Bobby Flay's Expert Advice For Properly Dressing Salad

The Food Network may tempt contestants to beat Bobby Flay, but there are just some things that make the celebrity chef beyond reproach. After dropping out of high school, Flay rose through the ranks to become the star we know today. His cooking prowess not only applies to the dishes found on "The Iron Chef" but home-prepared ones that you may not dwell on as much.

We're talking simple salads. They may often be secondary to cheffy main courses or fancy amuse-bouches, but Flay insists that salads should not be overlooked. While they are mostly a combination of greens, vegetables, and sometimes protein, dressing is ultimately what will elevate the dish or make it dead in the water. There are many ways you could damage a salad beyond repair. Luckily, Flay has a couple of simple but integral tips that will ensure you have nothing to worry about come lunchtime.

There are so many different combinations and types of ingredients that can be defined as salad material. But for a classic healthy option, greens and vegetables are typically going to be in there one way or another. However, the trick to transforming a missable side salad into one packed full of flavor is the seasonings.

"Season the greens and vegetables with salt and pepper before dressing them," Flay told Bon Appétit. "It draws out their flavors." This simple tip makes a lot of sense. Seasonings can get lost in the dressing if you're not careful. Depending on how you dress your salad, any pepper or salt granules could settle at the bottom and never be seen — or tasted — again.

Seasoning your dressing is also important, of course, and a tried and true method of incorporating excitement and flavor into a salad. When making a DIY salad dressing at home, it is common practice to add salt, pepper, and whatever other spices you want to the mix. But failing to season the actual raw ingredients of your salad means the diner would be missing out on some essential kick to the tastebuds, according to Flay.

The crucial flavor event of salads is, of course, the dressing. It is the rare delinquent that eats salads dry. But adding dressing can also be a double-edged sword. Acid-heavy liquids such as vinaigrettes may taste delicious from a spoon but can be brutal when poured straight onto the sustenance you are about to ingest.

"Never pour the vinaigrette right on the greens — that destroys them," Bobby Flay told Bon Appétit. "Pour the dressing around the sides of the bowl, and then, using your hands, gently push the greens into the dressing to coat them." He went on to explain that dressing is at its best when it doesn't drown your vegetables. Dressing can oversoil the greens, which will make them look lifeless and oversaturated. Instead, he recommends only putting on a light coat of dressing. After the leaves start to glisten, you can take them from the bowl and put them on a separate plate. You don't have to use all the dressing, though it can be easy to do. You can even freeze the dressing and save it for later. This will be less wasteful and ultimately make a better presentation when you taste all the flavor in your seasoned vegetables.