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Winter Bitter Greens Chopped Salad |  |
Approachable, Memorable Homestyle Whole Food, Simply Prepared. Real Food, Fresh & Flexible, Seasonal & Special. Beautiful Color! Extra Welcome When "Supper's a Little Skimpy" But Can Also Stand In for a Salad Supper, a Quick Supper, a Kitchen Parade Specialty. Easily Adapted to Your Family's Tastebuds. Weeknight Easy, Weekend Special. Perfect When Cooking for One or Two But Scales from Small Plates to Large Platters. Low Carb. Low Fat. Weight Watchers Friendly. Vegetarian (with Cheese), Otherwise Not just vegan, Vegan Done Real. Naturally Gluten Free. Whole30 Friendly. What're you waiting for?! So Good!!
It's a Stunner, This Salad.
I swear, the first super-simple iteration of today's recipe first appeared on our table way back in 2010. I called it Simple Dandelion Salad and declared, "This year, let's give salads with abandon." All these years later, I still remember that salad.
Ever year since, come Thanksgiving and all the way through December, most nights supper is simple but the salad — oh! the salad! — is sumptuous.
It's no slap-dash salad of summer but instead one carefully constructed, layer by layer, to really highlight a particular category of salad greens that are "bitter" and turn so lively and alive paired with bits of sweet fruit, both fresh and dried.
It's a stunner, this salad, a real stunner.
But First, What Are These "Bitter" Greens?
Let's start with the four "tastes": sweet, sour, salty and bitter. There is common agreement on these four tastes, also in many cases, for a fifth taste of umami, a certain savoriness. (Little surprise, there's still debate about a possible sixth taste: maybe it's fat; maybe it's the oh-so-appealing 🙄 name of ammonium chloride even if it's an ingredient in my much-beloved Finnish salty licorice called salmiakki.)
But I digress. Let's answer that question.
Bitter greens are leafy greens and other vegetables that have a sharp, savory astringency.
For this colorful salad, I lean on specific bitter greens called endive, endive lettuce, frisée, radicchio (especially for its wonderful ruby color addition), baby arugula and baby kale. Spinach is also a bitter green but it's such a common green, it just seems less special.
If you're intrigued (or want more options), for lots more info on bitter greens, please check out this post on A Veggie Venture.
- Vegetables 101 What Are Bitter Greens? Everything you'd like to know, including a comprehensive list and recipes. (PIN This)
Recipe Overview: Winter Bitter Greens Chopped Salad
- This recipe is a starting point, an inspiration, a combination of ingredients much more than the sum of their parts. It is adaptable and flexible, starting with "bitter greens," a mix of at least two or three different ones: radicchio, endive and endive lettuce are my three favorites. Then add "chopped stuff" (I know, sorry, such an official name): a little green onion is essential, after that my favorites are tangerines and dates. Then dress the salad with a Fresh Dill Dressing (made ahead of time, plain olive oil and vinegar are also excellent). Finally, it's time to "finish" the salad with some extras, all optional: a little cheese, some candied nuts (also made or purchased ahead of time), fresh herbs, and a surprising pièce de résistance, some cranberry relish.
- Sound complicated? It's not! Make it once, you'll never need a recipe again.
- When to Serve = This recipe started off as a "fancy" salad for company and special occasions during the winter months, served as its own course. But then we (I?) found we (I?) like it so much, it became our "everyday" salad between Thanksgving and New Year's, bringing a bit of everyday festivity to the table, right along with twinkly lights and burning candles. During the busy-ness that accumulates during December, it's often "dinner".
- Where to Buy Bitter Greens = Check the produce department at a good grocery store, in the section where heads of fresh lettuce are displayed. And don't assume that a Whole Foods stop will be worthwhile: here in St. Louis, the two largest grocers in St. Louis each have a better, fresher and even less expensive selection of greens than Whole Foods. The one exception is arugula, neither one carries arugula but Trader Joe's does.
- It's easy to adapt this salad to different diet choices and needs. Our everyday salads are vegan (and gluten free) unless I add a little cheese.
- Distinctive Ingredients = Bitter Greens + Tangerine + Dried Fruit + Fresh Dill
- More Specifically = bitter greens (such as endive, endive lettuce, frisée, radicchio, arugula, baby kale and some times baby spinach) + tangerine (or apple or pomegranate) + dried fruit (dried cranberries or dates) + fresh dill (or parsley or cilantro) + green onion + salt & pepper
- The Salad Dressing = at least two options here, a dill (or another herb) version of My Everyday Creamy Herb Salad Dressing is lovely but mostly, I just toss the greens and extras with a little good vinegar, then a little good olive oil.
