Notes about Recipes in this book

• Citrus breakfast salad with spicy chile granola

  • tarae1204 on March 30, 2022

    A salad that is more than the sum of its parts, even when all the parts are completely delicious to begin with! The juicy citrus, crunchy granola, and creamy dairy (I used cottage cheese) play wonderfully together. I used half the stated quantity of chili flakes and was happy with the spice level of the granola. I also finished the salad with hot honey and good olive oil.

  • MollyB on August 03, 2022

    I used the full amount of chile flakes, and let the oil cool to room temp, and the granola was a bit too spicy for me! If I make it again, I'd use half the chile (like tarae1204 suggested) and probably only steep it for 3 or 4 min. The granola was good when used sparingly with the fruit and yogurt, but too much overwhelmed the taste of the fruit. I think I'll probably be using it more like I'd use croutons, to liven up green salads. Or maybe to garnish something like squash soup?

  • LKrishnan81 on November 04, 2022

    The granola alone is a keeper. Lovely breakfast salad, and easily riffable.

  • katsrising on April 12, 2024

    This recipes was yummy. I ate it every day for a few weeks. I reduced the spice amount but the yogurt was a good counter balance. If you want something interesting, I highly recommend this!

• Mandarins and cream

  • ksg518 on February 15, 2023

    I expected to like this more than I did. Admittedly I added some tangerines which I wouldn't repeat. This really needs the sweetest possible citrus. Also the citrus needs to be very cold. But not likely a repeat.

  • ethedens on February 16, 2024

    Really not impressed with this, although not a big buratta fan in the first place. I think I needed a lot more citrus compared to buratta for this to work.

• Crispy chicken with gingery cabbage, mandarins, and almonds [salad]

  • ethedens on February 10, 2024

    Absolutely delicious and very easy to do. Spoonful of soy sauce on top was welcome addition. Would maybe consider marinade for chicken before breading next time or seasoning chicken itself more.

  • valderaa on February 26, 2025

    Good salad base. Mostly followed recipe. Dressing is pleasant, mild. Added Mizuna. Sub'd "chick'n" cooked in air fryer. Did not toast almonds. Better next day after dressing had time to meld with greens. Better with air-fryer fish (arctic char) - yum!

• Immunity salad

  • MollyB on April 08, 2022

    Delicious salad, though a fair amount of work, It went nicely with grilled pork chops. Leftovers were still good the next day, even after having been tossed with the dressing.

  • valderaa on March 01, 2025

    Crazy good! Many steps, none hard. So worth it. Delicious. I made 2x dressing to have more on hand for another use.

• Swiss chard with garlicky yogurt and crispy egg

  • Eater1547 on January 25, 2024

    I agree with the substitutes in the other note. This was so comforting in the fall/winter when you want a warm and protein packed breakfast or lunch. I’ve made it several times. Healthy comfort food perfection!

  • tarae1204 on February 26, 2024

    This is a really healthful and delicious breakfast - savory, balanced, and high protein. Could prep chard night before to make it easier. I would eat this for any meal, but I appreciate its ease for the morning, and the lemon and chili perk you right up.

  • ethedens on January 10, 2025

    I loved this. So good. It's always the recipes I question that turn out to be the best. Subbed kale for chard and used sour cream in place of the labneh because I needed to use both up. Would absolutely make again. 4.25/5

• Roasted cauliflower with almonds, anchovies, and herbs [salad]

  • mllamas on January 06, 2023

    I think this recipe has a ton of promise. I loved the flavors, but my cauliflower was super mushy. I'll try it with romanesco next time.

  • ethedens on January 21, 2024

    Didn't have mushy cauliflower problem but also didn't cook as long as recipe said. Thought it was super good. Combo of dates and anchovies is great. Would definitely make again.

  • valderaa on March 08, 2025

    Easy and delicious. i used cauliflower and included the optional dates. My almonds were ready in five minutes.

• Crunchy citrus and chicories with turmeric tahini dressing [salad]

  • Apollonia on January 08, 2026

    Fab salad, would be great at a dinner party. I might reduce the seeds a bit (they ever so slightly overpowered), otherwise perfect as written. I served with sesame crusted feta, which went perfectly.

  • sarabarber on January 17, 2026

    Very juicy and crunchy, but agree with reducing the amount of seeds.

• Roasted chicken and carrots with lentils and chili crisp [salad]

  • ksg518 on February 15, 2023

    Nice dish but it really needs the chili crisp at the end to bring it together. I especially liked using the chili crisp oil to roast the carrots and I'll try that again on its own. I used Le Puy lentils which the recipe gives as an option and a commercial chili crisp. Note that Damuck says this is two mains. I found it to be closer to four but perhaps that was the size of my chicken breasts. Certainly a cup of dried lentils seems like more than two main servings.

• Simple yet elegant endive [salad]

  • Eater1547 on January 25, 2024

    Just like it says, easy and beautiful salad. Restaurant quality at home. Watch out for those walnuts though, they’re the best I’ve ever had.

• Caesar salad pizza

  • Feelingsamtastic on November 14, 2022

    We liked that funky flavors, but the lemon slices were too much, making it difficult to eat and overwhelming the flavor. If made again, would eliminate the whole lemons, and would mash up the anchovies with some lemon zest and spread with the garlic before baking.

