Pairing greens and salad dressings is not too different from finding the right food and wine combo. The right salad dressing can add the right flavour to an otherwise bland salad. So how do you go about finding the right salad dressing to go with your greens? Here are a few tips to help you find the best dressing for your salad, based on the ingredients you use.
Iceberg Lettuce
Almost any salad dressing will work with iceberg lettuce. This kind of lettuce is bland but crispy, so it can hold up when paired with strong-tasting or creamy dressings. It also works well with lighterflavoured dressings, as long as there are other fresh vegetables to give the salad some extra flavour.
Spring Greens
You can’t talk about delicate veggies without mentioning spring greens. No one would blame you for thinking that something as simple as an odd look can wilt a bowl of spring greens. Anything heavier than vinaigrettes will result in a soggy salad, so it’s best to go light with this one.
Arugula
Want to see a bowl of arugula wilt in record time? Pour on thick dressings such as ranch or blue cheese. Light vinaigrettes, on the other hand, will bring out its peppery flavour without sacrificing its crispness.
Bibb Lettuce
Bibb lettuce is in the same league as arugula. In the world of salads, nothing more than something delicate will do when it comes to bibb lettuce. Once again, save the heavy dressings for another green. Go for vinaigrettes, and you can be certain your lettuce will hold up just fine.
Radicchio
A good middle-of-the-road vegetable calls for a mild dressing – nothing too light, nothing too thick. Radicchio goes well with a mustard-based or ranch dressing.
Watercress
Watercress is a medium-bodied herb with a peppery flavour that can hold its own against any ranch or fatty salad dressing.
Endive
This often-overlooked vegetable is made for a thick and creamy dressing along the lines of blue cheese. The leaves are heavy and bitter and can withstand the flavour of blue cheese dressing. How many greens have those kinds of bragging rights?
Frisée
This bitter green pairs nicely with a fattier dressing such as a thousand island sauce. Heavier vinaigrettes are also worth considering. If the dressing has fat and salt, it’ll pair well with frisée.
Kale
Here’s a free science lesson. Acids, such as the ones found in lemon juice, break down the kale’s cellular structure. This softens the leaves, making the rough and sturdy vegetable much easier to eat. Mix your raw kale leaves with an acidic dressing and let them sit for a couple of minutes before enjoying your salad.
Think about the effort you put into ordering the right burger at your favourite burger restaurant. You consider everything: The drink that goes with it, the side dish that will accompany it, and the toppings nestled between the bun. Put half as much effort into choosing the right dressing, and your favourite salad is bound to taste better.
