Salad recipes

This is one of my absolute favorite things to make at this time of year. It takes almost no time to prepare, so I’ll whip up a big batch on my day off and then all I have to do when I get home is put it in a bowl or mash it up and put it on toasted bread drizzled with some olive oil. It also makes a great appetizer along with some homemade or store-bought pita chips. Honestly, when serving this as a dip or a spread, I don’t even bother taking out my food processor, I just use the bottom of a glass and mash it a bit.

This salad's presentation is quite lovely. The citrus vinaigrette is top notch and we use the leftovers for other vegetables. The combination of orange, lemon, lime and grapefruit really kick it up a notch. If you really want to impress your guests and blow them away with sophistication this is sure to wow them. Or just make the dressing and use it for other dishes and turn any ordinary vegetable into something special.

Moroccan eggplant salad with fried eggplant, garlic, cumin, and red pepper dressed in olive oil and lemon juice. A warm-spiced appetizer served at room temperature.

Chickpea salad with tahini made from dried garbanzo beans, lemon, garlic, cumin, and coriander. A from-scratch hummus-style dip that's sieved smooth and chilled overnight for the best flavor.

Salata tahina, a creamy Middle Eastern tahini sauce with crushed garlic, lemon juice, cumin, and parsley. Serve as a mazza dip, salad dressing, or drizzle for grilled meats.

Moroccan-style cooked tomato and green pepper salad with cumin, garlic, chili, and lemon juice. Served warm or cold as a side dish or mezze appetizer.

Colorful lentil salad with charred red, yellow, and orange bell peppers, dried apricots, and cumin-coriander dressing. Broiled peppers add smoky depth to tender green lentils.

A delicious summer standard at our place. Easy to make with a mix of Southern European and Middle Eastern flavours. I use my Cucumber Raita (posted separately) to dress the lamb salad or you can use the quick yoghurt dressing provided here.

Hearty vegetarian salad with nutty wild rice, bulgur wheat, and chickpeas tossed in warm cumin-coriander oil. Make-ahead friendly for meal prep or potluck sides.

Moroccan tomato and roasted green pepper salad from Fez with cumin, paprika, preserved lemon, and olive oil. A smoky, bright North African appetizer or side dish.

Mixed greens with cumin steams a tangle of greens, then tosses them with a garlic-parsley-cilantro paste bloomed in cumin and paprika oil. Vegan, gluten-free Moroccan-inspired side dish.

Spiced ground lamb grills into crispy-edged slabs perfect for slicing thin and stuffing into warm pita with yogurt and fresh salad. This 15-minute doner kebab brings street food flavor to your kitchen.

Seared tuna on leaf lettuce: quickly seared tuna over dressed greens with a warm pineapple-ginger-jalapeño salsa, finished with sizzled scallions in smoking olive oil. A restaurant-caliber composed salad for summer entertaining.