- Garnish = this is a lovely salad, already so many colors and tastes, but one very last touch that I love, once the salad is tossed, is to tuck in tiny spoonsful of cranberry sauce into little nooks and crannies in the salad, then maybe a little more fresh dill, the cranberry sauce especially comes as such a surprise, such a welcome addition, here it's nearly always Homemade Whole Cranberry Sauce for the Slow Cooker but use what you have or find on the store shelves
- Kitchen Tools = a salad spinner (affiliate link) + a sharp knife and cutting board + a pretty salad bowl
- Timing = Most of this salad (the Bitter Greens and the Chopped Stuff, plus the homemade dressing if you're going that route) may/should be prepped and chilled ahead of time, leaving only the final tossing until just before serving. That said, when it's just us, I rarely chill the greens or prep anything in advance: no complaints.
- With so many leaves of different shapes and colors, this is a very pretty salad, especially since it's lightly dressed and not overwhelmed with added goodies. Like all chopped salads, the objective is to get a "taste of everything" in every single bite, so the variations in taste, texture, wetness, sweetness, etc are all important to the overall experience.
- The recipe is easy to scale up or down, depending on how many you're serving. As written, it's enough for 4 - 6 side salads but my husband and I happily gobble the entire salad as our evening meal, adding only a slice or two of Fried Bread and maybe a glass of wine.
- So good! I hope you love it!
- If you're looking for a simpler salad for December, try Festive Holiday Salad which was long my signature salad during the holidays, just ten minutes start to finish.
- Not quite what you're looking for? Check out my other salad recipes.
How to Make a Winter Bitter Greens Salad
The detailed recipe is written in traditional recipe form below but here are the highlights in five easy steps. You can do this!
- Make the Fresh Dill Dressing This takes just a few minutes and a mini food processor. It may be done ahead of time by a day or two or even three. Use my My Everyday Creamy Herb Salad Dressing, use fresh dill. Skip this step if you're using a store-brought dressing or, like I often do, toss the salad with a little honey, good vinegar and olive oil.
- Prep the Bitter Greens Some may need cleaning and drying, others just chopping or tearing. Be sure to chop or tear small bites of greens. This prep work may be done a few hours before serving. Chilling the greens is optional but oh, they're so good, when well-chilled.
- Prep the "Chopped Stuff" This entails only a little quick knife work, nothing hard. Be sure to cut everything into small bites. This prep work may be done a few hours ahead of time but again, needn't be.
- Chill Everything The best salads are served chilled, fresh and crisp and lively. That said, no stress if there's no time for chilling everything. That said, even a few minutes (while finishing the rest of the meal or sitting down for a glass of wine or an appetizer, say) in the fridge makes a difference.
- Now Toss! This is the only step that should wait until just before serving. Toss the greens and the "chopped stuff" with the Fresh Dill Dressing or vinegar and olive oil. Season the salad to taste with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with fresh dill and if you like, tuck in some that cranberry sauce.
For Best Results
For my weekly column in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, I interviewed chefs and translated their restaurant recipes for home kitchens. The most illuminating question? "How can a home cook ensure the same results?" So now I ask that question of myself, too, for my own recipes. Have another question? Ask away, I'll do my best to answer!
Be Intentional About the Greens The greens are so important here, their freshness of course but also their color, texture, shape and taste. Aim for a medley of fresh leafy greens plus, for holiday color, radicchio.
Chop the Bites Small You know how sometimes a piece of lettuce is so big that you find yourself awkwardly stuffing it into your mouth? Avoid that! Cut or tear the greens into small bites and cut up the "chopped stuff" very small too. This means a forkful can contain all the flavors, all at once, no stuffing errant leaves required.
Watch the Temperature Restaurants salads always taste extra-good. In part, it's because they're served at the right temperature, chilled!
Avoid Overdressing For the greens and "chopped stuff" to really shine, use a small amount of dressing, whether it's the Fresh Dill Dressing, your own, or just vinegar and olive oil.
Salt! Taste as you go along, and especially just before serving, and be generous with a good salt.
Why I Love This Recipe & You Might Too
- ... it's a rich, indulgent salad full of a surprising mix of fresh seasonal flavors and an abundance of textures
- ... it's come to signify the holiday season, starting before Thanksgiving, ending at New Year's
- ... it scales easily, just enough for one or two, or a big salad for a small crowd
- ... it's surprising, I've never tasted this combination anywhere else, even in a good restaurant
- ... it's got lots of healthy greens but after that, no vegetables except green onion
- ... it's easy to adapt to your own tastes, until you discover your own "best and favorite" version
- Ready to get started? Here's your recipe!
