FARGO — Last week I shared three of my favorite salad recipes to welcome the New Year, and this week I am adding a new favorite to that list.
This Cool and Crunchy Winter Salad features a unique medley of ingredients chosen for their bright and crisp flavors and easy availability no matter the season. A refreshing minty vinaigrette adds a cool finish to the salad and pulls all the flavors together. Light, fresh and delicious, this salad is the essence of “clean eating.”
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There are just five main ingredients needed to make this chopped salad, all chosen for their crisp nature and contrasting flavors. For the greens, I combine one full bunch of celery with one head of Romaine lettuce. Both ingredients bring terrific freshness and texture to the salad that belies their neutral flavor.
Juicy red grapes add color and a wonderful touch of crispy sweetness to the salad to balance the tangy dressing. A handful of pecans and finely chopped red onion enhance the depth of texture and flavor, which is further elevated by the Minty Vinaigrette.
This is a simple salad to prepare. After washing the vegetables, I cut the celery stalks into thin slices and the head of Romaine into thin strips. The pecans are roughly chopped to create a variety in size, and you can toast the nuts first or just add them plain, depending on your preference.
The red onion is finely chopped so that it does not overpower the salad’s mild flavor. My red onion was particularly strong on this occasion, so I ran it under some cold water for about a minute after chopping it, which helped to mellow its spicy heat. A shallot would also work in place of the onion.
When testing this recipe, I initially sliced the grapes into quarters but found that they started to lose their firmness almost as soon as they were tossed into the salad and became almost mushy after just a few hours. Halving the grapes allows them to hold their shape and retain their lovely crispness.
The Minty Vinaigrette also has just five ingredients and was inspired by the fresh mint I had left over from the Sicilian Citrus Salad we enjoyed with our Christmas feast (another great winter salad). A generous amount of finely chopped fresh mint is combined with extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, honey and garlic to create a tangy and refreshing vinaigrette that can also be used as a dressing with chicken, fish and seafood dishes.
This recipe can be easily multiplied to serve large groups, and it holds up well for several days in the refrigerator. This wintry salad goes well with a variety of main courses, and I also enjoy it topped with roasted chicken or canned tuna for a light lunch or dinner.
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When Tony and I first tasted this salad, one feeling we both experienced was how clean we felt as we ate it. Light, nutritious and delicious, this Cool and Crunchy Winter Salad with Minty Vinaigrette is a welcome addition to our healthy recipe repertoire.
Sarah’s Cool and Crunchy Winter Salad
Salad ingredients:
- 1 bunch of celery, cut into ¼-inch slices (about 3 cups)
- 1 head of Romaine lettuce, chopped into half-inch strips (about 2 cups)
- 1 ½ cups red grapes, halved
- ½ cup pecans, roughly chopped (plain or toasted)
- 1/3 cup red onion, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Minty Vinaigrette:
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice or red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons fresh mint, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 clove garlic, lightly smashed, or ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions:
Place the vinaigrette ingredients in a medium bowl or jar and whisk or shake vigorously until well combined and fully emulsified. Taste and adjust flavors as desired. The dressing can be prepared up to one week in advance and refrigerated until ready to use.
For the salad, place the celery, lettuce, grapes, pecans and red onion in a large bowl. Add half of the vinaigrette and toss to combine. Add more dressing as desired (I usually add at least another ¼ cup) and save the remainder to use with any leftovers.
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Add the salt and pepper and stir to incorporate. Taste and add more seasoning as desired. Serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 24 hours before serving. Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.
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