My All-Time Favorite Salad Recipe

About “the salad”

Full disclosure: this is a long, affectionate write-up about a salad I can’t stop making. If you just want the recipe, feel free to skip ahead to the Ingredients or Instructions sections below.

I created this salad soon after starting my blog, and ever since that first batch it’s been my go-to. It’s not a viral trend or a fancy exotic vegetable — it’s simply the combination of flavors and textures that won me over. The first time I told my husband Tim that it was “my favourite salad ever,” I meant it.

On the day I made this, I was also photographing a Spinach & Strawberry Salad with Honey Mustard Chicken. After finishing the shoot, I wanted something different to eat, so I assembled this chopped salad and tried a dressing I’d been considering. One taste and I knew I had something special.

A salad is born

I had been planning a chopped salad for a while, but I kept getting sidetracked by all the variations you can make. I originally imagined a lemon-basil dressing, but then I made a simple balsamic dressing and thought it would be great for cooler months. After tasting it, I remembered recipes where balsamic and poppyseed dressings are blended together. I mixed a poppyseed dressing (from a previous recipe) one-to-one with the balsamic dressing I had just made and the result was exactly what I wanted: tangy, slightly sweet, and perfectly balanced.

The combined dressing is easy to make and keeps well in the refrigerator. I usually make both dressings separately and then mix them half-and-half when I’m ready to serve. The textures — crunchy peppers and pepitas, chewy cranberries, salty feta, and toasted pecans — make each bite interesting. I recommend toasting the pecans for 5–7 minutes at 350°F for extra flavor, although they’re tasty straight from the package too.

Always take pictures (lesson learned)

I’ve lost count of how many recipes I’ve tested without photographing them and then couldn’t recreate the exact versions later. Lesson learned: take photos and take notes. For this salad I took a few quick shots and jotted down measurements so I could share the recipe precisely. The salad disappeared quickly — I savored every bite.

The ingredients

This salad centers on romaine lettuce, which keeps it crisp and substantial, but you can swap in mesclun, mixed greens, or iceberg if you prefer. The recipe is forgiving: add blueberries, strawberries, different nuts (pine nuts, hazelnuts, cashews), or your favorite cheese to make it your own.

I recommend making the two dressings separately and then combining them in a 1:1 ratio (equal parts poppyseed and balsamic) to get the finished dressing. The quantities below make more dressing than you’ll need for a single salad, but it stores well and is great on other salads too.

The Salad

Author: Sandra Flegg
Total time: 15 minutes
Yield: about 12 cups

Tangy dressing meets crunchy vegetables, chewy cranberries, salty feta and toasted pecans. Bright, balanced, and easy to customize.

Ingredients

Salad

• 8 cups romaine lettuce, torn or chopped
• 1 yellow pepper, chopped into 1/4″ pieces
• 1/2 orange pepper, chopped into 1/4″ pieces
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 cup chopped toasted pecans
• 1/2 cup craisins (dried cranberries)
• 1/4 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Balsamic Dressing

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp honey-Dijon mustard (or regular Dijon)
• Pinch salt and pepper

Poppyseed Dressing

• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 3 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp poppy seeds
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp dry mustard
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest
• 1 tbsp finely grated sweet onion
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Instructions

1. Place all salad ingredients into a large bowl and toss to combine.
2. To make the balsamic dressing: combine balsamic vinegar, olive oil, maple syrup, mustard, salt and pepper in a jar and shake until emulsified.
3. To make the poppyseed dressing: whisk white wine vinegar, honey, poppy seeds, salt, dry mustard, mayonnaise, lemon zest, grated onion, Dijon, lemon juice and olive oil together until smooth. Store in the refrigerator.
4. When ready to serve, combine the balsamic and poppyseed dressings in equal parts (1:1) and whisk until blended.
5. Drizzle the combined dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Serve extra dressing on the side for anyone who wants more.
6. This recipe makes enough dressing for several salads; adjust the portion as needed.

Notes

Nutritional information provided with the recipe assumes 1/2 cup balsamic and 1/2 cup poppyseed dressing are used for the entire salad. The dressings make more than the amount needed for a single serving.

Nutrition (approx.)

• Calories: 253
• Sugar: 16.2 g
• Sodium: 443.1 mg
• Fat: 15.7 g
• Saturated Fat: 5.6 g
• Carbohydrates: 23.7 g
• Fiber: 3 g
• Protein: 7.2 g
• Cholesterol: 25.6 mg