  • katmagdunn on January 03, 2024

    I love this recipe; I usually make it with homemade flatbreads (often the River Cottage recipe), and find her technique for getting a pizza crispy in a home oven is a good one. I do tend to simplify her recipes however and swap things in as she really uses full-on California farmers market produce. I use regular romaine thinly sliced, as escarole is hard to find, and instead of boquerones I just use regular anchovies. You definitely need more than a tablespoon of mustard and the lemons only really work if you can do them very fine and you LOVE lemons.

  • ethedens on February 08, 2024

    This was a really solid weeknight recipe, but there's a better recipe lurking somewhere in there. Next time we would do paste of garlic, dijon, anchovy, lemon zest, and extra black pepper. And we would also maybe add some red onion with first bake, instead of the lemon. Really pleasantly surprised by the lettuce, though!

• Chicories and persimmons [salad]

  • Eater1547 on January 25, 2024

    I used endives for this recipe. Delicious and easy to put together. I’ve made it a couple of times. I wish it had a little more dressing sometimes.

• Shaved fennel and tuna salad

  • tarae1204 on December 21, 2023

    Very good, crunchy salad. I added a pinch of saffron and used very flavorful, soft Medjool dates. We felt that the salad needed more dressing -- probably just more lemon and olive oil, not more dates.

  • Alliehipp on March 12, 2026

    Delish! Stored extra shaved (undressed) veg in water in fridge for another salad the following day! Will definitely make again! Added saffron to the dressing as suggested and it was delish!

  • Beck001 on May 11, 2026

    Liked the crunchiness of the salad - but didn’t think the dressing was that good or worth the effort Would do a version of it again with a different dressing

• Raw and roasted Caesar Brussels sprouts

  • tarae1204 on December 22, 2023

    This is a delicious, brightly flavored and deceptively rich salad. The Brussel sprouts are time consuming to prep but otherwise the salad comes together very quickly. I used a small sharp knife to cut the core out of the base of the sprouts (like hulling a strawberry), which helps the sprout leaves come apart quickly.

  • katmagdunn on January 05, 2024

    This is tasty, but . . . first, you really need to like brussels sprouts. This is a way more delicious way to do them, but even still, if you have a sprout-hater in your family, you still won't be able to completely get them. Also the prep is ridiculous. ripping apart a brussels sprout? are you kidding??? honestly if i was going to do this again (i'm a sprouts lover), i'd probably shred them by hand (definitely don't kill yourself with a mandoline here and fiddly sprouts!), sautee them a little and then use the cheats' dressing, which is really good.

  • katiesue28 on September 10, 2024

    This was delicious! It's very simple minus the slight tedium of separating the brussels' leaves for the roasted part. I served it as a large salad with thyme and balsamic marinated chicken strips. Highly recommend!

  • valderaa on March 04, 2025

    Easy and delicious. Tangy and chewy. Yum!

• Bright and crunchy salmon [salad]

  • Feelingsamtastic on January 04, 2023

    A bright/fun salad for a winter day - salmon is beautifully cooked at the low temp and the combo of Asian inspired dressing and veggies was a hit. My husband ate as written, while I added brown rice and made it a bowl - both solid options. We skipped the rice cereal because we didn't have any, but we felt the shallots and peanuts gave it enough crunch.

  • Bessp on May 02, 2025

    This was a delicious, bright salad. I added a bit (~1/2 tablespoon?) of honey to the dressing because I wanted to. I also added cherry tomatoes, because I had them. I will absolutely be making this all summer, it came together super quickly and would taste great with the fish warm or cold.

• Little gem with creamy dressing, hazelnuts, and petals

  • ethedens on January 24, 2025

    This was so good. One of the Salad Freak greats. Honestly, the hazelnuts were maybe a little too rich and I would increase the salad next time, but that's my only thought. Used dried rose for the petals. 4.25/5. Not as good as the legendary avocado and black rice salad, but close.

• Steak salad to change your mood

  • katiesue28 on April 03, 2023

    This was good, but I prefer the simplicity of an Italian-style steak and arugula salad (I love Alison Roman's in Dining In). I felt the potatoes and sauce distracted too much from the flavor of the steak, itself. The dressing is delicious on it's own, so I'm excited to use it on different salads.

  • celesteprevost on September 04, 2025

    Really delicious. Subbed watercress for arugula.

  • Bessp on October 01, 2025

    This was a lovely salad. I slightly burned the potatoes, but it came out alright anyway. The dressing is great, I was a bit worried about the horseradish, but it added a splendid bit of heat. I used pre-made crispy shallots because I already had shallot oil leftover from another recipe.

  • dani_h7kszq on February 05, 2026

    Absolutely delicious! If you don’t like horseradish, literally any vinaigrette we used Champagne is perfectly delicious!!

• Carrots for Lauryn [salad]

  • Eater1547 on January 25, 2024

    We used this re I’ve for freshly picked carrots from the garden. This is the best recipe in the entire book. Wow!! The complexity of flavors and the freshness. Unbelievably good. My kids will never forget their first garden carrots. They loved this recipe too.

• Carrot and saffron socca

  • luluinphilly on April 02, 2022

    This was delicious. The socca was earthy from the saffron and the carrot salad with dill was delicious. It was a bit fussier than the other recipes and required more prep.

