A great salad shouldn’t be an afterthought or a bowl of leaves you force yourself to finish. It needs weight, contrast and purpose.
For me, assembling a salad is about building layers: pairing hearty bases such as grains, roasted root vegetables or noodles with sharp herbs, big-hitting proteins, and a dressing strong enough to hold all the elements together.
Once you stop treating salads like a diet requirement and start treating them like an actual meal, the options open up fast. The recipes below from Wholesome Made Easy reflect that exact approach – generous, textured and punchy enough to take centre stage at the table.
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Raw asparagus is unbelievably good. If you’ve never tried it, you simply must give this salad a go to understand how fresh, zesty and crunchy it really is. I’m completely obsessed with how simple this is, too. It uses just a handful of ingredients, comes together quickly and tastes so much better than you would ever expect.
Storage tip: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
The crunchy parmesan, seed and pine nut topping on this salad will change your life. Seriously, it’s so moreish you’ll find yourself sneaking some straight from the pan, and it works beautifully on other salads too. This vibrant and utterly delicious salad is the perfect combo of textures and flavours, and I love that it’s easy enough for a weeknight but impressive enough for weekend entertaining.
Storage tip: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Everyone loves a good pasta salad. I think the best ones are where all the ingredients come together – the juicy tomatoes, salty olives, crunchy capsicum, fresh herbs and creamy cheeses – to create the perfect mix of flavours and textures. It is full of the Mediterranean flavours I adore and is always a crowd-pleaser, wonderful for family meals, picnics or summer entertaining.
Storage tip: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Carrots are such an underrated and very affordable vegetable. I’ve made this salad so many times recently because it is easy, uses very few ingredients and comes together quickly to create a beautiful side dish. Plus, it is ideal for entertaining or taking somewhere – simply prep all the parts separately and pop them together just before serving.
Storage tip: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
This is an edited extract from Wholesome Made Easy by Sarah Pound, photography by Mark Roper. Published by Plum, RRP $44.99 .
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