How to Make Better Salads

It’s not always tempting to make a salad. My husband actually complains when he needs to make a salad as he feels it takes too long. I am the designated salad maker in the house .

But that’s only because there are so many uninspiring salads out there. Even in some restaurants, what they serve when you ask for a salad can look and taste a little underwhelming. But anyone who has ever had a delicious salad knows that they can make an excellent lunch or side-plate for dinner. But you’ll need to know how to make a great salad first.

In this blog, we’ll run through some handy tips that’ll take your salad-making to another level. Be warned: you might just find that you’re making lunches more and more in the future! 

Make Your Own Dressing

You can buy good dressing at the store, but the truth is that most of the options are pretty unhealthy. In any case, you can make better-tasting dressing at home (and it’ll be healthier!). To make a vinaigrette, just mix one part vinegar with three parts oil. You can leave it like that if you want, but we recommend making things more interesting. If you add chili flakes, herbs, or honey, you’ll have a dressing that really elevates the standards of your salad.

Use High-Quality Ingredients

As with any meal you make, you’ll want to ensure that you’re using high-quality ingredients. There are plenty of salads that turn out less flavorful than they should be, all because low-quality ingredients were used. For the veg part of your salad, look at using whatever’s in season; you’ll find it a good farmer’s market. If you’re planning to make your salad more interesting by adding an ingredient like lamb, then get it from Superior Farms. It’s sometimes easy to fall into the trap of believing that all ingredients are the same, but this just isn’t the case — they make a massive difference to the eventual outcome of the dish. 

Use Seasoning

Your leafy greens and produce will have plenty of flavor (providing you’ve bought the best, of course). However, you can make the flavor really pop by seasoning both with a little bit of salad and pepper. The emphasis is on ‘a little bit’; there’s no reason to go overboard. It’ll just give it that additional slice of deliciousness that can turn a good salad into a great salad. 

Mix Up The Ingredients

Leafy greens form the basis of most salads, but it’s always a good idea to look at mixing up the textures and flavors. We mentioned earlier how you could (and probably should) have meat, like lamb, or tuna. But there are also plenty of other ingredients that you can throw into the bowl too. For example, sweetcorn, avocado, cooked grains or rice, nuts, or dried fruits. You’ll find that they all come together in a brilliant way. 

Mix It Up 

Finally — and this is a big one — be sure to dress your salad before you serve it. If you do it after, then all the dressing will just be sitting on the top, which creates flavor imbalance. Pour a little over everything, and then mix it up. It makes a difference!