Seeking suggestions/recipes for non-lettuce salads

[Greta]

If there's a better term for "non-lettuce salads" please enlighten me!

 

I love vegetables, and I'm trying to get more of them into my diet.  But I'm not a huge fan of lettuce.  To me it's about as exciting as I imagine eating grass would be.  But I love veggie salads.  Like tomatoes, cucumbers, and thin red onion slivers in a greek dressing.  Or grated carrots and minced parsley with a dressing of oil and vinegar and a touch of lemon.  Those sorts of things.  

 

Do you have any favorite recipes that you'd care to share?

[Jane in NC]

This is one of my favorites:

 

https://www.budgetbytes.com/2017/02/roasted-cauliflower-salad-lemon-tahini-dressing/

 

Also, consider tabouli which you can modify with what is in season.

[Greta]

This is one of my favorites:

 

https://www.budgetbytes.com/2017/02/roasted-cauliflower-salad-lemon-tahini-dressing/

 

Also, consider tabouli which you can modify with what is in season.

 

That sounds sooo good.  Thanks!

 

I've had tabouli at restaurants and loved it, but for some reason never made my own.  

[Jane in NC]

I also love roasted cubed sweet potatoes and red onion (drizzle with olive oil, smoked paprika, salt and thyme before roasting) at room temperature with some feta cheese mixed in.

 

Note to self: make this!

[chocolatechip]

I really love tomato, avocado, and cilantro salad dressed with olive oil, lemon, garlic, salt, pepper, and whatever else strikes your fancy. It's also good with bell peppers or cucumbers added in. 

Edited March 14, 2017 by chocolatechip

[kewb]

Israeli Salad

http://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/2010/01/israeli-salad-week/

[unsinkable]

http://www.blueberrycouncil.org/blueberry-recipe/blueberry-cucumber-salad/

 

Cucumber Blueberry Salad

 

I don't always have fresh herbs so I add a bit of dried parsley to the dressing.

 

Also sub thinly sliced red onion for the scallions

[unsinkable]

Corn salad...fresh corn, with some chick peas, (3:1 ratio is nice) in a simple oil & vinegar dressing with S&P and garlic powder; chopped cilantro and sprinkled with cojita cheese

[unsinkable]

Multi-bean salad...I like fresh green beans (blanched), chick peas, and kidney beans in a sweet and sour vinegarette, with a bit of celery and onion.

[Greta]

These all sound so yummy. Thank you all so much!

[Miss Tick]

This is a favorite of mine:

https://www.keyingredient.com/recipes/119953/pepper-bean-salad/?locale=en_US

[mom31257]

My ds hates lettuce, but he started eating salad much more eagerly when I bought some of these salads. They are cabbage based instead of lettuce based. Some have a little bit of romaine and kale, but it's mostly cabbage. 

 

 

Edited March 15, 2017 by mom31257

[ScoutTN]

If greens other than lettuce are ok:

 

marinated kale salad

dressing: 1/3 C olive oil, 1/3 C frsh lemon juice, 1-2 T honey, s&p

 

dress a large bowl of chopped kale and let marinate 4+ hours, even overnight, stirring a few times. Add chopped apple, toss and serve.

[Greta]

Oddly enough, I do really like cabbage and kale and other greens. So thank you for those suggestions!

[HollyDay]

are you opposed to spinach?  I like spinach with some sort of fruit...esp. blueberries or strawberries, beans of some sort (chick peas, kidney), sundried tomatoes, cheese.

 

Bean salad

corn and black bean salad

tabouli

couscous salad

 

[wintermom]

I don't know if it's officially a "salad," but cucumbers thinly sliced and served in white vinegar w/ a little water are really tasty. It's a very popular dish in Norway.

 

Diced cucumbers and tomatoes with fresh dill 

[Zinnia]

We eat a main dish salad with napa, red onions, carrots, parmesan cheese, cilantro, shredded chicken, and avocado.  Dress with a chipotle balsamic dressing.  So good.

[Seasider]

Israeli Salad

http://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/2010/01/israeli-salad-week/

This looks yummy and simple!

 

OP, a tip for you for making this kind of salad, I mix them and store in quart size mason jars in the fridge. Easy to serve, transport, and see clearly what's in that container.

[Seasider]

Also, I really like Rick Bayless' cilantro-lime dressing recipe. I use it on all kinds of combinations of chopped veggies. I'll admit, though, to making a quickie version without lime zest and I leave the chili out because my body past my taste buds can't tolerate it.

