Food Lust People Love: salad recipes

Showing posts with label salad recipes. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 4, 2026

Edamame Summer Salad

This edamame summer salad boasts pan-roasted edamame and sweet corn tossed together with tomatoes, cucumber, onion and feta, dressed with a garlic lemon vinaigrette. So fresh and tasty!

It’s been a while since Food Network was one of the channels I could watch on my cable tv list but when I was searching online for recipes with edamame, I came across one by Alton Brown on their website.

It sounded simple enough with edamame, corn and tomatoes but, weirdly for a summery salad, it wanted me to turn the oven on to roast the edamame and corn. Really, Alton? I don’t know where he lives but in the southern United States no one, and I mean no one, would turn their oven on to make a summer salad.

Because we aren’t crazy. And, yes, I know it’s March right now but it was already 80°F (26.6°C) yesterday so I’m still not turning my oven for this. Most unnecessary!

I did like the idea of roasting the edamame and corn for a little extra flavor and crunch though so a hot skillet seemed the way to go. And I decided to add even more summer vegetable freshness with cucumber. And carrots and jalapeño and feta.

This is the best kind of salad, the kind you can eat for days and it just gets better. Nothing that wilts! I've had it for lunch the last few days and I'm going to be sad when it's gone.

Edamame Summer Salad

I give my amounts for the salad ingredients but know that you can add more or less according to your tastes. Love tomatoes, up the amount. Not such a fan of cucumber, put less. Want to add some basil like Alton does? Knock yourself out. It’ll still be good.

Ingredients

For the vinaigrette dressing:

1/3 cup or 80ml olive oil

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 clove garlic, minced

2 spring onions, chopped (white part only, save green for salad)

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the salad:

2 cups or 280g shelled edamame

1 cup or 140g fresh or frozen corn kernels

1/2 cucumber

1/4 purple onion, thinly sliced

1 ½ cups or 210g cherry or grape tomatoes

1 ½ cups or 110g shredded carrots

1 fresh jalapeño - optional

3 ½ oz or 100g feta cheese

Reserved green part of 2 spring onions

Method

Combine the ingredients for the vinaigrette in a small jar or container with a lid. Close the lid and shake well.

In a nonstick skillet over medium high heat, sauté the edamame, stirring very frequently, until the edamame is scorched a little in spots.

Transfer it to a plate to cool.

Repeat with the corn.

Thinly slice the purple onion.

Put the onion in a large bowl and pour over three-quarters of the vinaigrette. Finely mince the jalapeño, if using, and add it to the dressing bowl. Press the onion and jalapeño down into the dressing to cover.

Cut the little tomatoes in half.

Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise and scoop out the watery seeds with a small spoon. Chop the rest.

Crumble the feta with the tines of a fork and slice the green part of the spring onion into small pieces.

Add the edamame and corn to the dressing bowl and toss well.

Add in the tomatoes, cucumber and carrots.

Taste and see if you need to add the rest of the vinaigrette. If not, store any unused dressing in the refrigerator for another salad. Garlic lemon vinaigrette is lovely on leafy greens.

Finally, add in the crumbled feta and toss gently to combine.

You can add the spring onion greens directly to the top in the bowl and serve or transfer the salad to a serving plate and sprinkle them on.

Refrigerate any leftovers and enjoy them for several days, if they last that long.

Enjoy!

Welcome to the 5th edition of Alphabet Challenge 2026, brought to you by the letter E. Many thanks to Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm for organizing and creating the challenge. Check out all the E recipes below:

Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Corn and Edamame Salad
Mayuri’s Jikoni: Dim Posto - Bengali Egg Curry
Blogghetti: Easter Candy Charcuterie Board
Food Lust People Love: Edamame Summer Salad
Sneha’s Recipe: Eggless Banana Chocolate Cake
Jolene’s Recipe Journal: Baked Beef Empanadas
A Messy Kitchen: Golden Egg Bread
Culinary Cam: Mayak Gyeran: A Riff on Korean Marinated Eggs
A Day in the Life on the Farm: Souper Easy Quiche
Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice: Whipped Feta Lemon Zest & Basil Deviled Eggs

Here are my posts for the 2026 alphabet challenge, thus far:

A: Ají de Cerdo aka Peruvian Pork Stew

B: Baby Cos Peach Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing

C. Traditional Cullen Skink

D. Coconut Cream Date Caramel

E. Edamame Summer Salad - this post!

To check out the Alphabet Challenges for 2024 and 2025, click here.

