Flavour combinations: Our top salad tips

Here at Harvester, we know how to make a salad special – and our salad experts are full of tips and tricks to help turn your lunchtime salad into a real tasty treat.

Forget limp lettuce – start with good basic ingredients, and remember to chop and change the stars of your salad so you don’t get tired of the same thing. Load up your leaves, too – a big box of salad means you can dive in and graze until you’re full.

Here are seven easy tips to give your salad a bit of oomph, from our salad expert Chris Griffin:

1. Dry your leaves before dressing

Use a salad spinner to make sure your leaves are dry. Or, if you don’t have one, you can pop your washed leaves into a clean pillowcase and spin it above your head. You’ll look ridiculous, but it works a treat.

2. Know your onions

Onion is great for flavour and crunch – but if you find the taste of raw onions too strong, you can mellow it by soaking the onions in ice-cold water for 5-10 minutes.

3. Sprinkle in some seeds

Pumpkin, sesame, nigella, sunflower… Seeds are a great addition to any salad. But don’t just pop them in raw – give them a quick toast in a dry pan to give them some extra flavour.

4. Spice it up with chilli

A pinch of chilli flakes or freshly chopped chilli will give your salad a spicy kick. Pair it with unlikely ingredients like chunks of melon, pineapple or cucumber. It might sound a bit out there, but trust us on this one.

5. Add some colour

Make salads extra-appetising by filling them with vibrant colours. Try adding pomegranate seeds, radishes, yellow tomatoes, peppers, black olives or even kiwi fruit to your mix.

6. Sharpen up your slicing

Slice tomatoes through the stem, otherwise you’ll cut through the segments and release lots of juice. No one likes a soggy salad.

7. Grab a grater

Grated carrot is the perfect on-the-go topping to liven up your salad and add some sweetness and crunch. Grated courgette adds a new and surprising flavour too.

8. Sprinkle on a topper

Don’t forget the final flourish – dried onion flakes, croutons, raisins and chopped nuts can all add a tasty finishing touch to your salad and make it look even more appetising.

Want to try out your new salad skills? Find your nearest Harvester and help yourself to our unlimited salad bar.