  • Lucylew on April 18, 2022

    This was amazing!

  • tarae1204 on June 02, 2022

    Delicious! While the end result is elegantly simple, the process can feel like extra steps. This might be due to how the recipe is written. I recommend reading through this recipe first to see how each component should be prepped, and what kitchen tools you’ll need. In this case, doing a mise en place helps streamline the process.

  • MollyB on June 20, 2022

    Great dish (but a lot of work!). I had some beautiful carrots and radishes from the farmers market, and this was a nice way to use them. It's delicious and two of us ate the whole recipe that supposedly serves four, but it's definitely a recipe for a leisurely afternoon when you want to spend some time cooking.

  • Apollonia on January 14, 2026

    A bit more mixed for us than others, though I made a few changes. The socca itself was delicious, although I did not include the oil in the mix itself (I think it's better with more oil in the pan than the batter). I couldn't get my hands on any carrot tops, so made my pesto with arugula, which was great. The real bummer was the carrot/radish salad. In theory it's nice, but in practice we all felt like we were gnawing on a bunch of relatively raw unseasoned veggies just to get through to the good stuff -- i.e., warm socca with feta and pesto. I will make again, but with the veggies (dressed!) on the side. Oh, and for us, the socca itself served two (the accoutrements would work for four).

  • jessica_qyreaf on March 31, 2026

    We were pleasantly surprised by this one. I riffed a bit and did some substitutions to save a trip to the store but flexible recipe. Used sorrel and parsley from the garden for the pesto as didn’t have carrot tops, subbed leeks for scallions, and added some seeds and things to the toppings. My husband was skeptical at first but with each bite of all the different flavors and layers he loved it more. Going in our rotation for a fairly quick and flexible recipe that still delivers some nice flavor. He added hot sauce to his too for some spice.

• Shaved radish breakfast salad with jammy eggs and dukkah

  • ethedens on September 26, 2023

    This was so good. Definitely a "better than the sum of its parts" recipe. Would absolutely make again.

• Asparagus, peas, and cucumber "cacio e pepe" [salad]

  • tarae1204 on April 25, 2022

    Most of the salads in this book prep quickly. This one takes a little more time. The flavor profile is similar to a Caesar salad but without the egg/anchovy. The shaved and broiled asparagus is a winner! Tip: set spear along edge of cutting board to maximize shave-able area; save any stubs for another use like soup. Also threw extra cucumber pieces into a water pitcher.

  • Feelingsamtastic on April 07, 2023

    Served on top of chicken with brown rice - a real winner! As noted by others, the prep was a bit more involved (shaving asparagus and boiling peas), but it was worth it in the end.

  • john_0dr7c7 on April 20, 2026

    Fine

• Roasted salmon with pistachios and pea tendrils [salad]

  • tarae1204 on April 07, 2022

    This dinner salad recipe involves a fair amount of prep (pistachios, peas, salmon) but is written in a way that the steps are timed well and flow. The end result is a beautiful balanced meal. I didn't find that the pistachios enhanced the salmon's flavor in a special way, but it certainly sounds and looks delectable! The lemon creme fraiche dressing is another keeper. I added a dab of honey to it.

• Burrata with favas, peas, and preserved lemon

  • tarae1204 on April 14, 2022

    While we don’t always think of green salads as filling, this one made of peas, favas, cheese and olive oil is substantive enough for a meal. The only acid element is the preserved lemon, and they are important. The mint is important too. I used good olive oil as suggested and I couldn’t really taste or sense it, but I found this salad very harmonious, actually very calming to eat as the flavors are fresh and simple.

  • Eater1547 on January 25, 2024

    You must love peas to love this. I do, but the rest of the family wasn’t as excited. Still, this salad is very good. They all finished their plates.

• Peas and prosciut

  • Eater1547 on January 25, 2024

    Might as well use bacon here. The prosciutto tasted the same as bacon. I regretted using some really great ham for this. Otherwise, very good!!

  • katmagdunn on July 27, 2024

    It's nice but not a real stand out! You just end up snacking on all the crispy ham and then being left with a million peas...

  • shelbstirr on June 25, 2025

    Bright, savory, crunchy, creamy. Really enjoyable. I used bacon and chopped it up to mix in with the rest. Served in a bowl with a pita on the side.

  • Bessp on May 29, 2026

    We loved this. I swapped the shelled peas with baby zucchini because they were adorable. This salad was super fresh and surprisingly filling. I also subbed the scallions for chives because I got confused at the store. We will definitely make this again.

• Grilled leeks mimosa redux

  • tarae1204 on April 02, 2022

    This recipe works well as written and is very scalable. I honestly had my doubts about it as I was nearing final salad assembly, but it was delicious. I went the route of searing the leeks in a cast-iron pan, which resulted in them being blackened on the exteriors, however they tasted caramelized not burnt. I took my time making this, blanching the leeks a day ahead and letting them dry out in the fridge overnight.

• Roasted little potatoes and radishes with chive butter

  • ksg518 on May 01, 2025

    I thought this was just OK. Adding the chives to the butter resulted in lots of burnt chive bits on the final dish. I would have preferred a chive sprinkling on the final product. On a good note, I've always been a little ambivalent about roasted radishes but I realized I really like them roasted with butter instead of the usual olive oil.