Pin this Edamame Summer Salad!

Sunday, February 1, 2026

Chunky Avocado Egg Salad

Scooping the avocado out with a spoon keeps the pieces nice and large for this chunky avocado egg salad made with yogurt, whole-grained mustard and grated shallot. It’s perfect for breakfast, lunch or snack time.

Often, I take an avocado, split it in two, then remove the pit so I can fill the holes with ranch dressing. I eat it with a spoon, scooping out the avocado along with a bit of the dressing in each bite. It’s truly the easiest meal/snack ever.

But a few weeks ago, we were preparing for a trip so I was emptying the refrigerator and I realized there were a few boiled eggs that needed to be used up as well as a couple of just-right ripe avocados. Avocado egg salad was suddenly on the menu!

Chunky Avocado Egg Salad

I deliberately made the avocado pieces chunky because as you fold them into the egg mixture, they do sluff off their edges and I wanted to be sure they didn’t mash completely. You want still visible chunks of avocado! I give the weight of my avocado below but know that if yours is a little bigger or smaller, it’ll be fine.

Ingredients

3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled

3 tablespoons low fat Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon whole mustard

1 small shallot or 1/4 small onion, peeled (about 3/4 oz or 20g whole)

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, plus extra for garnish

Several generous grinds black pepper or to taste

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 large avocado, pitted (8 2/3 oz or 245g whole)

Method

Separate the egg whites from the yolks.

In a large mixing bowl, mash the yolks with a fork then stir in the yogurt and mustard till well combined.

Grate in the onion or shallot with the smallest side of your grater. I like to use a microplane.

Stir in the salt and two peppers.

Add the lemon juice to another bowl and then use a spoon to scoop out bites of the avocado into the juice, tossing occasionally to coat as you scoop.

Chop the egg whites and add them into the large mixing bowl with the avocado.

Fold until well combined.

If not serving immediately, cover the avocado egg salad with cling film and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

This is delicious on whole wheat crackers (my favorites are Triscuits!) or sliced bread or toast.

Enjoy!

It’s Sunday FunDay and today we are celebrating National Avocado Month. Since it’s only the first day of February, you have plenty of time to join in! Many thanks to our host, Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm. Check out the many avocado-full recipe links below.

Avocado Chicken Salad from A Messy Kitchen
Avocado Strawberry Salad from Mayuri's Jikoni
Avocado Toast with Crispy Chickpeas from Amy's Cooking Adventures
Chocolate Avocado Pudding from Making Miracles
Chunky Avocado Egg Salad from Food Lust People Love
Crab and Avocado Salad from A Day in the Life on the Farm
Creamy Avocado & Egg Salad- Keto from Sneha's Recipe
Grilled Tofu Avocado Sandwich from Cook with Renu
No Cook Avocado Spread from Sizzling Tastebuds
Pineapple Avocado Salsa from Karen's Kitchen Stories
Spicy Avocado Deviled Eggs from Sid's Sea Palm Cooking
Winter Citrus & Avocado Salad with Olive Oil and Sea Salt from Our Good Life

We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.

Pin this Chunky Avocado Egg Salad!

Wednesday, January 21, 2026

Baby Cos Peach Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing

If you can find the right peaches, this Baby Cos Peach Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing is a ray of sweet and salty summer sunshine all year round.

I know, I know, it’s not peach season in the northern hemisphere but work with me here. If you aren’t too picky about their provenance, imported peaches can be found year-round in most places. When my mom was living with us on hospice care a couple of years ago, you can bet I bought her favorite fruit whenever the peaches looked good. Cost be damned.

I am a huge fan of any sweet and salty combination and trust me when I say, blue cheese and peaches go together so nicely! The crunch of the lettuce and the slivers of onion make this one of my favorite salads. Save this salad for summer and peach season where you live, if you must, but do make it.

