and potatoes or grains to your salad. Summer salads are lighter but still filling made with fresh, leafy vegetables, couscous and crispy roasted lentils. Whatever you're craving, there's a salad to not only hit the spot, but also fill it!

Elements for Building an Epic Salad

If I'm being honest there are salads and then there are SALADS!!! Take my super popular crunchy Asian Cabbage Salad for example - it's got all the elements of a great salad. There's a variety of crispy, vibrant vegetables, some heft from plant protein, a ton of crunch, and a killer dressing. It's a vegan dinner salad people line up for!

Today I'm sharing some guidelines for How To Make a Salad that Tastes Good and leaves you feeling satisfied. Most of the ingredients can be prepared ahead of time so you've always got the elements of a great salad ready to go for busy weeknight dinners. Ready to learn the tips and tricks to transform ordinary salads into something epic? Let's get started with what to put in a salad!

The Salad Base - Leafy Greens & More!

While leafy greens* make up the base of most salads, they don't have to stand alone. There are lots of sturdy vegetables to help create a nice solid base and texture like: shredded cabbage, a variety of store bought coleslaw mixes (cabbage and carrots, broccoli coleslaw, Asian or tri color coleslaw for example) or shredded Brussel sprouts.

For the ultimate salad, choose a variety of leafy greens (each variety and color of vegetable brings its own texture, flavor, and nutrient profile to your plate). Here's a few examples:

Eat the Rainbow - Salad Ingredients

Next up, choose a variety of colorful (in season) vegetables and fruit. Check out this downloadable list to take to the grocery store with you (and remember to mix up the plants you eat aiming for a minimum of 30 different plants a week for optimal gut health*).

Here's some ideas to get you started:

Add Some Heft - Grains and Plant Protein

When making a big, dinner-size salad at home, including grains, potatoes or plant protein will add enough heft to keep you feeling full and satisfied. Here's some of our favorite add-ins (Pro Tip: Salads are a great way to use up leftovers!):

• Beans: Beans are a big part of a plant based diet! They are a magical pantry item packed with protein, fiber, antioxidants (and more) plus they are super versatile, cheap, and convenient! For salads, I prefer a firm bean that holds its shape like black beans, navy beans, kidney beans, and chickpeas. Beans can be served at room temperature or crisp them in the oven to add extra crunchy texture (like crispy chickpeas or crispy falafel).

• Grains: Adding cooked grains to a salad introduces a variety of texture and flavor, as well as extra fiber and plant-based protein. We love quinoa, lentils, and rice (brown, white, wild) and especially the crispy versions! But also try chewy nutty farro, barley, bulger or light and fluffy couscous. All these grains are easy to cook ahead of time, and they freeze well to have on hand for quick weeknight dinners.
• Protein ideas: Obviously tofu and tempeh are versatile, delicious, and popular plant protein options. And as I mentioned above, beans and lentils are very good sources of plant protein, fiber, and nutrients. Edamame, hummus, nuts and seeds are all excellent protein sources; and don't forget the nutritional seed superstars: hemp hearts, chia seeds, ground flax.
• Potatoes and more!: Sweet potatoes (like these roasted sweet potato cubes), steamed new potatoes, smashed potatoes and crispy air fryer fried potatoes are great additions to bump up the heartiness in salads (serve warm or at room temperature). Add noodles like ramen, rice noodles or a stuffed pasta (like tortellini) for extra heft.

