The Reliable Tip For A Perfectly Balanced Salad Every Time

Although it's a simple dish to prepare, creating a great salad is often easier said than done. In many cases, the reason homemade salads don't truly "sing" is because there's an imbalance in the ingredients. You can remedy this issue by choosing salad fixings that vary according to flavor, texture, and doneness. For example, you can contrast toothsome raw vegetables with a soft-boiled egg or elevate sweet dressing flavors by adding something savory or salty.

Even an expertly prepared salad will fail to satisfy when the ingredients are uniform. That's why a careful mix of ingredients is best, as variation prevents a salad from becoming too bland or boring. You can also use your salad ingredients as a roadmap, as every soft/crunchy/sweet/sour item should have a complementary counterpart. Because texture is a major consideration, it helps to have an assortment of crunchy ingredients in your salad arsenal to ensure the completed dish is as fun to eat as it is delicious. 

When it comes to adding crunch to a salad, most people reach for the croutons. And while croutons are a delightful addition, they're not the only option you have for enhancing salad texture. If your salad has a southwestern flair, tortilla chips are the perfect topping. While you can take some of your favorite chips and crush them to add to your salad, most grocery stores carry tortilla strips, which can be incorporated into a salad without any additional prep.

Adding immense flavor and crunch, assorted nuts also make a wonderful addition to salads. Walnuts, cashews, pistachios, and almonds all taste amazing in salads and pair well with a variety of ingredients. To intensify the crunchiness of these additions even further, consider toasting the nuts before adding them to your salad. To do so, distribute nuts on a baking sheet so they're all lying flat. Place the sheet into a preheated oven set at 350 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for five to eight minutes, keeping an eye out for burning. At this point, remove the toasted nuts from the heat and transfer them to a plate to allow them to cool.

While raw veggies are a standard ingredient when making a salad, they're not your only option. When it comes to striking a nice balance, grilled vegetables are a healthy yet flavorful addition that can also complement the crunch of raw ingredients. You're free to select your favorite veggies for grilling, but squash, red onion, peppers, and zucchini are all excellent when prepared using this technique.

Once you have your selection of vegetables, wash and cut them into pieces large enough that they won't fall through the grill grates. If you don't have access to a grill, you can also roast vegetables in your oven on a baking sheet. Next, season veggies with olive oil, salt, and pepper to your liking. Once the grill is properly hot, add vegetables and turn repeatedly with tongs. Keep in mind that some vegetables take longer to grill than others, so monitor doneness closely to avoid burning. Once the veggies have developed a nice char, remove them from the heat and give them time to cool before adding them to your perfectly balanced salad. Remember, opposites attract in your salad bowl, so for every salty ingredient you add, contrast it with something sweet.