How to Build the Perfect Salad
A great salad is a formula, not a recipe: a base, something crunchy, something creamy, a protein, and a bright dressing — with a little salt along the way. Hit those five and it's never boring.
The five parts
A base (greens or a cooked grain), something crunchy (nuts, seeds, raw vegetables), something creamy (feta, avocado, goat cheese), a protein (chicken, chickpeas, eggs, salmon), and a dressing that's mostly bright acid and good oil. Build around those five and you'll never make a dull salad again.
Texture is everything
The difference between a sad salad and one you crave is contrast — soft against crunchy, creamy against bright. If it's all leaves, it'll bore you by the third bite.
Season the parts, not just the top
A pinch of salt on the tomatoes and a squeeze of lemon on the avocado does more than any amount of dressing poured over the whole bowl. Taste as you build.
Dress lightly, and late
Just enough to coat, added right before you eat. Over-dressed and dressed too early is exactly how a salad goes soggy.
Build it in a jar — dressing on the bottom, sturdy things next, greens on top — and it keeps crisp for days without a single wilted leaf.