 

http://www.rickbayless.com/recipe/lime-cilantro-vinegreta/

[6packofun]

I love this and I add black beans:  http://www.fortheloveofcooking.net/2009/07/grilled-corn-avocado-and-tomato-salad.html

[Carol in Cal.]

Is it just iceberg lettuce that you don't like?  Because romaine lettuce is more interesting in taste, and quite a bit healthier.

 

Another good salad is radiccio with toasted walnuts and either goat cheese or blue cheese crumbles, tossed with just a little olive oil.

 

Or I just like to eat red cabbage as a snack, by hand, straight off the head.  I know that's weird, but hey, it's healthy, and I don't do it in front of anyone else.

 

Here's a salad I served the other day:  One cucumber, peeled, cut in 8ths the long way, and then sliced into cubeish chunks.  One orange bell pepper, cored, with the pith cut out, cut in similar sized chunks.  One large tomato, cut in bigger chunks.  Dressing:  about 3 T red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon Herbes De Provance, 2 tsp tarragon, 1/2 tsp coarse salt, 3 pinches white pepper--whisk these together in your salad bowl, then whisk in 4 T extra virgin olive oil, then add the veggies and toss.  Serves 4 or so.

 

A good one I had at a restaurant was watermelon chunks, strawberries, and tomato chunks in a peppery vinaigrette.

 

 

 

 

[alisoncooks]

I saw a guacamole salad on FB recently: avocado, tomato, corn, and a bunch of other tasty goodness in a light oil or vinegar dressing.

 

Bean salad? I saw a Greek chickpea salad that looked yummy - cucumber, tomato, feta, etc.

[wintermom]

A traditional Greek salad doesn't have lettuce. Just red onion, sweet peppers, feta cheese, cucumbers, tomatoes and olives. Then add a simple dressing. I like lemon juice, olive oil, pepper, maybe a dash of balsamic vinegar.

[mamaraby]

I think the term you're looking for is chopped salad. But of you don't like lettuce, substitute any green. Kale, shredded brussels sprouts, collard green ribbons, spinach, etc. For the more assertive greens, slicing them in ribbons and/or massaging them with some of the dressing or some salt helps make the a bit less bitter. A hot dressing on the greens can help. Pour over, mix, and chill.

[Random]

I love this broccoli salad.

 

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/14281/bodacious-broccoli-salad/?internalSource=hub%20recipe&referringContentType=search%20results&clickId=cardslot%205

 

It's great as is, but I like to make it a bit lighter by using turkey bacon, using a sugar sub like stevia, omitting the cheese and using vegenaise + fat free greek yogurt for the dressing.

 

 

[YaelAldrich]

I make a cabbage (white or green) salad. Thinly slice cabbage into slivers. Add roasted almonds, kosher salt, and extra virgin olive oil to taste.

 

I also make a red cabbage salad with scallions, mandarin oranges, almonds or sunflower seeds, grated carrots, and red peppers with a balsamic vinegar/olive oil (salt, garlic powder, pepper) dressing.

[rjand6more]

We love the Kale Salad from Costco. Also, our grocery has shredded brussel sprouts.  You can sub them in salads.

[slackermom]

Baby spinach, strawberries, avocado, toasted almonds, goat cheese, vinaigrette

[livetoread]

Some really simple salads with complex flavors:

 

Slice cherry tomatoes in half and let sit for a bit in a dressing of soy sauce and sesame oil. Serve room temperature. So good.

 

Baby kale and a good parmasean is an amazing combination. I use an olive oil/lemon dressing. If using more mature kale, massaging it with the dressing and then adding the cheese is heavenly.

[AndyJoy]

Costco has a bagged salad that's shaved Brussels sprouts, kale, and purple cabbage mixed with poppyseed dressing, dried cranberries, and pepitas. It's super tasty and I've replicated it myself with those ingredients.

[SereneHome]

I am too lazy to make salad dressing, so I just do olive oil or avocado oil and apple cider vinegar - makes many different salads taste better.

 

I was making tom, avocado, mozzarella cheese salad almost daily during the summer

[idnib]

Garbanzo beans, olive oil, Kalamata olives, and sun-dried tomatoes. Sprinkle with shredded Parmesan. 

 

Caprese salad is my favorite. It's a bit early for good tomatoes, but sliced fresh tomatoes and sliced fresh mozzarella layered and topped with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and basil.

 

2nd favorite: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/kale-brussels-sprout-salad-368295

I tend to get lazy and just use all kale because prepping and shredding Brussels sprouts takes a lot of time.

Edited March 16, 2017 by idnib

[Amira]

We eat tons of salads but they almost never have greens in them. I have lots more like these if this type of salad is your thing.

