| For the last two weeks, I've felt a bit like a rabbit. That's because I've eaten a lot of salad as we sampled freshly baked croutons and crunchy salad toppings, dipped carrots into bottled ranch dressing and ate up the bounty of leftover greens after recipe testing and photo sessions. And, you know, what? I feel better, lighter. I attribute that to the arrival of both our comprehensive salad guide and spring. This week, we focused on helping you make the best salads you've ever eaten. If you've struggled to pull together a delicious one, or if you're tired of your same old, same old, check out Becky Krystal's salad generator. You can read about the building blocks of a great salad, and actually use the tool to build your ideal combo. Or the generator will build one for you! Becky linked to a lot of the work her colleagues have done this week, including Aaron Hutcherson's explanation of the most common greens and Daniela Galarza's crystal clear explanation of the basic formulas for vinaigrettes and creamy dressings. Once you master them, you can build from there. Olga Massov created Crunchy Nut and Seed Clusters as a salad topping, but I couldn't stop munching on them as a snack. Becky offered suggestions on how to achieve great homemade croutons. If you love ranch dressing, make Aaron's homemade version. It's outstanding. If you'd rather pick up a bottle at the grocery, review our taste test and see which national brand came out on top. We all pitched in, too. Nourish columnist Ellie Krieger whipped up Spinach Salad With Smoky Shiitakes and Warm Vinaigrette. Joe Yonan made a Curried Cauliflower Salad for his Weeknight Vegetarian column. And I shared a Rice Salad With Beans, Lemon and Herbs that can be ready in about 15 minutes, if you have leftover rice on hand.
Find these stories in The Washington Post print edition on Wednesday, March 30. Then, join us at noon (ET) for our weekly Q&A about food. You can submit your questions in advance here. Join us live at washingtonpost.com/live-chats/. We will talk about salad-making or whatever other food- and cooking-related topics are on your mind.
We have so many salad recipes in our Recipe Finder, from sides to mains. We're sure to have some that are right up your alley.
Happy salad making!  (Tom McCorkle for The Washington Post/Food styling by Gina Nistico for The Washington Post) This dish has the elements of curried chicken salad, but in a lightened-up, plant-based form. By Joe Yonan ● Read more » | | | This salad topping is also great on soups, grain bowls, eggs or just as a snack. By Olga Massov ● Read more » | | | This salad has heft and flavor that comes from smoky shiitake mushrooms, sliced sun-dried tomatoes and a warm, tart vinaigrette. By Ellie Krieger ● Read more » | | | If you have leftover rice on hand, you can make this filling salad in 15 minutes. By Ann Maloney ● Read more » | | | |
More from Voraciously We ranked the most popular ranch dressing bottles on store shelves, and the winner might surprise you. Review ● By Emily Heil and Matt Brooks ● Read more » | | | When you need inspiration for your next salad, take a spin through our tool to build a great bowl. By Becky Krystal ● Read more » | | | A look at some of the more common types of salad greens, along with advice on how to select, wash and store them. By Aaron Hutcherson ● Read more » | | | Once you get the fat, acid and salt ratios down, you can experiment with adding other flavors to your salad dressings. By G. Daniela Galarza ● Read more » | | | Skip the boxed croutons. Make them at home and prepare to be wowed. By Becky Krystal ● Read more » | | | We want spring produce, and we want it now! By Kari Sonde ● Read more » | | | When you have time to dedicate time to a baking project, check out these ideas! By Kari Sonde ● Read more » | | | A Bundt pan is one way to add instant retro-inspired flair to a cake recipe. By Becky Krystal ● Read more » | | | A weekly recommendation of 5 bottles you should be drinking right now. By Dave McIntyre ● Read more » | | | Dolly Parton's "favorite" banana pudding cake was a sweet mood lifter, even if it wasn't as tasty as it was pretty. Review ● By Emily Heil ● Read more » | | | |
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