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WINTER BITTER GREENS CHOPPED SALAD
Chill time (if there's time): 30 minutes - a few hours
Time-to-table: 15-45 minutes - a few hours
Makes enough for 4 - 6 side salads or 2 hungry salad lovers
OMG it's killin' me, how long and complicated this salad looks like, in writing. I promise, it's not, in the kitchen. Make it once, you'll never need a recipe again.
-
PREP, optional
- Cranberry Sauce, such as Homemade Whole Cranberry Sauce for the Slow Cooker
- Fresh Dill Dressing, just My Everyday Creamy Herb Salad Dressing made with fresh dill (or cilantro or parsley)
- Glazed Pecans, such as Maple-Glazed Pecans
-
BITTER GREENS
- endive, heavy core removed, chopped
- endive lettuce, chopped
- frisée, chopped
- radicchio, shaved thin
- baby arugula, as is or regular arugula, stems removed
- baby kale (not Trader Joe's Baby Kale Mix which is mostly mustard greens), stems removed
- baby spinach, stems removed
- romaine, chopped (especially for serving a crowd, since it's less expensive)
(6 - 8 or more loose cups of at least 2 or 3 of these favorite greens)
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"CHOPPED STUFF"
- 1/4 cup (15g) green onion, white & green parts, chopped small
- 1 tangerine, sectioned, sections cut into small bites (orange sections also work but are more sour)
- 1/4 cup (30g) pitted dates (from about 2 dates), cut small (or another dried fruit, also chopped if large)
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JUST BEFORE SERVING, NOW TOSS!
- Bitter Greens
- "Chopped Stuff"
- 2 - 3 tablespoons Fresh Dill Dressing (or a spoonful of honey & good vinegar, first, always & good olive oil)
- Salt (be generous) & Pepper
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& FINISH!
- Cheese, optional (think bits of goat cheese, manchego cubes, shaved Parmesan or stinky blue cheese crumbles)
- Maple-Glazed Pecans, optional (or toasted or candied nuts, walnuts or pecans or almonds or pistachios)
- Fresh Dill, optional, chopped fine (or cilantro or parsley)
- Cranberry Sauce, optional
PREP All three prep items are optional but all together, require only 35 minutes of hands-on time. All are easily made ahead, are easily used in other dishes and easily keep well.
CRANBERRY SAUCE If you like, make my recipe days and even weeks ahead of time, it really keeps. You can also use another cranberry sauce or just omit this extra. The recipe makes 2 or 2-1/2 cups, you'll only using a couple of tablespoons for this salad but it's really handy to have on hand in the fridge during the winter months.
FRESH DILL DRESSING If you like, make the my recipe with fresh dill two or three days ahead of time, it keeps a good week. It can also be made right before serving, the dill is extra fresh this way. The recipe makes 1-1/2 cups, you'll only use a few tablespoons for the salad, which is very lightly dressed, just enough to hold the greens into a cohesive salad. But it's easy to use up the rest, with future versions of this salad or other salads, it's been our "house" dressing since since about 2016.
MAPLE-GLAZED PECANS If you like, make my recipe a week or two ahead of time, the pecans stay fresh and crisp for a good month when stored in an airtight jar. The recipe makes 2-1/3 cups, you'll only use a couple of tablespoons for this salad but it's easy to use up the rest with morning oatmeal, pancake and ice cream toppings and more. You can also substitute plain toasted walnuts, pecans or almonds or another sweetened nut.
BITTER GREENS If needed, clean and dry the whole greens really well. If there's time, do this up to a few hours or even a day ahead of time, allowing time to refrigerate the greens until ready to serve. For just us, I wash, dry and chop the greens on the spot, right before serving. For a group, I have good luck cutting up the greens (with the exception of romaine, if using) up to a couple of hours before serving, then chilling the greens in the fridge right in a big salad bowl that's large enough for tossing everything later.
"CHOPPED STUFF" These ingredients may be prepped at the last minute or ahead of time, either one. If prepping ahead, keep the green onion separate from the tangerine and dates.
