Here are some side salads worthy of being the main attraction.
It’s a dining directive that itself seems sort of an afterthought. “Serve with a side salad.”
When you need to round out a meal, it’s easy to fall back on your easy tried and trues. There’s a time and
Out of ideas? Read on – from luscious leaves to crunchy slaws and more substantial starches, these adventurous combinations make great complements to mains, but are worthy of the spotlight themselves.
Ripe, juicy figs provide a natural sweetness that counteracts the brilliant bitterness of the radicchio leaves. A bright citrus dressing means this is a good option to balance out indulgent roast meats.
By tweaking the vegetables and herbs folded through the nutty grains, you can steer this freekeh salad in a number of directions. Here tomatoes, pomegranate and cucumber bring a taste of the Mediterranean.
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A fresher take on a wintery braised red cabbage, this antioxidant-rich slaw is given punch with salty feta and sweet dates.
Nahm Jim is a versatile Thai chilli dipping sauce used for seafood and grilled meats in addition to dressing salads, so there’s your main sorted.
In-season asparagus is so good you needn’t muck about with it too much, simply blanch, shave and marinate in a punchy blend of anchovy, caper, garlic and lemon.
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Advertise with NZME.Spring equals crisp and green, and this salad covers those bases, with fennel, sugar snap peas and leek set against a creamy bed of butter beans.
Perfect as a side, main or even as a dip scooped up with corn chips, try this corn salad once and you’ll search for excuses to re-serve it.
A generous portion of basil leaves takes the place of lettuce in this seasonal and simple salad that also incorporates finely sliced courgettes, tomatoes and radishes.
Reach for this squelchy combination when you need a side of refreshment. Unexpected pops of funky blue cheese and salty olives help this watermelon salad sing.
Creamy avocado, ricotta and fresh herbs brighten this balsamic-drenched tomato and bean salad.
A simple-as-anything seasonal dish from award-winning food writer Alice Zaslavsky’s book Salad for Days, this spring-like bowl is stunning when fresh peas and broad beans are bountiful, but you can make a delicious version using frozen versions too.
This robust one-pan roast vegetable salad doused in a sweet and salty miso honey dressing travels well, making it a prime candidate for those bring-a-plate occasions.
Broccoli can be found in markets year-round, so even in the depths of winter you can have this recipe in your back pocket for instant vitality. Blanching the broccoli keeps it satisfyingly crunchy. Add in some grilled protein and you have a delicious midweek dinner.
Add some crusty bread and this really could pass as a meal in itself, but it’ll make a crowd-pleasing addition to most dinner tables.
A sticky miso, mirin and sesame lends an aromatic twist to the brassicas you might serve on the side of your Sunday roast.
No one would complain about having a scoop of scrumptious potato salad served on the side of their dinner plate. Especially one studded with creamy avocado and jewels of sweetcorn.
Use a vegetable spiraliser to shred the cabbage and beetroot, and the most onerous part of pulling this salad together is opening the can of chickpeas.
Slices of juicy plum sweeten every bite of this three-step salad, which would be great served alongside roasted pork chops.
Salad for brunch? Serve this alongside your choice of eggs of any style and your kitchen will soon be the hardest reservation in town to secure. Bonus points: it’s gluten-free.
