How To Make a Fabulous Salad – 8 Top Tips

Bit of a rogue post from me today – it’s not a recipe, a gift guide, or a set of hosting tips for your next gathering -but trust me, this is still an essential topic: how to make a proper, fabulous salad.

And no, I’m not talking about the sad little side salad you eat just to “get some greens in.” I’m talking about a salad that’s the main event – something punchy, satisfying, borderline addictive. The kind of salad you find yourself eating straight from the fridge with a fork, no plate in sight!

 

8 Tips For Making a Great Salad

Below, I’ve shared my top tips for making a delicious salad that you and your dinner party guests will love:

1. Fresh Herbs, Always

Using fresh herbs in a salad is a great way to instantly level up your salad. Not only do they add an incredible flavour to even the most simple of salads, but they also look gorgeous too. When choosing which fresh herbs to use, opt for those with soft green leaves like mint, basil, dill, parsley, or coriander – which can either be finely chopped or hand torn into your salad for a rustic look. 

If you’re prepping your salad ahead of time, add your fresh herbs right before serving as they may go soggy and lose their bright green colour after being chopped and kept in the fridge. 

Fresh herbs are the star of the show in our Green Goddess Orzo Salad and our Herby Lebanese White Bean Salad – check out the recipes on our blog.

 

2. A Fine Chop = a Great Texture

I love a finely chopped salad – one where the ingredients are almost small enough to be scooped onto a crisp! Not only is the texture more satisfying, but the finer you chop your salad ingredients, the more flavours you can pack into each mouthful – making every bite more delicious. Finely chopping also increases the surface area, helping the dressing spread more evenly and coat all of the ingredients better, again making each bite absolutely delicious!

Top tip – if you’re making your salad ahead of time, I’d actually recommend avoiding finely chopping your ingredients. The smaller your ingredients are, the quicker they’ll break down and lose their freshness and crunch,

 

3. Make a Fabulous Dressing

Let’s be real – the dressing is the best bit of a salad. Without it, the veggies and the rest of your salad ingredients are a bit ‘meh’. When making a fabulous salad dressing, I like to follow a few simple rules. 

First – ensure there is a good balance of salt, fat, acid, and heat. These four elements are essential to making a dressing that is bright, flavourful, and stands out against your chosen salad ingredients.

• Salt – a good pinch of sea salt, soy sauce, or even parmesan cheese makes a dressing super flavourful.
• Fat – olive oil, yoghurt, mayonnaise, peanut butter, or tahini helps the dressing to emulsify and coat your ingredients.
• Acid – balsamic, white wine vinegar, cider vinegar, lemon juice, lime juice, or orange juice help brighten your dressing.
• Heat – mustard, black pepper, chilli flakes, freshly grated garlic, or horseradish for a slight kick.

Secondly – follow the 1-3 method. For a classic vinaigrette, use one part acid to three parts fat. From there, add your salty and spicy ingredients. Here’s my go to vinaigrette that is perfect for shaking up in a jar –

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1 red chilli, finely chopped
• A big pinch of salt

 

4. Don’t Be Afraid Of Flavourful Ingredients

Now is not the time to play it safe. You’re making a fabulous salad, remember? Flavourful ingredients are the star of the show when making a great salad. Think blue cheese, marinated feta, tangy pickles, roasted garlic, sundried tomatoes, crispy bacon bits, briny olives, anchovies, or even a spoonful of pesto stirred through. The right bold ingredient adds depth and makes people go, “Ooh, what’s in this?”

Fruit (fresh or dried) works really well too – cranberries, chopped apricots, sliced apples or watermelon – especially when paired with something salty or tangy. A bit of contrast makes for a far more interesting plate (or bowl, or lunchbox fork situation).

We used dried cranberries and fresh apple slices in our Festive Brussels Sprout & Balsamic Salad – read the full recipe on our blog, you’ll love it!

 

5. Go Heavy On the Seasoning

My partner always tells me I’m so strange for putting salt on my salad…. but 5 minutes later he tells me how delicious said salad is! It’s all in the seasoning. Just how you’d use salt and pepper to make roasted veggies, steak, or literally anything taste more flavourful, salt and pepper can really help a salad shine. It doesn’t have to be salt and pepper either – add a dash of smoked paprika, cumin, cinnamon, depending on the salad – it really works.

 

6. If it’s the Main Event, Include a Carb

If your salad is the star of the show, it will need a little extra something to keep you satiated. This is where carbs come in – they help make your salad more substantial without the need for an added protein or side dish. Here are a few of my favourites:

• Red, green or black lentils
• Rustic sourdough croutons
• Pasta – I particularly like orzo or any smaller shape in a salad
• Grains – couscous, bulgur wheat, quinoa, or pearl barley
• Beans – butterbeans, chickpeas, canellini beans, or black beans 

 

7. Add an Element Of Crunch

This is non-negotiable. A crunchy topping is what separates a good salad from a great one. Here are a few of my favourite crunchy toppings to add to a salad – most of them are always in my cupboard!:

• Toasted seeds
• Nuts, lightly chopped
• Croutons
• Bacon bits
• Crispy rice (had to include a TikTok trend in here somewhere!)
• Crispy fried onions
• Crushed tortilla chips (or crisps, if you’re a fellow Brit!)

If you’re making a packed-lunch for work, or planning to serve your salad the next day, keep your crunchy element in a separate container and add at the last minute to stop anything getting soggy.

 

8. Don’t Forget About Presentation

We eat with our eyes first – it’s a saying for a reason. When your salad looks fabulous, I swear it makes it taste better!

Where I can, I like to keep my salads tonal – warm oranges and earthy tones for autumn (think roasted butternut squash, lentils, or golden pasta shapes), and bright colours for spring and summer (like watermelon, cucumber, feta, or mint). Matching your colours to the season makes everything feel just a bit more intentional – even if it’s a fridge-clear-out situation.

Once your salad is made, I love to serve it on a gorgeous platter or or in a glass bowl. Don’t forget to decorate with a few final touches just before serving:

• More fresh herbs (yes, again – they make everything better)
• A sprinkle of toasted seeds or nuts for texture
• And if you have them to hand, edible flowers like nasturtiums or viola petals add instant wow-factor with literally zero effort

 

Looking For Stunning Salad Inspiration? Check Out Our Blog!

Whether you’re hosting friends and family, prepping lunchboxes for work, or just trying to enjoy dinner a little more, a fabulous salad is always a good idea. Go big on the flavours, heavy on the seasoning, and make it look stunning – you simply can’t go wrong. 

If you’re unsure where to start, we’ve done the hard work for you. Check out our incredible recipe blog for plenty of delicious salad recipes for all seasons! Or, follow us on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest for more inspiration.

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