JUST BEFORE SERVING (with Fresh Dill Dressing) In a salad bowl, toss together the Bitter Greens and the "Chopped Stuff". Drizzle a little Fresh Dill Dressing over top, just enough to lightly dress the greens, maybe 2 - 3 tablespoons. Sprinkle the top with Salt and Pepper and toss together. Taste and add more Dressing, Salt or Pepper to your taste.
JUST BEFORE SERVING (with honey, vinegar and oil instead of the Fresh Dill Dressing) In a salad bowl, toss together the Bitter Greens and the "Chopped Stuff." Drizzle a spoonful of honey over the top, then a little good vinegar (such as sherry vinegar, a high-quality red or white wine vinegar, even an unseasoned rice vinegar, avoid balsamic, it's a little overwhelming) over top, just enough to barely wet the greens. Toss the greens with just the honey and the vinegar first, wetting the greens evenly, this distributes the honey and vinegar evenly, giving the olive oil something to grab onto once it's added. Now drizzle a little good olive oil over top, sprinkle with Salt and Pepper and toss these three gently into the greens as well. FYI the usual proportion of vinegar:oil is 1 part vinegar:3 parts oil, that is 1 teaspoon vinegar for every 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Taste and adjust the vinegar, oil, salt and pepper to your taste.
If you're not comfortable "winging it" right in the salad bowl, use a fork to gently whisk the honey, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl, adjusting all the ingredients to your own taste before then tossing the combined mixture into the greens, using just enough to wet the greens. This salad is all about the greens and add-ins, not the dressing.
FINISH! If serving tableside or in a buffet where appearance is important, pull out a few pieces of colorful tangerine, radicchio and dates to showcase on the top of the salad. Scatter any cheese, nuts, fresh dill over top, then toss into the greens. For a final presentation, sprinkle generously with fresh dill. Tuck in a few small dollops of Cranberry Sauce in pockets across the top.
NOW FEAST! Whew, finally!
I lean heavily on fresh arugula and baby kale from Trader Joe's, they're so fresh and clean and need no additional prep. One exception: I do remove the baby kale stems. Much to my surprise, the local St. Louis grocery chain (Schnuck's Markets) has better-quality and variety for bitter greens than Whole Foods. No time or desire to make the Fresh Dill Dressing? No problem. Just pick a bottle of creamy dressing you like, maybe a creamy Italian dressing. If it's thick and gloppy, thin it down by stirring in a little milk. If you like, add that little bit of milk and also run it all through the food processor with fresh dill. If even that's too much, just use extra fresh dill when tossing the salad. FYI the Fresh Dill Dressing is a dill version of our "house" salad dressing, My Everyday Creamy Herb Salad Dressing. I tend to make this salad in spurts, stocking up on the chopped items and a few greens, then replenishing the greens every few days. To keep the greens fresh, I store them in a big plastic tub, the one that holds spinach and other salad greens sold by places like Sam's Club and Costo. There's lots of room so the greens don't get crushed plus there's airflow. Really, greens stored in a tub like that will last for a couple of weeks, it's amazing. Those little dollops of Cranberry Sauce are optional but somehow take this salad to another level. With any luck, you have some leftover from Thanksgiving, it's why I always make a double batch of Homemade Whole Cranberry Sauce for the Slow Cooker and if I run out, make another.
FOR MORE INFO If you "skipped straight to the recipe," please scroll back to the top of this page for ingredient information, ingredient substitutions, tips and more.
If you print this recipe, you'll want to check the recipe online for even more tips and extra information about ingredient substitutions, best results and more. See https://www.kitchenparade.com/2024/12/winter-bitter-greens-chopped-salad.html .
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(helping home cooks save money on groceries)~ radicchio ~
~ endive ~
~ arugula recipes ~
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Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences.
Quick Suppers are Kitchen Parade favorites and feature recipes easy on the budget, the clock, the waistline and the dishwasher. Do you have a favorite recipe that other Kitchen Parade readers might like? Just send me a quick e-mail, you'll find my current address in the FAQs. How to print a Kitchen Parade recipe. Never miss a recipe! If you like this recipe, sign up for a free e-mail subscription. If you like Kitchen Parade, for more scratch cooking recipes using whole, healthful ingredients, you're sure to like my food blog about vegetable recipes, too, A Veggie Venture. If you make this recipe, I'd love to know your results! Just leave a comment below.
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Thank you for taking a moment to write! I read each and every comment, for each and every recipe. If you have a specific question, it's nearly always answered quick-quick. But I also love hearing your reactions, your curiosity, even your concerns! When you've made a recipe, I especially love to know how it turned out, what variations you made, what you'll do differently the next time. ~ Alanna