My Two Go-To Everyday Salads

A super herby carrot salad + a 90s-style, salad bar-inspired side salad.

Happy belated new year from India! For the next couple months, I’m here traveling across the country and Sri Lanka, working on the Diaspora Cookbook (coming out in October 2025!—join us on our motley crew’s spice-filled adventures on Instagram at @fromheadtotable and @diasporaco). When I’m traveling, no matter the country or how amazingly delicious the food is, there comes point where I yearn for a big salad. One with lots of vim and vigor, all the crunchy things, and packed with—you guessed it!—Big Salad Energy.

Access to wifi has been a little spotty, so this newsletter is a twofer, featuring TWO of my favorite everyday side salads (ones that I am currently dreaming about right now). Each of these may be supporting characters, but they’ve still got a big dose of main character flavor. And, for those craving a heftier salad that serves as the whole meal, I’ve included some suggestions in each headnote on how to turn these babies into the main event.

First up, a carrot salad, inspired by French carottes râpées—a simple grated carrot salad—bolstered with a bounty of fresh herbs, toasted spices, and a three-ingredient lemon dressing. The second stands firmly in 90s nostalgia and the salad bars of yore. Known in my household as “the side salad” or “that salad,” it’s a highly requested little number, combining crispy lettuce, grated carrots, crisp cucumber, cherry tomatoes, black olives, and pepperoncini, all tossed with a zippy red wine vinaigrette.

And, don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten about you, paid subscribers—another delicious recipe is hitting your inboxes tomorrow! Plus, there is a newsletter scheduled for every week in February (that’s four delectable treats coming your way).

ONE PART CARROTS, ONE PART HERBS, AND ALL AROUND DELECTABLE.

My Fave Carrot Salad

French food can often be categorized as rich and heavy, but they know how to do salads right, too (hello, salad niçoise!). This version of carottes râpées dials up the herbs and spices, giving it extra freshness and vibrancy. If you don’t have a mandolin to julienne the carrots, you can use the large side of a grater or a food processor fitted with the grater blade. If I am grating the carrots, I like to squeeze some of the excess liquid out using cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel—no soggy salads here!

How to make it the main event: Add a can of drained white beans or chickpeas, or 1¼ cups cooked beans to the carrot salad, plus an extra drizzle of olive oil and squeeze of lemon. Top with grilled chicken breast, Turmeric-Honey Salmon, or golden planks of halloumi for a little extra protein.

Serves 2 to 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1½ teaspoons coriander seeds

• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

• ½ teaspoon fennel seeds

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

• ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal or ¼ teaspoon Morton’s kosher salt

• 4 to 5 medium-to-large carrots (about 12 to 14 ounces)

• ½ cup cilantro, leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped

• ½ cup fresh dill, torn into big, bite-sized pieces

• ½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped

• ½ cup mint leaves, torn into big, bite-sized pieces

• Flaky sea salt

METHOD

1. Heat a small skillet or tadka spoon over medium heat. Add ½ teaspoons coriander seeds, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, and ½ teaspoon fennel seeds, and toast, swirling the pan until the coriander turns a shade darker and the spices smell roasty-toasty, 45 seconds to 1 minute. Transfer to a spice grinder or mortar, and let cool for 5 minutes.

2. Pulse or pound the toasted spices into a medium-coarse powder and transfer to a large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard, and ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal or ¼ teaspoon Morton’s kosher salt, and whisk to combine. Set aside.

3. For the salad, peel 4 to 5 medium-to-large carrots, then cut into 3-to-4-inch pieces. Using a mandolin fitted with a julienne blade, shred the carrots and transfer to the large bowl with the dressing. Add ½ cup roughly chopped cilantro, ½ cup torn dill fronds, ½ cup roughly chopped parsley, and ½ cup torn mint leaves to the bowl, and gently toss to combine. Taste, and adjust salt, if needed.

4. Transfer to a serving bowl or shallow platter, sprinkle with flaky sea salt, and serve immediately.

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SOMETIMES THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE SIMPLE.

The Side Salad

Inspired by 90s salad bar salads and green salads from pizza joints, this salad is the one that makes it onto my table the most often. The vinaigrette is the LBD (little black dress) of dressings, fitting with just about any topping you’d find at a salad bar—or any odds and ends that need using up in your crisper. And, while I love the iconic combo of grated carrots, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, black olives, and pepperoncini, here are a few more of my go-to topping choices:

• Cooked beets, cucumbers, chickpeas, alfalfa or radish sprouts, and crumbled feta or blue cheese.

• Blanched asparagus, white beans, good-quality tinned tuna, and a soft boiled egg.

• Marinated artichokes, salami, thinly sliced cherry peppers, lots of torn fresh basil, chickpeas, big shards of Parmigiano-Reggiano, and aged balsamico instead of the red wine vinegar.

• A mess of thinly sliced radishes, torn dill, and grated hard-boiled egg.

Like most of my salad recipes, this one makes a bit more dressing than you’ll need, leaving you extra for more salads on the fly during the week!

Serves 2 to 4

INGREDIENTS

For the dressing

• 1 small shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons)

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• 3 tablespoons lemon juice

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

• ½ teaspoon maple syrup

• Dash of vinegar-based hot sauce, such as Crystal or Tabasco

• Dash of Worcestershire sauce

• ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil

• ¾ teaspoon Diamond Crystal or ½ teaspoon Morton’s kosher salt, plus more

• ½ teaspoon dried Greek or Sicilian oregano (optional)

• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the salad

• 1 large head butter lettuce or 1 4-ounce container baby lettuces (I like Plenty’s Crispy Lettuce)

• 1 medium carrot

• 1 to 2 Persian cucumbers or ½ English cucumber

• 8 to 10 cherry tomatoes

• ¼ cup sliced black olives, drained

• 6 to 8 whole pepperoncini (optional)

METHOD

1. To make the dressing, combine 2 tablespoons minced shallot, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, ½ teaspoon maple syrup, a dash of vinegar-based hot sauce, a dash of Worcestershire sauce, ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil, ¾ teaspoon Diamond Crystal or ½ teaspoon Morton’s kosher salt, ½ teaspoon dried Greek or Sicilian oregano, if using, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper in a mason jar. Seal and shake well to emulsify. Taste and adjust salt, if needed. Set aside.

2. For the salad, wash and dry 1 large head butter lettuce, tear the leaves into big, bite-sized pieces, and transfer into a large bowl. Peel 1 medium carrot, grate on the large side of a grater, thinly slice 1 to 2 Persian cucumbers or ½ English cucumber, and halve 8 to 10 cherry tomatoes, and transfer to the bowl with the lettuce.

3. Drizzle a quarter of the dressing over the salad and gently toss to combine. Transfer to a serving bowl or shallow platter, sprinkle with ¼ cup sliced black olives, and spoon another couple spoonfuls of dressing over the salad. Garnish with 6 to 8 whole pepperoncini, if using, and enjoy immediately.