 

Soviet Korean carrot salad

 

2-3 fat carrots, julienned, grated, or spiralized

1/8-1 tsp cayenne

1/2 tsp salt, or more to taste

1-3 T vinegar

2-4 cloves garlic, minced

1-2 green onions, chopped

1/2-1 tsp ground coriander

 

Mix it all up and adjust the seasonings as desired. Let it sit it in the fridge for at least a few hours; overnight is better. Take it out of the fridge for about 30 minutes before serving.

 

Uzbek salad

 

3-5 tomatoes, chopped

1 large American cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped (or 1-2 English cucumbers or 2-3 smaller pickling sized cucumbers, or 4-5 Middle Eastern cucumbers that you don't have to peel or seed )

1/2 onion, thinly sliced

Salt to taste

 

Mix it all up and let it sit for at least an hour. The amounts are flexible.

 

Cacik/Khiar bi labna

 

Mix some chopped cucumber with plain yogurt and add a little salt and chopped garlic. Fresh mint is a lovely addition. You can also add some onion and tomato to make a different sort of yogurt salad.

 

Cabbage shallot salad

 

1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots

1 minced hot chile (or more or less, to taste)

1 T fish sauce or 1 tsp salt

2 T fresh lime juice

2 cups shredded cabbage

 

Mix everything except the cabbage and let it sit for thirty minutes, then add the cabbage, mix, adjust the seasoning, and serve.

 

Cucumbers with black rice vinegar

 

Peel, seed, and chop some cucumbers. Sprinkle on a tablespoon of salt, mix, and let sit in a strainer for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, mix 2 tablespoons of black rice vinegar and 1 tsp of sesame oil. Rinse the wilted cucumbers well and squeeze out the water, then dress with the vinegar and oil. Black rice vinegar (chinkiang vinegar) is at Asian grocery stores. It is not black vinegar.

Edited March 15, 2017 by Amira

[Hyacinth]

My new go-to salad: I small peeled and chopped jicama (a crunchy root vegetable), 2 chopped tomatoes, and a can of black beans mixed with some diced red onion, chopped cilantro, garlic, cumin, lime juice, and olive oil.  

[SparklyUnicorn]

Some weeks ago I bought a container of pea shoots.  Those were interesting.  Nice and crunchy and flavorful. 

[Greta]

Thank you all so much for the suggestions!  You guys are a wealth of information and ideas, as usual!  Everything sounds delicious.   :001_smile:

 

are you opposed to spinach? 

 

I like it quite well when it's been cooked.  :D  But your spinach salad does sound good.

 

Is it just iceberg lettuce that you don't like?  

 

No, unfortunately, it's pretty much all of them.  And it's not that I hate them, I do eat green salads from time to time.  I just don't care for them that much.  That cucumber salad recipe that you posted, on the other hand, now that sounds delicious!

 

We eat tons of salads but they almost never have greens in them. I have lots more like these if this type of salad is your thing.
 

 

Yes, those all sound amazing!  Thank you for taking the time to type them all up for me!

[Lady Florida.]

Here are 3 different cucumber chick pea salads that I like.

 

Chickpea Mango Lunch Bowl

Ingredients

•   1 can chickpeas

•   1 mango, peeled and cut into cubes

•   1 cup chopped cucumber

•   1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped (cilantro would be yummy, too)

•   1/4 cup crumbled feta

•   1 tbsp light oil (I used extra virgin olive)

•   2 tbsp fresh lime juice

•   salt and pepper to taste

Add all ingredients except for oil, lime juice, and s & p to a mixing bowl. Combine until all mixed together. In a small bowl, whisk oil and lime juice, and pour over chickpea mango mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste!

This tastes best if left to hang out in the fridge for a couple hours, but really is fantastic right away, too.

 

 

Ingredients:

• 2 can chickpeas, drained
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes ( or more if you like tomatoes)
• 1/2 cup minced onions
• 1/2 cup sliced celery
• 1 cucumber sliced and chopped
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon dill weed
• salt & pepper to taste
• 3 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil

  Instructions:

Mix oil & vinegar well and set aside.

 Combine all other ingredients and toss with the oil and vinegar mixture. Chill before serving and garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.

 

Actually this last one doesn't have cucumbers.

 

Chick Pea Salad

3 small tomatoes, cut into 8 wedges

½ c pitted black olives, coarsely chopped

1 green onion, thinly sliced

1 can (or two cups cooked dried) chick peas, drained

2 Tbs. red wine vinegar

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 tsp. Dijon style mustard

¼ tsp. salt

 

In a med. bowl, whisk vinegar, oil, mustard, and salt. Add remaining ingredients. Toss well. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

 

 

ETA: Sorry about the tiny font. I can't seem to fix it. It's either tiny or humongous. :)

Edited March 15, 2017 by Lady Florida.