Texture is Key - Crunchy, Chewy, Creamy, Crispy

A salad can't be epic if it's soggy and boring. Don't sleep on texture when it comes to building the best salads. Here's some tips for creating layers of crispy, crunchy, craveable textures:

• Cutting Tip: Cut the veggies into a variety of shapes - ie. shred, slice, dice, mince, julienne, chunks, ribbons - don't make everything the same shape and size.
• Crunchy: Lightly toasted sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds, pistachios, peanuts, ramen noodles, and thinly sliced tortilla strips elevate an ordinary salad to extraordinary. Croutons are a classic crunchy salad topper - for a gluten free croutons, crispy chickpeas are a great option! Make a double batch of all these ingredients then store the extras in the pantry for the next time you need a crunchy topper. I love a sprinkle of pomegranate seeds for color and crunch too! Add a handful of your favorite chips (like corn chips, tortillas or spicy dill pickle chips) for ready made crunchiness and flavor.
• Chewy: Pretty much everything is chewy in a salad - all those veggies, fruit, nuts, and grains! A few specifically, chewy ingredient ideas to include: roasted sweet potato cubes, stuffed pasta, dried fruit like cranberries and raisins, and candied nuts and seeds (in this salad recipe). Of course, if you're serving bread on the side, you're in for some extra delicious chewing!
• Creamy: Avocados or guacamole, vegan cheese, hummus, gnocchi, and dressings add creaminess to a salad. Any perfectly roasted veggie like potatoes, cauliflower and squash also add a creamy element. Stewed, baked or refried beans are creamy additions as well.
• Crispy: Seasoned crispy lentils are by far my favorite, crispy superfood salad topper. The nutty savory flavor is a 10/10; and the chewy, crispy crunchy texture is a homerun. Plus they're simple and inexpensive to make, stay crispy for days, and are healthy source of plant protein and fiber. Other crispy grains are fabulous also like crispy quinoa. Thinly sliced mushrooms or onions and whole capers fried until crisp make excellent crispy salad toppers.

Flavor is King - Killer Salad Dressings & More

When it comes to epic salads, the salad dressing is the magic. So you definitely want a flavorful (tangy, creamy, salty, sweet, smoky, and spicy) dressing to pull everything together. Homemade salad dressings are incredible because they are ready in minutes and taste delicious. Plus you can customize them to meet your dietary needs: vegan, vegetarian, whole food plant based, egg free, dairy free, sugar free - you get it.

There's no denying a dressing can make or break a salad, but that's not the only way to add flavor and freshness - here's a few more ideas:

• pickles: sweet pickles, sour dill pickles or pickled red onions
• jalapenos: sliced fresh or spicy pickled jalapenos
• citrus: lime, lemon, orange, grapefruit
• hot sauce: sriracha (or your favorite hot or smoky sauce)
• fresh herbs: dill, cilantro, basil, parsley
• olives: black, green, Greek or stuffed olives for brininess
• marinated artichokes or sun dried tomatoes for richness
• cheese crumbles: for salty, creaminess like vegan feta

Putting It All Together

So, now you know my secrets for making a salad incredible. Whether you are preparing a salad for dinner, setting up a salad bar for a group of friends or just meal prepping salad ingredients for the week, the method is the same:

1. Choose the leafy greens and veggies based on preferences or what you currently have in the fridge (or garden).
2. Select some grains, beans or plant protein. These can be prepped up to several weeks in advance and stored in the fridge or freezer ready to go throughout the week.
3. Don't forget lots of crunchy toppings!
4. Make a 5 minute dressing or two and store in the fridge.
5. Set everything out family style, in individual bowls or buffet style so everyone can build their own salad masterpiece.
6. Enjoy!

The Best Salad Recipes!

Okay, okay, so now you know the elements for building your own tasty salad from scratch, and all my insider tips. But, just in case you need extra inspiration, here's some of my best and most popular salad recipes to try. And don't forget your free downloadable list to take to the grocery store!:

• Thai Crunch Salad with Spicy Peanut Dressing
• Crunchy Asian Cabbage Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing
• Harvest Salad with Crispy Quinoa
• Vegan Caesar Salad with Crunchy Croutons
• Broccoli Salad with Grapes and Creamy Tangy Sweet Dressing
• Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad w/Pomegranate Balsamic Dressing
• Everyday Green Side Salad - you know your options to make it epic!

I hope you found this How to Make A Really Good Salad Guide helpful! If you try any of the dressings, salads or add ons, let me know which ones are your favorite. Tag me with your photos on Instagram or Facebook.
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