Baby Cos Peach Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing

I tend to buy Roquefort because we love the deep flavor of sheep’s milk and the extra saltiness of the French cheese, but you can substitute your favorite blue cheese here. This will serve two amply as a side salad, three or four as a starter.

Ingredients

2 1/2 oz or 71g blue cheese

1/3 cup or 65g mayonnaise

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1/4 small purple onion

2 ripe but firm peaches

1 baby cos or little gem lettuce (or sub romaine hearts, chopped bite-sized)

Freshly ground black pepper

Method

Crumble the blue cheese and mix it well with the mayonnaise. Thin the dressing out with the cider vinegar but try to keep some little chunks of blue cheese whole.

Slice the onion as finely as you can.

Cut the peaches in half and remove the stone, then cut them up into wedges.

Lay the baby cos lettuce leaves out on your serving platter. Drizzle on some of the blue cheese dressing.

Top with about half of the peaches and a good scattering of the onion slices.

Drizzle on some more blue cheese dressing.

Top with the remaining peaches and onion slices, then more of the dressing. I held back for the photos but put it all on after because we LOVE blue cheese. Whatever you don’t use can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days.

Finish the salad with a few generous grinds of black pepper.

Enjoy!

Welcome to the 2nd edition of Alphabet Challenge 2026, brought to you by the letter B. Many thanks to Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm for organizing and creating the challenge. Check out all the B recipes below:

Baby Cos Peach Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing from Food Lust People Love
Bateta Ringad Nu Shaak from Mayuri’s Jikoni
Beef and Noodles from A Day in the Life on the Farm
Beet and Cheese Rolls from Magical Ingredients
Black Bean Salad with Corn, Avocados, Tomatoes and Red Onions from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
Broccoli Stuffed Chicken Breasts from Blogghetti
Brown Bread Omelette from Sneha’s Recipe
Brown Sugar Banana Bread from Jolene’s Recipe Journal
Creamy Broccoli Soup from A Messy Kitchen
Small-Batch Blue Cheese Dip with Dried Herbs from Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice

Here are my posts for the 2026 alphabet challenge, thus far:

A: Ají de Cerdo aka Peruvian Pork Stew

B: Baby Cos Peach Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing - this post!

To see the Alphabet Challenges for 2024 and 2025, click here.

Pin this Baby Cos Peach Salad
with Blue Cheese Dressing!

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Leftover Pizza Pizza Salad

Leftover Pizza Pizza Salad is a lovely meal, with croutons from leftovers and other fresh ingredients with pizza flair, like pepperoni, tomatoes, olives, anchovies and mozzarella.

We have a family tradition that Friday night is pizza night or at least it almost always was when our girls were young and still living at home. These days we do pizza night way less often but it’s still a mostly Friday night treat when we do.

We always order extra because leftover pizza makes the best breakfast. It also makes fabulous croutons for snacking on or sprinkling on salad, especially Domino’s thin and crispy extravaganza, which is what I used for this salad.

Leftover Pizza Pizza Salad

Use the ingredients list as a jumping off point for your leftover pizza salad. Hate anchovies, leave them out. Don’t like olives, try artichoke hearts instead. Whatever your favorite pizza toppings are, they will probably go great in a salad!

Ingredients

1-2 slices leftover pizza

1 romaine heart, chopped

2 large tomatoes, cut in wedges

12 slices pepperoni

1 small shallot, finely sliced into rings

10 black olives, pitted and chopped

3-4 anchovies in oil, drained, cut into pieces

1/4 cup or 60ml Caesar dressing – from this recipe https://www.foodlustpeoplelove.com/2013/03/caesar-dressing-with-anchovies-or-capers.html or store-bought

Method

Preheat your oven to 375°F or 190°C and prepare baking pan by lining it with baking parchment or a silicone liner.

Use a sharp knife to cut the leftover pizza into small pieces.

Bake them on the prepared pan in your preheated oven for about 8-10 minutes or until they are browned and crunchy.

Slice the pepperoni into strips. Pit and chop the black olives.

Peel and slice the shallot into thin rings.

Chop the lettuce and cut the tomatoes into wedges. Arrange them both on a large serving platter.

Scatter the pepperoni strips, black olives, shallot rings and cheese over them.

Blot the anchovies on a paper towel to remove the excess oil and cut them into pieces. Dot the pieces around the salad.

