Leafy Herb Salad

By Alison Roman

Leafy Herb Salad
Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott for The New York Times. Prop Stylist: Amy Elise Wilson.
Total Time
5 minutes
Rating
5(716)
Comments
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This salad is ideal for Thanksgiving or other huge, rich meals, something to nibble on between bites of sour cream potatoes and buttered stuffing. It’s more of an idea than a recipe, so feel free to riff on the greens and herbs involved. It should have about a 1:1 ratio of salad greens to herbs, and be very lemony, with plenty of salt. 

Featured in: Alison Roman Cooks Thanksgiving in a (Very) Small Kitchen

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Ingredients

Yield:8 to 10 servings 
  • 4cups spicy greens, such as arugula, mizuna or torn mustard greens
  • Leaves and tender stems from 1 bunch parsley
  • Leaves and tender stems from 1 bunch cilantro
  • 1bunch chives, coarsely chopped
  • 1 to 2cups mint or dill leaves (optional) 
  • 1lemon
  • Flaky salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Olive oil
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)

21 calories; 1 gram fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 1 gram protein; 108 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Combine greens in a large bowl, along with parsley, cilantro and chives. Add mint or dill leaves, if you have them on hand. (It’s fine if you don’t, but the more the merrier.)

  2. Step 2

    Zest lemon over the greens, then halve and squeeze lemon juice all over everything. Season with flaky salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper, and finish with a good drizzle of olive oil. The salad should be lightly oiled, and heavy on the flaky salt and lemon juice.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
716 user ratings
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Comments

PMK

I recommend one tweak that makes a big difference: instead of first adding lemon juice and next, olive oil, I FIRST add the olive oil, tossing and very lightly coating the greens with my hands. THEN I squeeze the lemon juice (or sometimes scatter droplets of vinegar. Flaky salt goes last. This way, the greens don't get saturated with the acid (lemon juice, vinegar, whatever). James Beard wrote about this method of dressing a salad, and it stands the test of time.

thelettermegan

I went half arugula, half spring mix, got lots of compliments. It really does balance out the rich food!

Margie

Looks FAR more appealing than the typical, horrid green bean casserole!

CF

Very good. But I chopped herbs up - would be better if left unchopped. Only mint to be chopped.

dimmerswitch

Late Spring is a perfect time to make this salad with all of the fresh greens and herbs available from local farmers in my area. Delicious. A note: the reason to follow Alison's instruction to add the lemon juice and zest to the greens first is it allows their acid and flavors to cling to the greens before they are kissed with olive oil. If you add oil first, as was suggested by another cook, it coats the greens and the lemon juice can't 'stick' in the same way.

Janz

We are a cilantro-hating family. Will the salad still be fabulous without it?

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