• Simple spring greens with frizzled shallots [salad]

  • rachelblair on August 17, 2023

    This is my go-to salad for dinner parties. It’s super simple but delicious and everyone always loves it. The frizzled shallots really make it. I use the extra shallot oil to make the same dressing for other green salads too.

  • ethedens on January 15, 2025

    Confession: I did not make the frizzled shallots for this, but I did use garlic oil instead of plain oil. This was very good. I screwed up and forgot to add the honey, but once I did it was amazing. Honestly not sure where this one sits rating wise, in part because of my screw up. I am giving it a tentative 3.5

• Martha's mango and mozzarella with young lettuces

  • tarae1204 on March 31, 2022

    The combination of ripe mango and creamy mozzarella brought together with a lemony dressing is amazing. (I used the juice of half a lemon rather than a whole per the recipe, and didn’t find I needed more lemon).

  • ksg518 on May 04, 2022

    Very good! I agree with tarae1204 that you need to be mindful of the acid level in the dressing but otherwise this is a great simple salad,

  • katmagdunn on July 27, 2024

    This was nice but somehow not as memorable as her other salads. I think it lacks crunch. To be honest, I often make her grain bowl with crispy chickpeas and add to mango and mozzarella to that, which i love

• Lamb meatballs with cucumber and herbs

  • ksg518 on May 04, 2022

    This is excellent. I rarely eat lamb and even more rarely cook with it so I was concerned about the cooking time but the recipe was correct. The red onion and raisin pickle is a great way to tone down the lamb's richness so don't skip that part.

  • rmardel on July 26, 2024

    Absolutely excellent. We are a lamb-loving family, but this was surprising in a very good way. The richness of the lamb, the garlicky creaminess of the lebneh and the fruity pickled golden raisin and onions combine perfectly with the herbs create a complex layering of flavors that walks a fine line between striking and nuanced. Will definitely be making again.

• Simple egg salad with lots of dill

  • skvalentine on December 12, 2022

    Very good and very simple. Served on toast instead of lettuce.

  • ksg518 on April 26, 2025

    Great version of classic egg salad. I usually add extra celery.

• Salade Niçoise

  • skvalentine on April 21, 2025

    My contribution to Easter supper. Beautiful presentation!

  • ksg518 on April 26, 2025

    Great version of the classic salad. I didn't have the caperberries but I don't think you need them.

• Tokyo turnips with miso mayo [raw or roasted]

  • luluinphilly on June 06, 2022

    I made this with spring white turnips from my CSA. It was delicious and visually stunning. Since white turnips are difficult to find, I will make this again with white radishes for a similar look and taste.

  • NatalyaM on April 28, 2023

    The recipe suggests microwaving miso for a few seconds to soften it up. Maybe it was just the miso I had, but it caused sparks in my microwave, immediately! Once I started over and got past the shock, the recipe was a hit.

  • Eater1547 on January 25, 2024

    We all loved this but I wish it didn’t call for Kewpie mayo. There’s some bad stuff in there, but this is guilty good that we eat it all up anyway.

  • rmardel on September 23, 2024

    This was wonderful and we loved it. I didn't find any need to warm the miso, it just took a little time to blend in. Although I initially made this with kewpie mayo, I found that I liked it just as much with my own homemade mayo, which I much prefer to kewpie anyway.

• Shrimp Louie salad

  • tarae1204 on March 30, 2022

    A fresh and well balanced salad with a super easy dressing and beautiful assortment of flavors.

• Charred broccoli soba bowl with peanut sauce

  • tarae1204 on April 06, 2022

    Could be a salad, could be a bowl, whatever it is, it’s very good. I adjusted the dressing to my taste by halving the fish sauce, doubling the lime, and tripling the honey. I also added about a half teaspoon of grated ginger. To me it was perfect a little sweeter like that. The tofu came out well. The broccoli was charred (as recipe title states) and kind of dry but flavorful and good with the sauce.

  • MollyB on August 03, 2022

    Very nice summer dish. I liked the sauce with 1 tsp of fish sauce, and everything else as listed in the recipe. The instructions for the tofu were a bit confusing - do you really just roast the 4 rectangular slabs of tofu it tells you to cut the block of tofu into, and then serve them as slabs? How exactly is the recipe supposed to serve 6 that way? I'd probably cut smaller pieces or cubes next time. I didn't make the chili crisp, but used some of the "Everything oil" from To Asia, With Love, and it tasted great with the rest of the recipe.

  • skvalentine on September 03, 2023

    This was a hit at a recent potluck. The sauce was delicious with 1 tsp of fish sauce. I liked the simple technique for roasting the tofu and broccoli. After making the chili crisp oil, this came together very quickly. Will definitely repeat.

  • hbakke on September 28, 2023

    I served this as a 4 serving dinner. I loved the preparation of the tofu and the freshness from the herbs. I really charred the broccoli (oops), but not inedibly so. I used Kari Kari chili crisp, which is a lovely version of chili crisp with slivered garlic, and it added the perfect amount of spice and savoriness to the dish. Will repeat.

  • Eater1547 on January 25, 2024

    I thought this was too heavy but can appreciate the unique flavors.