Serve the pizza salad with the leftover pizza croutons and the Caesar dressing.

Enjoy!

It’s Sunday FunDay and today we are sharing recipes for pizza or a twist on pizza ingredients. Many thanks to our host, Amy of Amy’s Cooking Adventures. Check out the links below.

Cheeseburger Pizza from A Day in the Life on the Farm
Keto Cottage Cheese Pizza from Sneha's Recipe
Leftover Pizza Pizza Salad from Food Lust People Love
Pizza Dip from Sid's Sea Palm Cooking
Potato and Rosemary Pizza from Karen's Kitchen Stories
Puff Pastry Pizza Pockets from Mayuri's Jikoni
Roasted Garlic Alfredo Pizza from Amy's Cooking Adventures
The Elusive, Enjoyable Gluten-Free Pizza from Culinary Cam
Turkish Pide from Sizzling Tastebuds

Pin this Leftover Pizza Pizza Salad!

Wednesday, December 3, 2025

Yamitsuki Addictive Cabbage

Yamitsuki addictive cabbage, made with furikake seaweed seasoning, sesame oil, rice vinegar and salt, is a dish that is somehow way more than the sum of its parts. It's so good!

Like chai tea, shrimp scampi, naan bread and ghee butter, the title of this dish is repetitive but that’s how it is sometimes in English when the words are foreign. My excuse is that this recipe is adapted from one in New York Times Cooking and yamisuki addictive cabbage is what they called it.

Yamitsuki means addictive in Japanese so this cabbage is doubly addictive by name, if not in practice. We did love it but to say it is addictive would be a bit much.

That said, I served it as a side dish with rich, fatty pan-fried salmon and it ably served the purpose it does in Japan at an izakaya – the Japanese equivalent of a pub – where yamitsuki cabbage is said to be a refreshing palate cleanser to balance other richer, fattier foods you might be eating.

Yamitsuki Addictive Cabbage

As mentioned above, this recipe is adapted from one on New York Times Cooking.

If you can’t find Taiwanese flathead or Napa cabbage, substitute what fresh green cabbage is available to you. I used Hispi cabbage also known as pointy cabbage.

Ingredients

For the cabbage:

1 lb or 450g cabbage (about ½ head)

1 tablespoon fine sea salt

For the dressing:

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

2 cloves garlic, finely grated

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

For seasoning and garnish:

1 tablespoon furikake seaweed seasoning, or more to taste

This is made up of nori (seaweed), toasted black and white sesame seeds, salt and sugar.

Method

Remove any wilted leaves from the cabbage. Halve the cabbage through its core and remove the solid white heart of one half. Wrap the other half up and save for another recipe.

Rip the leaves of the cabbage into rough 1 ¼-inch square pieces. Any really thick bits, like the ribs, can be cut out and sliced thinly.

Wash and drain the pieces of the cabbage in a salad spinner in the sink.

Put the cabbage pieces in a very large bowl and sprinkle them with 1 tablespoon fine sea salt, then crunch and scrunch the leaves with your hands, making sure they’re all separated, well mixed in with the salt, and beginning to soften. Let the salted cabbage sit for 10 minutes.

While the cabbage sits, finely grate the garlic into a smooth paste into a small bowl.

Whisk the sesame oil, ⅛ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper into the bowl with the garlic.

After 10 minutes, the cabbage should be slightly wilted and taste slightly salty. Test a leaf by rinsing it under running water and tasting it; it should taste like the leaf absorbed some salt. (If not, let it sit for 10 more minutes and then taste again.)

Put the cabbage pieces in the salad spinner, rinse off the salt under running water, then spin the cabbage dry. Let it sit until you are ready to dress the salad.

When you’re ready to serve the dish, transfer the cabbage to a serving bowl, add the dressing and use two large spoons (or chopsticks) to toss until coated.

Sprinkle the salad with the furikake seaweed seasoning, again making sure everything is mixed together.

Sprinkle with a little more furikake seaweed seasoning to garnish.

Enjoy!

Welcome to the 25th edition of Alphabet Challenge 2025, brought to you by the letter Y. Many thanks to Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm for organizing and creating the challenge. Check out all the Y recipes below: