The most frequent thing I cook is a simple green salad. It goes with pretty much anything and is a quick solution if you’re like me and feel that a meal isn’t complete without greens in some form.
Classic Green Salad
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce optional
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 bag salad leaves 150g / 5oz
Instructions
- Combine vinegar, soy sauce (if using) and extra virgin olive oil in a medium bowl. If not using soy add a pinch of salt.
- Toss leaves gently in the dressing using clean hands.
- Taste and season with more salt as needed.
variations
different vinegar – Sherry vinegar, rice wine vinegar, lemon juice, lime juice, red/white wine vinegar, champagne vinegar, balsamic.
soy-free – skip the soy sauce and be more generous with the salt. Or try a dash of fish sauce instead.
leaves – pretty much anything you like. Watercress, baby spinach, all lettuce, rocket (arugula), basil, parsley, mint, lovage, baby kale, baby cavolo nero, brussels sprouts leaves.
additional flavourings – miso, mustard.
other potential additives – shaved parmesan, goats cheese, finely sliced ripe grapes, shaved pear, nuts, seeds.
leftover potential?
Not the greatest. Will go a little soggy in the fridge, although I do know people who like their salad after it has been ‘marinated’ for a while. Go figure.
problem solving guide
dressing not sticking to the leaves – Usually this is a sign the leaves weren’t completely dry after they were washed. Next time spin dry in a salad spinner or pat really well with paper towel.
too oily – You’ve got too much dressing. Toss in some more leaves if you have them or transfer to a clean bowl and toss again so some of the excess dressing comes off onto the sides of the bowl.
too dry – Not enough dressing for the amount of leaves. Mix up a little more dressing and add to the leaves a little at a time. Keep the remainder of the dressing in the fridge.
serving suggestions
Pretty much works with anything savoury.
__
Add to my Old Favourite Recipes
Hi Jules- for soy free people, could I use Tamari or coconut aminos? Or does that give a different taste?
Coconut aminos will work – it’s sweeter so will be like a balsamic style dressing – but still good.
Tamari will also work – but I think it’s based on soy (but doesn’t contain wheat like regular soy sauce).
You can always just season with salt.
Hi Jules,
I’m glad to have a template for a basic green salad and dressing. I’m still confounded, though, by the dressing acid to oil proportion…looks like 1:3 here? sometimes my dressings taste bland, or rather the acid flavor isn’t very strong so I add a bit more, but it’s still too faint. Do I need to add a bit of salt? or sugar? or just more of the acid ingredient.
Also, the additives I toss in always fall to the bottom of the bowl. How can I mix them so they’re distributed more evenly?
Thanx,
Trudy
Hi Trudy
Yes in this recipe I’ve gone for 1:3. But I vary my dressings depending on the type of salad I’m dressing and the type of acid. So if you think it’s bland keep adding more acid until you’re happy.
Salt will help bring out the sharpness. So that would be my first point. I find using soy sauce the best for adding complexity and bringing the dressing to life.
Sugar tones down acidity but enhances other flavors so it’s something to play with but I don’t use it in a dressing very often. If I feel like a sweeter dressing I usually choose a sweeter vinegar like balsamic.
I’m afraid the additive problem is just part of salad density. It’s an age old one. The best solution is to plate up the salad then sprinkle over the heavier additives.
Great questions!
J