• Zucchini ribbons with pecorino, mint, and almonds [salad]

  • tarae1204 on April 21, 2022

    Very good salad. Would be easier to compose in a wide shallow dish in order to distribute the dressing into the zucchini.

• Lemony chicken salad

  • MollyB on May 11, 2022

    Easy, delicious chicken salad. Makes a nice make-ahead lunch to take to work, with some lettuce to serve it on.

  • ksg518 on August 26, 2025

    Very simple and very good. Don’t skimp on the lemon zest.

  • tarae1204 on February 08, 2024

    Excellent recipe - a different take on chicken salad that felt sumptuous, bright, and healthy. Very good served as a tartine with the attractive colors of parsley and lemon zest.

  • Eater1547 on January 25, 2024

    My husband is extremely picky about his chicken salad. He likes to buy it from a local deli. I made this and it is a fantastic chicken salad in his opinion. The rest of the family’s too. I used a rotisserie chicken from the store and it was quick work to make it.

  • gwenyc on July 30, 2025

    Very tasty chicken salad. Added tarragon, a touch of Dijon and deleted mayo. Mixed with Pine Nut salad dressing from The Best of Sunset Recipes and served over salad greens with more dressing. Great combo and great dressing.

  • jennifer_zzxmky on May 25, 2026

    Really great only used one lemon but it was AMAZING!

• Chili crisp

  • Feelingsamtastic on August 10, 2022

    Did not care for the addition of honey, ginger, and sauce sauce. It wasn't as savory and crunchy as other recipes for chili crisp I've used in the past. Would not make this one again.

  • skvalentine on September 03, 2023

    I liked this much better than the Fly By Jing sauce-- probably because I used pepperoncini flakes, which have less heat than red pepper flakes. I used less cinnamon than called for. Delicious on the soba bowl with peanut sauce.

  • ezwriternc on April 14, 2024

    Good taste. Very versatile.

  • valderaa on March 09, 2025

    Excellent. Warm and spicy. Not crispy. I modified quantities per what was on hand, unplanned. I appreciate that it is salt free. The versions I’ve purchased are super salty.

• California wedge [salad]

  • ethedens on August 13, 2022

    Meh. Liked the dressing, but it doesn't coat the wedge very well. Cheese and other toppings were delicious with it. Maybe I'm just not a wedge person.

• Cucumber breakfast salad

  • MollyB on September 02, 2022

    This was great! It far exceeded my expectations, and I'll definitely be making it again. It was perfect for a hot, late-summer morning. I was skeptical about the amount of coriander and cumin seed, but I used the amounts as written and it worked.

  • rmardel on July 12, 2024

    This is good, something like çilbir meets avocado salad. Sadly although it was good, and I love all the components, this just didn't work for me and my taste preferences. I would certainly eat the eggs and yogurt with the cumin blend and olive oil, perhaps with the addition of some Aleppo pepper flakes. And I would also happily eat a salad of cucumber, avocado, yogurt, and the spices, perhaps with a bit of garlic. I probably won't put the two together again.

  • Eater1547 on January 25, 2024

    I agree with the other note. One of my favorite recipes in the book.

• Roasted grapes, endive and ricotta salata [salad]

  • Feelingsamtastic on October 04, 2022

    Subbed cauliflower for romanesco and arugala for endive. Maybe a tad sweet since the grapes turned into "candy" (as my husband and kids called them) in the oven, but it was a beautiful and tasty salad paired with chicken.

  • julesamomof2 on November 13, 2023

    I typically skip endive only salads as i find them a bit bitter on their own, but the combination of the endive along with the sweet roasted grapes and carmelized cauliflower was lovely. I had some ricotta salata to be used, which led me to a nice surprise with this recipe.

  • ethedens on September 23, 2024

    This was delicious. Would be great with chicken or turkey. Couldn't find endive so left it out but could imagine how it could contribute. Very similar to a Food52 recipe but I like this better. Agree with other commenter that grapes do get very sweet. Would make again, 3.75/5 (rounded to 4)

• Celery root, fennel, and apple [salad]

  • LKrishnan81 on November 05, 2022

    Lemon doesn't add the right citrus balance, or enough of it for my taste. I found success adding tangerines to the mix.

  • tarae1204 on February 19, 2023

    I had trouble deciphering what angle to halve the fennel prior to slicing. I also realized last minute I lacked red onion and parsley which seemed important components. So, my salad had double the fennel, double the apple, a quarter the celery root due to mandoline issues, and no lemon zest (because the apples were sour). We loved it! Pecorino, lemon and olive oil worked wonderfully with the gorgeous fruit/vegetable flavors

  • ethedens on October 01, 2024

    This was good, but without a mandoline it was not worth the slicing. And you need the apple and red onion in the bite. 3/5

• Parsnips, parsley, and toasted buckwheat [salad]

  • LKrishnan81 on November 05, 2022

    Excellent meal salad. No raisins in the house, so I subbed pickled grapes and some of the pickling liquid for the white balsamic.

  • tarae1204 on January 06, 2023

    The flavors of this salad are very mellow and harmonious. There are many steps - pickling, roasting, cooking, composing, etc. - but they are simple. I subbed carrots for parsnips. We enjoyed the salad the first night with sauteed salmon, that was good. The second night, we ate it with pork-chorizo patties and that was excellent! I'd definitely layer a protein with some warm spices (chiles, paprika) atop this salad.

