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Kiersten Hickman

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  • November 23, 2020

    The Four Elements To a Perfect Salad

    Cooking Tips

    Do your salads suck? I truly believe there’s a reason that people hate salad so much, and that’s because people aren’t making them right. Salad really can be enjoyable. It’s all about having the right ingredients, which is why I developed a full proof salad formula that will make the perfect salad every single time.

    apple chicken pecan salad

    Before I explain the four elements, you need to start with a bed of salad greens. These really can be anything you want. Arugula, spring mix, spinach, kale, romaine…pick your all-time favorite and add a handful or two to a bowl.

    Once you have that, here’s what you are going to need. Ready?

    • Something sweet
    • Something savory
    • Something crunchy
    • Something creamy

    Seems simple, right? Sweet, savory, crunchy, creamy. Good alliteration, easy to remember. But what in the heck does it mean? Let me show you.

    Something sweet

    I’m a big fan of the salty-and-sweet combo, so I like to find something to throw in my salad that gives it a touch of sweetness. A few of my favorites include:

    • Pomegranate seeds
    • Berries
    • Apple
    • Candied nuts
    • Roasted bell peppers
    • Roasted sweet potatoes

    Something savory

    I find that the savory portion of the salad always comes from whatever the main “event” is. This usually is the protein, but can look differently depending on what you want. This can be…

    • Chicken
    • Sliced prosciutto
    • Hard-boiled egg
    • Roasted squash
    • Roasted vegetables
    • Steak
    • Turkey
    • Bacon
    • Ham

    Something crunchy

    I love a good crunch in my salad, so the crunchy aspect is probably one of the most important elements of my salads. I like to use…

    • Roasted pepitas
    • Salted nuts (pecans, walnuts, almonds)
    • Crushed tortilla chips
    • Roasted chickpeas
    • Cucumber
    • Croutons
    • Baked cheese bites

    Something creamy


    The creaminess brings it all together, in my opinion. And it usually adds some fattiness to your salad, which helps with your fullness overall. You can include…

    • Goat cheese
    • Shaved parmesan
    • Fresh mozzarella
    • Shredded cheddar
    • Feta
    • Ranch dressing
    • Green goddess
    • Sliced avocado

    And don’t forget the dressing! Here are some of my favorite homemade salad dressings to make.

    You get the picture. These were things I just thought of off the top of my head, but don’t feel limited to the list. Because sometimes you’ll find multiple elements colliding in one item! Candied nuts add sweetness and crunch, and roasted chickpeas are crunchy and savory.

    As long as you can walk away with your bed of lettuce topped with all four of these elements in some capacity—sweet, savory, crunchy, creamy—you’ll find yourself with a perfect salad every time.

    I’ll end this with some salad inspo for you…

    delicata squash salad on a plate with a side of apple cider vinaigrette dressing

    Delicata Squash Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette

    For this salad, I have pomegranate seeds (sweet), roasted delicata squash (savory), pecans and pepitas (crunchy), and goat cheese (creamy).

    chickpea salad with cherry tomatoes bacon and salad greens

    Buffalo Chickpea Salad

    This salad has shredded carrots and cherry tomatoes (sweet), bacon (savory), roasted chickpeas (crunchy), and ranch dressing (creamy).

    chicken burger salad

    Chicken Burger Salad

    This salad includes roasted bell peppers (sweet), chicken burger (savory), diced cucumber (crunchy), and feta cheese (creamy).

    Lemon vinaigrette dressing being poured onto an arugula salad

    Lemon Arugula Salad

    For this one we have pomegranate seeds (sweet and crunchy), chicken (savory), and shaved parmesan (creamy).

    Apple kale salad on a plate

    Apple Kale Salad

    And finally, this salad has apples (sweet), chicken (savory), almonds (crunchy), and goat cheese (sweet).

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    I’m a food writer & photographer based in Brooklyn, New York. This blog is a place where I share a bit of my life behind the scenes. And all the things I love to cook. More on me >>

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