Eat Your Veggies
Salad doesn't have to be boring. Despite what you probably believed as a child, salad is more than a way for picky eaters to have their greens. Salads around the world are some of our most diverse offerings featuring pasta, fruit, seafood, and, of course, veg.
1. Caesar Salad
Although we think of Caesar salad as typically American, it was actually invented by an Italian immigrant to Mexico! Caesar Cardini invented this salad on a Fourth of July rush in Tijuana, mixing the lettuce, croutons, and dressing tableside for a little added flair. Caesar's restaurant is still mixing salads tableside today!
2. Fattoush
Fattoush shakes things up a little bit by using fried pita bread as the base, rather than veggies. Fattoush is served throughout the Levant (the Arabian peninsula to Egypt) with mixed greens, radish, cucumber, and tomato. The earliest fattoush recipe dates back to the 10th century!
3. Greek Salad
Known as choriatiki or "peasant salad" in its native land, Greek salad is one of Greece's most popular cultural exports behind the Iliad and the Olympics. Greek salad is Mediterranean cooking at its finest and its' most basic, combining, tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, feta, and Kalamata olives. Greek salad is reminiscent of what farmers may have eaten for breakfast hundreds of years ago.
4. Kısır
Another grain-based salad, kısır is a Turkish salad based around bulgur, a whole grain somewhat similar to couscous. Once the bulgur is finely ground, it is mixed with parsley and tomato paste. Topped with sour pomegranate molasses and spices, kısır is served as side dish or appetizer.
5. Salade Niçoise
Hailing from the friendliest city in France (don't quote us on that) this salad showcases the best of Nice's Mediterranean cuisine. Salade niçoise features tomatoes, artichokes, anchovies, and the star of the show, Niçoise olives. Salty yet refreshing, this is the perfect summer salad.
6. Lalab
One of the beautiful things about salads is that the rules are rarely set in stone. This is best exemplified by lalab, a Indonesian dish created by Sudanese immigrants. Any raw vegetables can be served alongside spicy chili sauce, though the most popular are cucumber, tomato, and lemon basil.
Gunawan Kartapranata on Wikimedia
7. Kachumbari
Kachumbari toes the line between salad and relish. This tomato and onion salad is popular throughout Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Some variations add a splash of gin or vodka along with the vinegar and chili peppers.
8. Caprese Salad
Many salads on this list are emblematic of their countries of origin, but few are as patriotic as the caprese. Representing the tricolor Italian flag, caprese uses only three ingredients: buffalo mozzarella, tomatoes, and salad. The salad is then topped salt and olive oil.
9. Golbaegni-muchim
Golbaengi-muchim is a South Korean salad that probably seems adventurous to western palates. The centerpiece of this salad is sea snail, which is then mixed with vegetables and spicy sauce. Golbaegni-muchim isn't so much a drunk food as it is a food you eat while getting drunk.
10. Pecel
Pecel is a salad from the Indonesian island of Java. Pecel uses sprouts, lettuce and cabbage, along with a roasted peanut sauce that varies greatly depending on region. The simplicity of this dish makes it a favorite along train journeys.
11. Papaya Salad
Don't make the rookie mistake of ordering a papaya salad at your local Thai or Lao restaurant thinking you'll be safe from the spice. Papaya salad, like most Southeast Asian cuisine packs some serious heat despite the fruity name. This dish combines the five basic tastes: sour, spicy, salty, and savory, using unripe papaya as its canvas.
12. Macaroni Salad
A staple of delis across America, macaroni salad is one of few acceptable uses for cold pasta. This cookout classic features mayonnaise, macaroni, and celery. In the Philippines, a dessert version of macaroni salad is served at Christmas parties.
Sodanie Chea from Norwalk, Ca, United States on Wikimedia
13. Garden Salad
There's no one definition of a garden salad, as it can be found in every corner of the world. Like the name implies, a garden salad can be made with anything you find in your garden. Typically the base is composed of lettuce, spinach, or arugula, then topped however you want.
14. Nam Khao
Laotian nam khao is regularly named one of the best Asian streetfoods. Nam khao is one of the most unique salads on this list as it features deep-fried rice balls, fermented pork sausage, and grated coconut. Traditionally, nam khao is eaten not with a fork but as a wrap.
15. Tabbouleh
Tabbouleh is a an important part of Middle Eastern mezze platters, and one of the most popular Middle Eastern exports abroad. The main ingredients are finely-chopped parsley, bulgur, tomatoes, and mint. Lebanon celebrates National Tabbouleh Day on the first Saturday in July.
16. Dressed Herring
This Russian salad may not be the prettiest of the bunch, but it's a New Year's delicacy among Post-Soviet states. Dressed herring, or "herring under a fur coat", features salted and diced herring hidden under layers of eggs, vegetables, and mayonnaise. The top layer of beetroot gives this salad a beautiful pink color.
17. Khao Yam
Not to be confused with nasi ulam, a similar Malaysian dish, khao yam is a Thai rice salad. Khao yam is a surprisingly labor-intensive salad with a tart, salty, and herbal flavor. While khao yam may be a labor of love to make, it can be made with pretty much any fresh ingredients you have on hand; no two salads are the same.
18. Mesclun
Another French salad, this time from Provence. Mesclun literally means "mixture", regarding the blend of chervil, arugula, leafy lettuce, and endive. Mesclun is made with the first young leaves of spring for maximum taste and tenderness.
19. Cobb Salad
A classic American salad, chopped and arranged in picturesque rows, Cobb salad was developed in 1937 by a hungry Hollywood chef trying to make use of his leftovers. Cobb salad traditionally features multiple types of greens including watercress, chicory, and romaine lettuce, along with tomatoes, bacon, chicken, and cheese. This is a hearty salad that is served as a main course.
20. Chilean Salad
Chilean salad is a great pick for people who don't love leafy greens but still want to eat healthy. Fresh tomatoes are the star of this show, topped with onion, coriander, and olive oil. Chilean Salad is traditionally eaten around Easter.