• Miso mushrooms and caramelized onion with farro and herby hazelnut sauce

  • LKrishnan81 on November 05, 2022

    Increase the amount of acid suggested. Falls surprisingly flat otherwise. Surprisingly muted for the combination of mushrooms and miso. We used multiple varieties of oyster mushrooms.

  • mllamas on February 03, 2023

    Loved this, but agree with the other note on this recipe. The miso butter is delicious but gets a bit muted as it cooks. The dish needs a little extra oomph - the gremolata could use some more acid and make sure its salted enough too. But overall delicious!

  • ethedens on October 08, 2024

    I thought this was really good. Not sure if I avoided the lack of flavor in the other comment by just having a larger lime. Would definitely make again. Miso does get muted, but it's a hard balance between not enough miso and too much salt. Would give a 4/5

• Sweet potatoes, avocado, and roasted pumpkin seed oil [salad]

  • tarae1204 on April 02, 2023

    Rich and unusual, this salad paired well with a French red wine. It felt very nourishing, satiating, with all the creamy-textures vegetables and rich fats. It is difficult to salt and lacks an acid component. I might try adding a pinch of salt to the sweet potatoes as they steam, and a squeeze off orange juice over them after. Fresh, spicy, crunchy greens are an important element of this salad.

  • mllamas on April 03, 2023

    This salad really shows off the pumpkin seed oil, as promised. It's rich and toasty. Almost like a smoother toasted sesame oil. Loved this!

• Fall greens, apples, and cheddar [salad]

  • tarae1204 on September 06, 2023

    I liked the addition of Swiss chard to this kale salad - never had that before! I dry rubbed the kale and chard pieces with a little salt to soften them before dressing. Two bundles of greens made an awful lot of salad. The dressing is great.

  • Jdleff on January 06, 2026

    Excellent and easy to pull together. I make this a few times/month in the fall/winter.

  • katiesue28 on October 21, 2024

    I loved this! Great vinaigrette recipe.

  • Melissa_427 on December 06, 2024

    A great addition to the Thanksgiving line up. Really enjoyed the seasonality of this dish and an already repeating the dish for a Christmas potluck!

  • FieryFantail on May 06, 2024

    Great salad! I also rubbed the kale and chard to soften but used a touch of olive oil and some salt. I used less greens than indicated. Served with pork fillet.

  • ethedens on September 23, 2024

    Very good! Did this as a main. Did not use toasted almond oil due to cost. Would definitely make again. Really like amount of mustard in the dressing. Sweet potatoes kind of bland, but I may just not like sweet potatoes. 4/5

• Crunchy beans [salad]

  • radishseed on September 24, 2023

    Bright, crisp, tasty. Used Crunchy spiced roasted chickpeas from the book Cool Beans. This salad feels a bit cheffy, with the mandolines and blanching and ice baths, but it's not difficult and there's plenty of time while the chickpeas are roasting.

  • christy_l69njf on January 07, 2026

    I loved the crispness of the veggies but the dressing was lacking some punch. Maybe more lemon next time?

  • Eater1547 on January 25, 2024

    I’ve made a lot of recipes out of this cookbook. This is my least favorite. It doesn’t come together like the others but it is still very good.

• Beets, tomatoes, and cilantro [salad]

  • jenmacgregor18 on September 16, 2024

    This is really good, simple,& beautiful. I never would have thought to put this together, but it works. Great little side salad. I did add a bit of vinegar to my dressing

  • Eater1547 on January 25, 2024

    This is spectacularly good. It’s also beautiful yet so simple. I roasted a big batch of beets to make this and the other salad that has hard boiled eggs and is supposed to be a sandwich but isn’t. The name escapes me.

• Yellow gazpacho

  • rmardel on August 16, 2024

    This is a good gazpacho but not great. It lacks depth and tastes more like "salsa" than a really good traditional gazpacho should. Given the author's headnote that she finds that most gazpacho tastes like salsa, I find this rather disappointing. I will note however that the quality of gazpacho depends not solely o technique but also the tomatoes, and although I love the sweetness of yellow tomatoes, I am not (yet) convinced they are the best for gazpacho.

• Strawberries, rose, and sumac [salad]

  • rmardel on July 06, 2024

    This salad is something special. it could be a romantic breakfast, and light meal, and enchanting dessert. The flavors are layered, and nuanced. A perfect celebration of strawberry season.

  • Eater1547 on January 25, 2024

    This is a love letter to your friends and family. My go-to wow factor dessert. The flavors are restaurant quality and complex. I’m planting roses just so I can clip them for this recipe. Jess Damuck is genius!

• Pickled blackberry and shallot panzanella with sumac

  • rmardel on July 09, 2024

    Fabulous salad! The tartness somehow balances and even accents the often hidden sweetness of my blackberries. The shallots mellow with time and a slightly longer soak does not hurt. I've discovered that cornbread makes the best croutons for my gluten-free life and they worked very well with the flavors of this salad. Blackberry season is long, and usually hot. This will become a staple.

  • Eater1547 on January 25, 2024

    This recipe is outstanding. Our go to for luncheons and potlucks in the summer.

• Smashed cucumbers

  • rmardel on July 21, 2024

    Simple and yet excellent. Proof that sometimes less is more.

