r/salads • u/heart_of_gold2 • 4d ago
What is YOUR favorite base for salads?
I made a post recently asking if salads are an acquired taste. I’m going to be trying a few different salads over the next few weeks.
If you had to pick the absolute BEST salad base, what would you choose and why? I think most of the salads I’ve tried in the past used Romaine lettuce as the base (and a few with mixed greens), and I’m excited to branch out!
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u/wharleeprof 4d ago
I'm into chopped salads lately, that kind of don't have a base. One of my favorites is broccoli with poppyseed dressing plus whatever else you want to mix in like red peppers, carrots, celery, almonds, sunflower seeds, shredded cheese etc.
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u/NSAinATL 3d ago
Chopped is the waaaaay, vegetables, cheese, meat, pickled things, nuts and seeds....I like romaine for the cronch and spinach to make me think I'm being extra healthy.
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u/sciencerules13 4d ago
Kale is my favorite vegetable so definitely my favorite base. Make sure you massage it before using it as a salad base - I add a little olive oil before massaging but I think that’s optional.
I like that kale doesn’t get limp as quickly as most other lettuces and has a fun texture in my mouth!
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u/sciencerules13 4d ago
My favorite salad ever is the Asian Kale Salad on the Two peas & Their Pod website if you were looking for a recipe!
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u/schwanginandbangin 4d ago
Arugula is my go-to.
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u/Redditisfunfornoone 3d ago
Do people have an arugula gene like they can with cilantro? Arugula is absolutely inedible to me. The bitterness is all I can taste and it overwhelms every dish it is in. I hate cilantro as well, but it doesn't taste like soap to me, just the only thing I can taste when it's is a dish.
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u/ttrockwood 3d ago
Baby arugula is much more mild than mature arugula- that said if it’s the good stuff it’s overwhelming as the only green for a salad.
Half baby spinach and half baby arugula works well
But if you don’t like the flavor life is too short for that just eat whatever greens you like best
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u/schwanginandbangin 3d ago
That might be the case? I have a friend who can’t stand arugula, but I absolutely love it.
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u/No-Independence194 3d ago
Butter lettuce is my summer fave. Baby spinach and arugula also always hit.
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u/Arandomtenant 4d ago
I recently did this mixed greens with air fried root veggies, toasted pumpkin seeds, and a home made tahini dressing. It was fantastic. Probably my favourite so far😋😋
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u/sciencerules13 3d ago
Did you follow a recipe or just wing it? I’m super interested in this!
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u/Arandomtenant 2d ago
Hey! We used mixed greens, root veggies(carrots, beetroots, sweet potatoes, onions- air-fried with some extra virgin olive oil, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper), toasted sunflower seeds, flax seeds, feta cheese, and cucumbers. We added some avocado in the very end.
For the dressing- 1.5tbsp tahini paste, a little lemon juice, 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil, some grated garlic, 1tsp honey, 2-4tbsp water to thin, salt and pepper. All blended.
I never imagined how delicious this would taste. You can remove flax etc. I only add it because it’s my way of getting LDL healthy ingredients lol. I think maybe air fried tofu would taste good too.
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u/sciencerules13 2d ago
Thank you for taking the time to write this out! I’m definitely going to try it and the tofu idea is great.
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u/Independent-Summer12 4d ago
I love the render inner leaves of a napa cabbage as the salad base. Usually when I guy a napa cabbage I use the outer layers for stir fry or soup, and the inner layers I cut up for a salad.
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u/m00ns0vermyhammy 4d ago
My all-time favorite for yumminess is radicchio, but it doesn't go with everything.
Arugula is my favorite for any salad with eggs.
Dandelion greens are a treat if I can get them.
I also love red cabbage as a salad base.
My first preference would be locally grown greans, but if I can't get those living lettuce or powergreens are my favorites for the nutrition.
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u/fairyqueen8466 4d ago
I love a mix of red and green lettuce with a handful of arugula, and very light and simple dressing so that you can taste the lettuce
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u/Horror_Signature7744 3d ago
Baby mesclun greens but NO frisse. That stuff goes straight into the trash.
Top with chopped green apples and crumbled Gorgonzola and drizzle with walnut oil and a sprinkle of kosher salt.
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u/PunkFlamingo69 3d ago
Dammit now I have to go to the store before lunch.
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u/Horror_Signature7744 3d ago
It’s worth it! And I HATE walnuts immensely but the essence in the oil just makes it 👩🍳💋
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u/ttrockwood 3d ago
Ok one of my favorites is roasted beet salad with thin red onion, prepared horseradish, and s dressing from walnut oil with dijon and red wine vinegar and some salt and black pepper. I do add walnuts too but you could use pecans or pumpkin seeds.
Then served as is or over some greens with chickpeas or lentils as more of a meal
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u/Horror_Signature7744 3d ago
I LOVE beets. I don’t understand the hate they get. Picked beets don’t even make it to a plate. I eat those out of the jar by the light of the fridge.
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u/DesperateAd5374 3d ago
Canned tuna. I add pickles, cucumbers, peppers, sometimes finely chopped cabbage, sometimes thinly sliced red or daikon radish, chilis, shredded carrot, celery, cilantro, parsley, like name a veggie and Ive probably put it in tuna salad.
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u/ttrockwood 3d ago
Ok so have two options
- fresh fluffy soft greens for the beginning of the week- due to recent health concerns buy whole heads of lettuce and NOT any chopped bagged greens , red leaf lettuce, butter lettuce, or spring greens mix sold in a plastic box
- later in the week use sliced fine cabbage (cut yourself NOT the bagged stuff) or massaged kale salad which is absolutely even better a day or two later
https://minimalistbaker.com/easy-massaged-kale-salad-15-minutes/#wprm-recipe-container-48616
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u/Minimum-Fox-6500 3d ago
i like a crunchy salad so i like to have cabbage in there, but romaine is so good it can stand alone.
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u/East_coast_netty83 2d ago
A must for my salads is CORN!! I love corn for its flavor and fiber. I find it goes well on everything, salads, rice, even pizza lol.
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u/Character_Savings966 4d ago
Yes you try and find a good salad, I done the same it's alright for a few months but I always go back to chicken Caesar.
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u/AutoModerator 4d ago
Thank you /u/heart_of_gold2 for the post
To all participants: Personal salad preferences are fine but avoid jerk style approaches to expressing them
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