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    Home / Recipes / Course / Salad

    4 Jan 14, 2014 Easy  |   Jump to Recipe

    What Is Your Favorite Salad Recipe?

    Salad with Pickled Vegetables

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    It’s salad season.  You know that time of the year when everyone’s got the “I really want to lose 3 pounds” New Year’s resolution, resulting in a diet of juices, smoothies and (most of all) healthy salads.  Working in the retail industry, I am constantly keeping up with sales trends and consumer behavior.  I can confidently confirm that January is the most popular month for kale, spinach and all other manner of leafy green vegetables.

    During my work week, I like to prepare a more simple salad for lunch (similar to the one pictured above).  This salad is made with tender greens, something crunchy (nuts or seeds), something pickled, and an acidic vinaigrette.  I’ll often serve a protein on the side (chicken breast, shrimp, pork chop).  A tart vinaigrette is one that I almost always like the most.  Usually made with sherry vinegar (recipe below).  There’s just something about a salad with big, bright flavors that fills me up and keeps me satisfied while at work.

    On the weekends, I like to prepare salads that are a bit more involved.  These salads can include roasted vegetables, homemade croutons, broiled meats and/or various shaved or crumbled cheeses.  Sometimes I’ll let loose, and make a creamy salad dressing.  I mean it’s the weekend, so it’s totally allowed 😉

    Since salad is going to be on my daily menu for the next 3 months, I am on the hunt for some new inspiration, so please share your favorite salad recipe in the comment section below.  Continue reading for some of my favorite salad recipes plus a recipe for my Sherry Vinaigrette.

    Here are some examples of my weekend salads:

    Roasted Beet Salad with Creamy Caraway Dressing

    Beet Salad with Caraway Dressing

    Avocado Caesar Salad

    Avocado Caesar Salad

    Marinated Flank Steak Salad with Feta and Arugula

    Flank Steak Salad with Feta and Arugula

    And here’s my simple recipe for a Sherry Vinaigrette:

    Salad with Pickled Vegetables

    Sherry Vinaigrette

    by Brandon Matzek
    4.34 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Servings 2 servings

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 scant tablespoon sherry vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
    • 1 dab of honey (about an 1/8 of a teaspoon)
    • Kosher salt
    • Freshly ground black pepper

    Optional add-ins: 1/2 garlic clove minced, chopped fresh herbs

    Instructions
     

    • Add oil, vinegar, mustard and honey to a small mason jar. Season with 2 pinches of salt and several turns of black pepper. I like to over-season this vinaigrette, so I don't have to add any additional salt to the salad greens. Also add any of the optional add-ins here. Secure the lid on the mason jar, and shake until well-combined. Season to taste with additional kosher salt and black pepper.
    Tried this recipe?Tag @brandiego on Instagram so I can check it out!

    Now it’s your turn!  What’s your favorite salad recipe?

    4
    Brandon and Federico
    Brandon

    I’m Brandon: food explorer, recipe curator, cocktail shaker, dessert lover. Kitchen Konfidence is how I document my time spent in my favorite space, the kitchen. Did you make a recipe? Tag @brandiego on Instagram so I can see the how it went!

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    Categories: Easy Tags: black pepper, dijon mustard, honey, kosher salt, olive oil, sherry vinegar

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. lynn @ the actor's diet says

      January 14, 2014 at 8:59 pm

      During the week when I don’t have time to think my go-to salad is spinach, sweet potato (hot to wilt the greens), hummus, candied almonds, raisins and turkey. Just typing that made me crave it.

      Reply
      • Brandon Matzek says

        January 17, 2014 at 10:27 am

        Wow, that sounds awesome! And pretty substantial.

        Reply
    2. sippitysup says

      January 15, 2014 at 1:06 pm

      It may sound too simple to be good, but I like a salad of raw mushrooms, celery leaves, Parmesan and lemon juice. http://www.sippitysup.com/italian-mushroom-celery-heart-salad-from-my-past-life-to-yours/
      GREG

      Reply
      • Brandon Matzek says

        January 17, 2014 at 10:27 am

        Looks great! I need to give this a try. I love simple salads.

        Reply
    3. Laura says

      January 16, 2014 at 10:36 am

      A friend turned me onto this: http://ohsheglows.com/2011/06/17/weekend-glow-kale-salad/

      And I’ve made this salad many times: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/grilled-onion-beef-sweet-potato-salad-10000000443502/

      Reply
      • Brandon Matzek says

        January 17, 2014 at 10:29 am

        Both salads look interesting! But I’m really drawn to that lemon-tahini dressing with the kale. Seems like a fun way to switch up my usual lemon + olive oil.

        Reply
    4. Averie @ Averie Cooks says

      January 16, 2014 at 4:03 pm

      Great looking salads and I just posted one today – thanks for the comment 🙂

      My perfect salad is one with tons of textures and different flavors going on!

