This is a how-to guide to building a salad that will not only taste great, but keep you full until your next meal. The trick to building meals that will keep you satiated is including 2 or 3 food groups. The most nutrient dense salads will include a combination of protein, fat, and carbs. This post goes into the 5 components of a delicious, nutritious salad, and how to make a fool-proof salad dressing too!

1. Base

First we want to build our salad base, this can be any type of veggies. We want the salad base to take up about 1/2 of the plate. Common salad bases are as follows:

Leafy greens (lettuce, spinach, arugula, chard, beet greens, etc.)
Cabbage or other related veggies (i.e. coleslaw, broccoli, radicchio, endive, kale, etc.)
Chopped veggies (cucumber, tomato, peppers, etc.)
Others (carrots, beets, raddish, green beans, snow peas, etc.)

The salad base can really be whataver you want. Get creative and eat what you like.

2. Protein

Second, we want to choose our protein source. Every meal you eat should have a source of protein. Our digestive tract can only absorb ~25g of protein per meal, so it’s best to eat protein thorughout the day instead of loading up at one meal. We want the protein to take up about 1/4 of the plate.

Proteins can be plant-based or animal-based, but try not to get caught up in a one-or-the-other mindset. Many of my best salads include a combination of animal-based and plant-based proteins. The plant-based proteins offer high amounts of fiber, great for maintaining healthy cholesterol levels and keeping you full, and animal-based proteins are highly bioavailable, so you are absorbing the majority of the protein you digest. Variety is the key here! Common proteins to add to salads include:

Plant Based Proteins:

Chickpeas
Black beans
Pinto beans
Cannelini beans
Lentils
Tofu
Tempeh
Edamame
…Among others!

Animal Based Proteins:

Chicken
Pork
Beef
Salmon
Tuna
Prawns
Eggs
Halloumi
…And many more!

3. Whole Grain

Third, we want to add a whole grain to the mix. For our salad to be a complete meal, whole grains are necessary. Whole grains provide a healthy dose of fiber, B-vitamins, and minerals. They help maintain healthy cholesterol levels, keep our bowels regular, and slow the digestion and absorption of the food we eat, helping to maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Again, variety is key here. If you rotate between a selection of whole grains, it’s less likely that you’ll get bored with your salads. We want the whole grain to take up about 1/4 of the plate. The following are a few common whole grains I’ve used in my salads:

Brown rice
Wild rice
Millet
Quinoa (technically a seed, but happy to be included here)
Farro
Buckwheat
Bulgur
Corn
Whole wheat spaghetti or other pasta
Brown rice noodles
…The list goes on!

4. Dressing

Fourth, we want to choose our dressing. If you can make your own - even better! Making a salad dressing is very simple, if you have the ingredients. All you need is:

Oil (3 parts)

This can be olive oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, sesame oil (very strong-tasting, so you can cut it with another type of oil), walnut oil, mayonnaise, greek yogurt, pesto, even nut butters work here (but may need some thinning out), etc. Often using a combination of oils will have the best result.

Vinegar (1 part)

Depending on the flavours you are going for, you can use balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, champagne vinegar, lemon juice, lime juice, rice vinegar, etc.

Sweetness (to taste)

Use whatever you’ve got in your cupboard! I like to use honey, maple syrup, agave, orange juice, or regular white sugar will do in a pinch.

Salt (to taste)

Add as much or as little salt as you prefer. Start with a smaller amount and taste as you go. Salty ingredients like soy sauce, miso paste, and anchovy paste will contribute to the salt content. Remember, you can add more salt but you can’t take it away!

Emulsifier (optional)

Adding an emulsifier will help keep the oil and vinegar from separating immediately after mixing. The most common emulsifier in salad dressing is mustard (common in vinaigrettes) and egg yolk (common in creamy dressings, like caesar salad dressing). Foods like miso paste, nut butters, and yogurt are also natural emulsifiers.

Additional flavours (optional but highly recommended!)

These additional flavours can be anything you want! Herbs, spices, ginger, garlic, shallot, hot sauce, soy sauce, citrus zest, nutritional yeast, whatever works for you and the flavour profile of your salad.

5. Toppings

The final step and my favourite part of any salad, the toppings. This is what will elevate any old salad from bleh to BOMB. I like to add 2-3 additions to give the salad more texture, flavour, nutrients, and overall appeal. Common additions include:

Toasted nuts and seeds (sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chopped almonds, toasted walnuts, pecans, peanuts, etc.)
Dried fruit (chopped dates, raisins, dried cranberries, dried apricots, etc.)
Fresh herbs or microgreens (parsley, cilantro, green onion, dill, oregano, basil, etc.)
Sliced fruit (apple, peach, strawberry, mango, etc.)
Cheese (parmesan, feta, pecorino, boccoccini, etc.)
Olives or pickles
Chili peppers or onions
Croutons
Bacon bits
…Whatever else!

Now that we have gone through the 5 different components of a balanced, hearty, and flavourful salad, it’s time to put it all together. Below I have included a few examples of how to put a salad together. Now is your chance to be creative and follow your preferences!

Thai Peanut Noodle Salad

Base: Red and green cabbage, carrots, red bell peppers, diakon radish
Protein: Leftover chicken thighs or rotisserie chicken and edamame
Whole Grain: Whole wheat spaghetti noodles or brown rice noodles
Dressing: Sesame oil, peanut butter, rice vinegar, lime juice, honey, soy sauce, sriracha, ginger, garlic, water to thin it out
Toppings: Toasted peanuts and sesame seeds, cilantro, green onion, and chopped jalapeno if I’m feeling extra spicy!

Loaded Greek Salad

Base: Arugula, tomato, cucumber, bell peppers
Protein: Chickpeas
Whole Grain: Leftover brown rice
Dressing: Olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, grainy mustard, dried oregano, garlic, shallot, salt and pepper
Toppings: Feta cheese, kalamata olives, fresh parsley, red onion

Spiced Millet Salad - A variation of my most popular recipe - Palestinian Millet Salad

Base: Chopped spinach and shredded carrots

Protein: Red lentils
Whole Grain: Millet
Dressing: Olive oil, lemon zest and juice, orange zest and juice, garlic, ground cinnamon, salt and pepper
Toppings: Fresh parsley, dried apricots, dried cranberries

As you can see, there are endless combinations of ingredients that will result in delicious, creative, and nutritionally complete salads. Remember to always include your vegetables, whole grains, and protein sources, and you will be full, happy, and healthy.