When spring begins, salads come out of hibernation and become a regular part of diets again. This year, rather than settle for boring leaves and ranch dressing, opt for exciting and innovative salads. The salad trends of spring will help you create restaurant-level salads regularly.
Here are 5 ways to make your salads more exciting this year.
1. Reinvent the Classics
In Spring 2020, chefs around the world are returning to old favorites for inspiration. From Caesar salads to Greek salads, the classics are classic for a reason. Keep it interesting this year by revamping the recipes you already know with unique twists.
Take a garden salad up a notch by replacing regular greens with arugula and radicchio, make your Caesar’s new again by throwing kale and grilled asparagus in the mix, or add fresh herbs to any classic for something newly interesting.
2. Fuse Cuisines
In 2019, we tried all sorts of global cuisines. In 2020, we combine them. Fusing global flavors is the way to go this year — especially when it comes to salad. Whether you’re throwing Mexican and Asian together or African and Italian, you’ll find unique flavor combos that taste like they were meant to be together.
Our favorite this spring is Mediterr-Asian, which is the combination of Mediterranean and Asian flavors and ingredients.
Try this quinoa tofu salad with tahini dressing to kick off your fusion trend.
3. Make Vegetable Noodles
A few years ago, we found zucchini spaghetti. This year, we’re using our spiralizer for every veggie in our fridge. And by every veggie, we mean every veggie! Cucumbers, squash, zucchini, carrots.
It’s a fun and easy way to create new texture with old flavors. Ever made an entire salad using just raw veggies, a spiralizer, and your favorite dressing? Trust us, it’s delicious.
4. Pickle Your Veggies
Acidic, slightly sweet, and vinegar-y, pickled vegetables are all the rage this spring. Pickle your fresh harvests and add them to any salad for a touch of great flavor. Alternatively, create an entire salad of pickled vegetables and eat it as a side dish!
Use all of the veggies you have at your disposal — not just cucumbers. Pickled beets and carrots are our favorite.
5. Cook Veggies like Meat
Char them, grill them, roast them. Raw veggies are the go-to way to eat salads, but try cooking them like meat this year! Each style of cooking brings out a different and unique flavor in your favorite veggies.
Char your zucchini, grill your romaine, and roast your beets before throwing them in a salad. You can do so while they’re still warm or let them cool — a particularly good option when roasting. This salad trend will elevate your eating for the spring.
For ways to dress your salad that are healthy, unique, and tasty, try these 5 salad dressing recipes.