• Cucumber and labneh with fruit and rose za'atar [salad]

  • rmardel on July 21, 2024

    I made this with Rainier cherries and it was an excellent and freshly appealing salad with a subtle and delicious layering of flavors.

• Charred corn, tomatoes, halloumi, and chili crisp [salad]

  • ksg518 on September 17, 2023

    This is a very basic recipe but still good. It's just grilled corn and halloumi tossed with tomatoes and topped with chili crisp. I just shucked my corn and grilled it rather than soaking it and grilling it initially in its husks as the recipe calls for. I also just used a commercial chili crisp. With that, the whole recipe took about 20 minutes.

  • LKrishnan81 on March 08, 2024

    Great combination. As with the winter salad with lentils, chicken and chili crisp, acid is wanting here, so add it. Many tomatoes are no longer terribly acidic due to selective breeding to reduce said acidity. So adjust for those you have on hand with a splash of vinegar.

• Ode to the scuttlebutt [salad]

  • LKrishnan81 on March 08, 2024

    I love this salad. It's easy to get a bit too salty with all the briny ingredients, but when balanced it's a knockout. Also works well as a sandwich filling, in toasted focaccia of course.

  • Eater1547 on January 25, 2024

    A great salad that involves a bit more work but it’s restaurant quality. I keep pickled beets in the fridge to make it easier to make on a Saturday morning for a luncheon later in the day.

• BLT potato salad

  • LKrishnan81 on March 08, 2024

    I wasn't sure the lemon would work, but it does. Great potato salad for someone who doesn't like potato salad (me).

  • sarah_gsvptu on February 14, 2026

    Great salad. I've made it three times now, as people keep requesting it. One change I made after the first time was to fry the garlic in a little of the bacon fat so it removed its bitterness.

• Roasted vegetables with horseradish goat cheese and challah croutons [salad]

  • LKrishnan81 on March 08, 2024

    Gorgeous! The schmear is delightfully punchy and dippable on its own.

  • ethedens on October 08, 2024

    Would have liked less lemon or a bit of sweetness in the spread, as it felt like too much. The bread was good and potatoes were AMAZING with the sauce. Glad I didn't put extra lemon on the top. 3.5/5 with the caveat that it may be higher if my body wasn't rejecting the sheer volume of vegetables I've eaten in the past few days

• Kabocha squash with herbs and cabbage [salad]

  • tarae1204 on September 13, 2023

    Another winner from this cookbook. It's hard to describe how well the Kabocha squash, red cabbage and black garlic fish sauce vinaigrette will go together, but they really do. The mint and peanuts are needed here - do not skip. The instructions for roasting the squash resulted in very browned slices - delicious but less attractive than the photo.

  • Hansyhobs on December 01, 2023

    This was fine, but I find most salads a bit blah. The dressing was rich and tasty, almost chocolate-like

  • ethedens on October 09, 2024

    Agree with other commenter that the mint is needed here. Overall, a good recipe. Had never cooked with kabocha squash and really enjoyed it. Also enjoyed black garlic. But there are better salads in this book. Heck, this isn't even the best fish-sauce dressing in Salad Freak.

• Crispy chickpea and avocado rice bowl

  • katiesue28 on December 17, 2024

    Like others said, this recipe is more delicious than one would think from it's quick ingredient list! Very easy, fast, healthy, and flavorful. I loved the ginger in the dressing. I subbed quinoa for the black rice and it worked out well.

  • katmagdunn on January 03, 2024

    This is a keeper for me — I now make it often and am always slightly amazed by how delicious and filling it is, definitely more than the sum of its parts. I often add sliced mango and some mozzarella to this, inspired by her other salad. Any leftover ingredients are great repurposed into a thai larb, so I often buy double.

  • ethedens on September 17, 2024

    So, so good. Was not expecting this to be as good as it was. Flavorful, filling, quick to throw together, just delightful. I used microwave black rice and spinach instead of the lettuce that was called for. So good. 4/5. Might be closer to 4.5 honestly.

• Peach, cucumber, avocado, dukkah [salad]

  • Churchim808 on June 29, 2025

    I made this without the mozzarella and it was very good except that the cucumber skin was quite bitter. If I make it again I’ll peel them.

• Celery with grapes and smoked almonds [salad]

  • Suitsme on September 26, 2025

    Yuck. Tossed out half.Would appreciate more measurements/weights. I was using garden celery which was a different size. Way too many almonds and too much cheese per serving. How much lemon?

  • ethedens on September 28, 2024

    I go back and forth. Some bites were amazing. Some bites were mostly celery. Still, I would have happily eaten a ton of celery for dinner so that says something. When you do get everything together it does really work. 3.5/5

• Plum, tomato, burrata, chile, and cilantro [salad]

  • skvalentine on June 24, 2024

    This was a huge hit at my book club, and everyone wanted the recipe. Perfect meal for the summer heat.

  • katmagdunn on July 26, 2024

    This was totally delicious, and more than the sum of its parts! I think it's going to be my go-to summer tomato salad.

  • sarah_gsvptu on June 03, 2026

    Huge crowd pleaser and delicious. Omitted the Fresno because I couldn't find one.

