Choose side salads to complement the entree.
Learning the ins and outs of customizing side salads may take a little trial and error, but the taste of the right side salad can make a meal complete. Even lightly seasoned chicken or fish becomes that much more flavorful when served with a complementary side salad. The best choices carry their own flavor but are not overwhelming to the main dish.
Tabouli
A popular and common Middle Eastern salad, tabouli is made from a white or red whole-wheat kernel that has been boiled and cracked, called bulgur. Bulgur offers 6 g of protein per cup and comes precooked. When combined with cucumbers, tomatoes and lots of fresh parsley and mixed with lemon juice and olive oil, it becomes a fiber- and potassium-rich side salad. The mint that is added in the Middle East gives tabouli a fresh, light taste that makes it ideal as a side dish for vegetable-based dishes and lightly seasoned chicken or fish.
Warm Salads
Warm salads made with filling, seasonal vegetables make a comforting accompaniment to a breezy outdoor summer meal or a way to add sweetness and flavor to meals that need a little something extra. A favorite root vegetable like butternut squash or sweet potatoes can be cubed and roasted with olive oil and complemented by balsamic vinegar, crispy pieces of ham or proscuitto, grated Italian cheese like pecorino, a sprinkle of red chili pepper and torn, wilted leafy greens like arugula, endive, dandelion greens or escarole.
Quinoa Salads
Quinoa, most commonly found in white or red, tastes nutty and is slightly chewy. Easily cooked in a rice cooker or on the stovetop, it can be used as an alternative to rice as the foundation of satisfying salads. Peas, corn, peppers and cucumbers all provide a nice crunch to quinoa mixtures while walnuts, sunflower seeds and/or cashews all meld nicely with the texture and mild flavor of quinoa. Almost anything you could eat with rice can be added to a quinoa salad. The Savvy Vegetarian blog suggests chopped scallions, dried unsweetened cranberries, raisins or apricots, Greek olives, minced jalapeno pepper, and fresh mint as additions. Great with hamburgers, veggie burgers or soup, quinoa is an easily adaptable side salad when marinated with a dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and garlic.
Couscous Salads
The sweet, citrus appeal of pineapple takes on a little heat when combined with green chilies for a taste bud-pleasing salad. It can be dually used for the side of dishes and as a garnish for the top of fish, chicken, pork, chicken and turkey burgers. For the main salad, mix a chopped pineapple with a diced onion, 1/2 cup finely diced fresh cilantro and 2 green chilies. Refrigerate 2 tbsp. lemon juice, a touch of salt and 1 tsp. of pepper and pour over the salad a few minutes before serving.
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