Ratios, ingredient roles, sturdiness pairing, and templates for building salads that actually taste good.
Balance these and you can build almost anything.
Romaine, spinach, kale, arugula, mixed greens, butter lettuce, cabbage, chard
Cucumber, tomato, carrot, bell pepper, radish, red onion, corn, celery
Grilled chicken, hard-boiled egg, tofu, chickpeas, shrimp, steak, salmon, beans
Feta, parmesan, goat cheese, blue cheese, mozzarella, cheddar
Croutons, walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, tortilla strips, crispy onions
Vinaigrette, ranch, Caesar, tahini, lemon-olive oil, sesame ginger
Fresh herbs, dried cranberries, olives, avocado, pickled onions, capers
Build in this sequence every time. Dressing goes on last — wet greens and crushed croutons are how salads go wrong.
Dry greens first
Washed and dried thoroughly. Wet greens dilute dressing and wilt faster.
Hearty vegetables
Cucumber, carrot, bell pepper hold up to dressing contact.
Protein
Room temp or slightly warm preferred for best flavor integration.
Cheese & soft toppings
Avocado, cheese, soft herbs added late so they don't get crushed.
Crunch on top
Croutons, nuts, seeds, crispy onions always last to preserve texture.
Dress at serving time
Toss gently right before eating. Never dress ahead unless sturdy greens.
If you remember nothing else, remember these.
Normal starting point
120–150 g greens + 150–250 g toppings + 20–40 g dressing.
Dry your greens
Salad spinner or towels — dressing won't coat wet leaves.
Dress at the last minute
Dressing starts wilting greens on contact, especially delicate ones.
Match green sturdiness to dressing weight
Butter lettuce can't handle heavy Caesar; kale needs heavier dressing or massage.
Every salad needs crunch
Even one crunchy element transforms the whole experience.
Build around a flavor family
Mediterranean (feta, olives, oregano vinaigrette), Asian (sesame, edamame, crispy wontons), etc.
Start here when you're not sure where to begin.