Turn the side show into the main event with showstopping salads that are more than worthy of your guests’ full attention.
Salads should be filled with flavour, texture and – most importantly – sustenance. These five fab recipes are sure to give you everything you need, and then some!
Thai beef salad
Serves 4 // Total time 30 minutes
Ingredients
For the dressing
Juice of 1 lime or ½ lemon
2 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp honey or sugar
1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 chilli, diced
2 Tbsp canola or avocado oil
3 Tbsp jasmine rice, uncooked
For the meat
2-3 rump steaks, room temperature
Vegetable oil
Salt and milled black pepper
For the salad
1 packet (300g) fine green beans, blanched
2 large handfuls baby spinach
6 radishes, finely sliced
1 packet (350g) Mediterranean cucumbers, finely sliced
Handful yellow vine tomatoes, quartered
1 small red onion, finely sliced
Handful each fresh mint, coriander and basil
Method
- Whisk together dressing ingredients and set aside.
- Toss rice in a dry pan over low heat until golden and fragrant (some grains may pop).
- Roughly grind the rice with a pestle and mortar.
- Rub steak with oil, season and char-grill until cooked to your liking. Rest steak for 5 minutes before slicing thinly.
- Arrange salad ingredients on a platter and top with meat.
- Drizzle with dressing, scatter over the toasted rice and serve.
Also read: 4 tips to level up your salad game this spring
Potato Caesar salad
Serves 6-7 as a side // Total time 45 minutes
Ingredients
1kg baby potatoes, washed and halved
Olive oil, for roasting and drizzling
Salt and milled black pepper
3-6 large eggs
1 packet (200g) streaky bacon
3 heads cos lettuce, leaves separated
Parmesan shavings, to serve
For the dressing
¾ cup creamy mayonnaise
1 Tbsp wholegrain mustard
6 anchovy fillets, chopped
Juice of ½ lemon
1 clove garlic, grated
Handful chopped dill
¼ cup (30g) finely grated Parmesan
Method
- Preheat oven to 200°C.
- Toss potatoes with oil and seasoning, then roast until golden (25-30 minutes). Toss at three intervals during cooking.
- Boil eggs for 6-7 minutes for soft-boiled. Fry bacon until crispy.
- Remove potatoes from oven and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
- Whisk together dressing ingredients and stir through potatoes.
- Arrange lettuce leaves in a serving bowl and scatter over potatoes.
- Top with bacon, eggs and Parmesan. Dress with a little olive oil before serving.
Also read: Seriously good salads
Sesame chicken and cashew crunch salad
Serves 4 // Total time 20 minutes
Ingredients
For the dressing
1 Tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
1/4 cup sesame oil 2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed 5cm knob fresh ginger, grated
Pinch sugar
For the salad
1/2 rotisserie chicken, deboned and sliced
1 punnet (200g) baby carrots, shaved
1 cup each green and purple cabbage, finely shredded
1/2 packet (125g) baby spinach
1 packet (4s) spring onions, finely chopped
Small handful fresh coriander, roughly chopped
Small handful fresh mint, roughly chopped
1 packet (100g) cashew nuts, toasted and chopped
Method
- Combine dressing ingredients, whisk and set aside.
- Toss together salad ingredients and arrange in serving bowls.
- Finish salad with a drizzle of the sesame dressing just before serving.
Panzanella salad
Serves 4 // Total time 45 minutes
Ingredients
1 loaf day-old ciabatta
1 small packet (100g) baby spinach
4 salad tomatoes, sliced
1 punnet (250g) cherry tomatoes, roasted
2 red peppers, charred and sliced
2 packets (200g each) black or green olives, or a mixture
1 tub (200g) bocconcini
½ punnet (10g) fresh basil leaves
For the dressing
½ cup basil pesto
1 lemon, juiced
3 Tbsp olive oil
To serve
Balsamic vinegar, to drizzle (optional)
Method
- Tear ciabatta into small chunks and toast lightly in a dry pan until golden.
- Toss toasted bread chunks with spinach, tomatoes, peppers and olives. Leave for 30 minutes for flavours to develop.
- Spoon onto a serving platter and season.
- Top with bocconcini and fresh basil leaves.
- Wisk together the dressing ingredients and season.
- Serve salad drizzled with pesto dressing and balsamic vinegar on the side.
Noodle salad with brinjals
Serves 4 // Total time 45 minutes
Ingredients
1 Tbsp miso paste or soy sauce
2 tsp honey
2 tsp sesame oil
3cm knob fresh ginger, grated
1/4 cup water
2 (250g each) medium brinjals, sliced into 2-3cm chunks
90g egg noodles, cooked
1/4 head each red and green cabbage, shredded
1 carrot, grated
3 spring onions, sliced
1/2 packet (75g) bean sprouts Fresh coriander, to serve
For the dressing
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp sesame seeds
2 tsp honey
1 tsp miso paste or soy sauce
Method
- Preheat oven to 200°C.
- Combine miso paste or soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, ginger and water in a bowl.
- Add brinjal and marinate for 15 minutes. Drain, reserving the liquid.
- Roast brinjal for 10-15 minutes, until caramelised.
- Combine noodles, cabbage, carrot, spring onions and bean sprouts.
- Whisk together dressing ingredients and stir through noodles.
- Toss brinjals in marinade and add to salad with fresh coriander to serve.
Words by: Sjaan Van Der Ploeg
Photographs: Fresh Living Magazine