[Greta]

Here are 3 different cucumber chick pea salads that I like.

 

 

 

 

Yum, thank you!

[Katy]

Has no one suggested Snickers Salad?  Chop a bunch of apples into bite size or smaller pieces, toss in a baggie with a little lemon juice to prevent browning, drain, dress with cool whip, fold in some diced or food processed tiny bits of snickers bars.

 

People love this as a dessert item at potlucks.  You can do the Light cool whip and only use 1-2 smaller bars in a big bowl of apples, diced really finely, and they get about 50 calories of junk and a small apple in a scoop but feel like they've had a giant slice of cheesecake.  When you point out that they probably had less than 150 calories per heaping scoop they're always surprised.

[Rachel]

Cowboy Cavier. I don't have my recipe handy but it's basically black beans, corn, peppers, tomatoes, and sometimes avocado. Some people drizzle olive oil or a basalmic vinegar over it.

 

Another thing that came to mind is a dish a Palestinian woman made for me, Mujadara. I'm sure there are different ways of making it but her version was steamed lentils served with a cucumber type of salsa. It was fantastic.

[Kareni]

I'm drooling ... and taking notes!

 

Thanks to all who have shared recipes.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[ktgrok]

My ds hates lettuce, but he started eating salad much more eagerly when I bought some of these salads. They are cabbage based instead of lettuce based. Some have a little bit of romaine and kale, but it's mostly cabbage. 

 

OMG I am ADDICTED to the sunflower one! I like to add some chicken and some cheese and consider it a meal. 

[ScoutTN]

Great thread! Thanks to eveyone for all the ideas! My dh has been wanting new salads and now I have them. :)

Edited March 16, 2017 by ScoutTN

[KungFuPanda]

Google chopped salad or Israeli chopped salad.  I make one with just tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, herbs, and an olive oil/lemon dressing that I love.  It's simple, but it's what I want and it goes with almost anything.  

 

Another alternative is to take the veggies you like and add them to cold couscous.  Add the dressing you like and maybe some cubes of mozzarella and it's delightful.

[MercyA]

How terrible is it that two of the first three salads that came to my mind were my grandma's Jello and fruit cocktail salad and my mom's fabled "Pink Salad," a strange but delicious concoction of jello, mayo, crushed pineapple, Cool Whip, and nuts? 

 

:o

 

I want you all to come cook for me.

[livetoread]

Garbanzo beans, olive oil, Kalamata olives, and sun-dried tomatoes. Sprinkle with shredded Parmesan.

 

Caprese salad is my favorite. It's a bit early for good tomatoes, but sliced fresh tomatoes and sliced fresh mozzarella layered and topped with police oil, balsamic vinegar, and basil.

 

2nd favorite: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/kale-brussels-sprout-salad-368295

I tend to get lazy and just use all kale because prepping and shredding Brussels sprouts takes a lot of time.

That epicurious salad is so, so good. My aunt made it years ago and I kept sneaking back into her fridge to eat more. I make it now and eat all of it in two days. I get the brussel sprouts already shredded from Trader Joe's and then use baby kale or chopped kale so I don't have to prepare that either. Much easier.

[idnib]

That epicurious salad is so, so good. My aunt made it years ago and I kept sneaking back into her fridge to eat more. I make it now and eat all of it in two days. I get the brussel sprouts already shredded from Trader Joe's and then use baby kale or chopped kale so I don't have to prepare that either. Much easier.

 

It is ridiculously good. The dressing is so nice and lemony and garlicky, and I love that the kale doesn't wilt so I can keep eating it the next day. I sometimes double the almonds because I love them when they're toasted.

[Pawz4me]

This is a favorite of mine:

https://www.keyingredient.com/recipes/119953/pepper-bean-salad/?locale=en_US

 

I fixed this for dinner last night and thought it was awesome. And it's even better this morning -- I just needed a mid-morning bite of something and there it was and . . . yum!

[Bluegoat]

In the winter, I make a lot of grated salads, often with beets, carrots, turnips, apple, onion.  You can really use any style of dressing you like.  I also sometimes grate in cabbage or finely chopped kale.  Or even buy grated broccoli, I am too lazy to do that myself!

 

My mom also makes a great salad with finly sliced carrot and blanched broccoli and red onion, marinated at least a few hours in an italian style dressing - overnight is better.

[Greta]

So many great ideas!  I get hungry every time I come back to this thread.  Thank you all again!