This is a print preview of "Chopped Salad with Sweet Basil Dressing" recipe.

Chopped Salad with Sweet Basil Dressing Recipe
by John Spottiswood

Chopped Salad with Sweet Basil Dressing

A few months ago Lora Krulak sent Nancy and I her cookbook Veggies for Carnivores. The small book is packed with a lot of recipes and variations which are tasty and easy to make. One of our favorites was this salad recipe. We've used the dressing on multiple salads now, but the first we tried it on was this chopped salad. We had it at home, then brought it to a friends house for a party, and it was a hit both places. The touch of honey is the missing ingredient that I had not been putting in my dressings. It really brings this one together. Enjoy!

Rating: 4.7/5
Avg. 4.7/5 6 votes
Prep time: United States American
  Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • Dressing:
  • 1 bunch basil washed with stems removed
  • 3/4 cup high quality olive oil
  • 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
  • 1 tsp honey
  • White pepper and salt to taste (you'll likely want at least 1/2 tsp of each)
  • Salad:
  • Any chopped vegetables that you have and like will work here. Feel free to experiment. Here's a sample plan.
  • 4 cups Romaine Lettuce
  • 1/2 cup Celery
  • 1/2 cup Carrot
  • 1/2 cup Avocado
  • Alternatively, try adding cucumber, green onion, green or red peppers, beets, cauliflower, parsnip, green beans (par boiled), cabbage, tomatoes, fennel, olives, almonds, raisins, etc.

Directions

  1. Put the basil, lemon and honey in a blender and start blending slowly, increasing the speed gradually to high. Slowly drizzle the olive oil into the blender, emulsifying the ingredients. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  2. Chop all the vegetables for the salad into bite size chunks and place them in a large bowl. Add sufficient dressing and toss thoroughly. Check for seasoning and add kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper as desired.