A pile of lettuce with a few tomatoes isn’t dinner. A proper main-course salad has substance, contrast and a dressing worth eating — and it can be as satisfying as anything hot.
The formula
- A base: leaves, shredded cabbage, or roasted veg.
- Something starchy: grains, new potatoes, pasta, noodles, croutons or beans. This is what makes it filling.
- A protein: chicken, eggs, fish, tofu, lentils, chickpeas, feta or halloumi.
- Something crunchy: toasted seeds, nuts, croutons or raw veg.
- Something rich or punchy: cheese, avocado, olives, pickles or a soft-boiled egg.
- A good dressing.
The dressing ratio
Use three parts oil to one part acid (vinegar or lemon juice), plus a little mustard to bind it, a pinch of salt and something sweet like honey. Shake it in a jam jar. Then change it up:
- Classic: olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey.
- Asian-style: sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy, ginger, lime.
- Creamy: yoghurt, lemon, garlic, a little olive oil and herbs.
Five dinner salads
- Chicken Caesar-style: roast chicken, romaine, croutons, parmesan and a garlicky yoghurt dressing.
- Lentil and feta: green lentils, roasted peppers, red onion, feta, parsley and a mustardy dressing.
- Crunchy noodle: rice noodles, shredded cabbage, carrot, edamame, peanuts and a lime-soy dressing.
- Roast squash and halloumi: warm roasted squash, grilled halloumi, leaves, pumpkin seeds and honey-lemon dressing.
- Niçoise-style: new potatoes, green beans, boiled eggs, tuna, olives and tomatoes.
Keep it crisp
- Dry leaves well after washing — wet leaves make dressing slide off and turn watery.
- Dress just before eating, and toss with your hands so everything gets coated.
- For lunches, layer it in a jar: dressing at the bottom, then hard veg, grains and protein, with leaves on top.
Tell AI Cook what’s in the fridge and it can turn leftover roast veg, grains or chicken into a proper dinner salad.