• Crispy chickpeas

  • skvalentine on September 29, 2024

    Excellent! Could eat the entire pan right out of the oven. I used a pizza seasoning instead of ancho chili powder. Will definitely try this with all sorts of seasonings.

• Spoon salad for Abdullah

  • ethedens on October 03, 2024

    This would have been so good... if the chicken wasn't ridiculously bitter from being simmered in lime slices. Would make this again but NOT with that poaching method. Ugh. 2.5/5

• Plum, endive, and Gouda with hazelnuts [salad]

  • ethedens on October 04, 2024

    This was good, but I like other salads in this book more. I loved the hazelnuts, but that's just because I like hazelnuts. I checked 4 stores and could not find endive so I used raddichio. I would use more next time, as the whole thing was a little sweeter than what I like. I would make this again if I had these ingredients floating around and it was good, but not my favorite. 3.5/5. Less sweet dressing might take it up to a 4.

• Crispy calamari with carrots, frisée, and ginger [salad]

  • ethedens on October 04, 2024

    This was good. I felt like the calamari could have been more flavorful and would have added more seasoning next time. I'm also not super crazy about the dressing and might have adjusted the sesame oil next time. I would give it a 3.75/5

• Rhubarb and strawberries with toasted buckwheat and salted honeycomb [salad]

  • katmagdunn on July 27, 2024

    This is actually fantastic, even in a very very simplified form -- we didn't have rhubarb or honeycomb or buckwheat groats (quite hard to find these ingredients, or get them at the same time as strawberries, in the UK to be honest...). But just the combination of strawberries, yogurt and fresh ginger was a revelation. added a little lime, too

• Tortellini antipasto pasta salad

  • shelbstirr on July 20, 2025

    Very good! I omitted the lemon, provolone, and pepperoncini. The dressing does not need additional salt, salty enough from the olives and salami. Great for a potluck.

• Snoop's BBQ chicken Cobb salad with all the good stuff

  • Luckyme on June 30, 2025

    A wonderful meal-sized salad that comes together quickly.

  • rachael_18bc7s on March 31, 2026

    It was good. Took some shortcuts to make it on Monday night: roasted chicken with bacon in oven at 400 (pull bacon when early), used bagged tortilla strips. She calls for eggs at 10 min but I think 9 min was the perfect texture. Her ranch is very good - added dill and onion granules.

• Raw zucchini, corn, chile, lime, mint, and more lime [salad]

  • Eater1547 on January 25, 2024

    This recipe goes great with steak. Perfect for corn leftovers after a cookout, but good enough to be a star dish at the cookout too.

• Cantaloupe, cucumbers, lime, and mint [salad]

  • NicoleBrown on August 10, 2024

    Refreshing! I didn’t put it on ice. Don’t skip the mint! The mint makes it in my opinion.

  • Willora on March 13, 2026

    Easy to throw together. Don't skip the mint or tajin if you can. It's a short ingredient list, so every ingredient pulls its weight.

• Honeydew, feta, jalapeño, and lime [salad]

  • Eater1547 on January 25, 2024

    We make this for all of our boat outings. It’s so refreshing, unexpected and has spectacular flavors. My kids love this even though they don’t like mint. I like this much more than the cantaloupe recipe but we make that one often too to mix it up. Those two and the watermelon shiso are on constant rotation during the summer and early fall until the very last honeydew is picked.

• Watermelon, shiso, plum, and salt [salad]

  • Eater1547 on January 25, 2024

    I substitute mint for shiso. This is absolutely delicious!! I eat it on repeat all summer and so does my 3 year old.

• Kale Caesar

  • ethedens on September 20, 2024

    This was good, but too acidic for me. I want more anchovy, less lemon. 3.5/5

• Shredded kale and Brussels with roasted squash and pomegranate [salad]

  • ethedens on September 12, 2024

    This was so good. Next time I wouldn't try shredding kale with the shredding attachment and would just chop straight in food processor. We both gave it 4/5, which for Alex and a salad is impressive

• Sheet pan salad

  • ethedens on September 23, 2024

    Alex loved this. I thought it was pretty good and definitely good enough to make again. Love the texture of the sausage. Love all the vegetables. Just not crazy about the dressing (to be fair, I used cheap balsamic). 4.5/5 from Alex, 3.5/5 for me. Averages out to 4/5

  • shelbstirr on January 15, 2026

    Simple and really delicious. The hardest part is cleaning and trimming the Brussels sprouts. This kind of salad is why I’m excited about this cookbook, it’s bright, warm, and hearty. Notes to myself that seem obvious but I didn’t pay attention to it this time: follow the rec for sheet pan arrangement in the oven. Cut up the potatoes and sausage first and throw those in because they cook longer than the Brussels and broccoli.

• Gomae

  • ethedens on September 24, 2024

    This was fine. Very similar to the Korean style. I liked pounding the sesame and might try it again. Feel some loyalty to the Korean version. 3/5

• Play on a Waldorf salad

  • ethedens on November 08, 2023

    This was so good. Would absolutely make again. The walnuts were divine.

• Garlicky buttermilk ranch dressing

  • Luckyme on June 30, 2025

    I loved this simple ranch dressing. Delicious on a Cobb salad.

• Bacon, Snoop-style

  • Luckyme on June 30, 2025

    This is a great technique for cooking bacon.