      Reply
      • Brandon Matzek says

        January 17, 2014 at 10:30 am

        Thanks Averie :)!

        Reply
    5. Erika Santiago says

      January 20, 2014 at 1:44 pm

      My absolute favorite salad is a Chicken Citrus Salad (it’s delicious on a summer day!):
      Chicken breast
      romaine lettuce
      avocados
      mandarin orange slices
      white raisins
      dried cranberries
      blue cheese crumbles
      granny smith apples
      Pecans
      green onions
      Serve with a citrus dressing.

      Reply
      • Brandon Matzek says

        January 27, 2014 at 10:40 am

        Sounds delicious!! Thanks for sharing Erika.

        Reply
    6. Cory says

      January 20, 2014 at 3:09 pm

      5 stars
      My new favorite is Ginger Tamarind Brussels Sprouts.
      Take a lb of Brussels sprouts and cut them into fine thin shreds. Saute some freshly grated ginger root in hot oil, add the Brussels sprouts to the oil, mix well and cook with occasional stirring for 8-10 minutes. Season with the salt and pepper. In a separate bowl, mix tamarind paste, hot water, and honey to a thinner paste. Taste and adjust the sweetness with more honey if desired. If it is too acidic then you can add a little more hot water. Serve the warm Brussels sprouts with the tamarind sauce on the side. You can also drizzle a little sauce over the Brussels sprouts and then serve the rest of the sauce with it. Tamarind sauce and honey is not only tasty, but may also have medicinal properties that will help you stave off winter colds and flu. Enjoy!

      Reply
      • Brandon Matzek says

        January 27, 2014 at 10:41 am

        This is awesome!! Thanks Cory. Jorge and I love brussels, so we will definitely give this a try 🙂

        Reply
    7. Devon says

      January 21, 2014 at 2:16 pm

      My latest salad obsession is a kale salad with roasted fennel, tomatoes, and broccolini, topped with a little feta, quinoa, and kalamatas. I toss the kale in lemon juice while everything else roasts and that combined with the olive oil the veggies are tossed in before being roasted serves as salad dressing. I roast big batches of the veggies on Sunday and as long as I don’t gobble it all up straight out of the oven they make it easy to toss together a salad for work in the morning or when I get home at the end of the day and don’t want/have time to cook.

      Reply
      • Brandon Matzek says

        January 27, 2014 at 10:44 am

        This sounds fantastic Devon! I love the addition of roasted vegetables. An easy way to switch things up based on what’s in season!

        Reply
    8. Brian says

      January 28, 2014 at 3:54 am

      Salt, pepper, dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, extra virgin olive oil, BAM one of the best salad dressings ever.
      I like having it with shallots, brie, fuji apples, pan-fried salmon, cherry tomatoes, baby spinach, frisee, arugula, baby kale, toasted sesame and sunflower seeds. Lots of washing, chopping and fussing around in the kitchen putting the salad together but greed finds its way.
      And when I’m feeling lazy, I like bacon and hard boiled (semi-runny yolk)eggs with iceberg lettuce and red cabbage. Fry bacon, remove, throw in chopped tomatoes into bacon-infused oil, whisk in worcestershire sauce and some chopped garlic. Pour almost instant hot salad dressing over salad. Sprinkle bacon. Tumble sliced egg. Grind pepper. Apply to face.

      Reply
    9. Coffee-er says

      August 31, 2015 at 7:41 am

      5 stars
      I am such a fan of quinoa and it’s so perfect for spring salads! This is such a great list – there are a few I want to try. I’ve never had black quinoa so that Green Goddess Black Quinoa Salad in particular is calling to me!

      Reply
    10. Christine says

      August 24, 2016 at 8:51 am

      I have been eating salad for dinner for almost 6 years and I love it. I love mixing something new everyday.
      This is what I ate today but sometimes I add chickpeas, green beans, cabbage, pickles, beetroot, corn pasta, quinoa, brown rice, a hard boiled egg or avocado (not all at once. basically you can just play with all the ingredients, use some and skip the others
      Salad leaves
      Baby spinach
      Broccoli
      Green peas
      Black olives
      Tomatoes and cherry tomatoes
      Cucumbers
      Radishes
      Carrots
      Red onions
      Garlic
      Bell pepper
      Flax seeds

      I use a dressing made of lemon juice and olive oil and at the end I sprinkle some pick himalayan salt which is very healthy

      Reply
    4.34 from 3 votes (1 rating without comment)

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    Brandon and Federico

    I'm Brandon: food explorer, recipe curator, cocktail shaker, dessert lover. Kitchen Konfidence is how I document my time spent in my favorite space, the kitchen. Read More…


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