Category: Salad

Bubby’s Green Bean Salad

There are some recipes that live on not just because they taste good, but because they carry stories, memories, and a little bit of magic. Bubby’s green bean salad is one of those. It’s simple, sure, but it showed up at every family gathering — bright, crisp, and always disappearing far too fast.

Bubby’s secret? A pinch of dried oregano and just a touch of sugar — two ingredients that quietly transform this humble salad into something unforgettable.

A little disclaimer though – this salad is only as good as your blanching technique! Overcook the beans and you’ve got a mushy diaster. Blanch them just enough to keep them tender-crisp, and you’ve got the crunchiest bite! The addition of bright and crunchy cherry tomatoes, red onion, that slightly pickle in the dressing, takes it over the top.

 

Bubby’s Green Bean Salad

1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed
1 small red onion, thinly sliced into half moons
1 pint grape tomatoes
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp sugar
kosher salt, to taste

Method:

Blanch the green beans: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, salt generously. Add the green beans and cook for about 2–3 minutes, just until bright green and crisp-tender. Immediately transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and pat dry.

In a large bowl, combine the green beans, red onion and tomatoes. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, sugar and salt. Taste and adjust — it should be tangy with a hint of sweetness.

Best served chilled or at room temperature, perfect for summer BBQs!

VARIATION: top with crumbled feta or goat cheese for dairy meals!

 

Related Recipes:

tempura green beans
lemon mustard green beans
cranberry sriracha green beans

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Spring Eggplant Carpaccio

As the days grow longer and the world outside comes back to life, spring brings a welcome shift in the kitchen. Gone are the heavy stews of winter—in their place, we crave something lighter, fresher, and full of color. Enter: Eggplant Carpaccio.

This dish is a celebration of simplicity and the joy of fresh produce. Roasted eggplant flesh becomes the silky foundation for a cascade of crisp radishes and juicy spring tomatoes. It’s clean, bright, and surprisingly satisfying.

Traditionally, carpaccio is a dish of raw meat or fish sliced thin. But in this vegetarian-friendly version, eggplant is roasted or grilled until tender, bringing a subtle smokiness that pairs beautifully with the crunch of raw radishes, the sweetness of tomatoes and the spiciness of schug.

What makes this dish really special is the chance it gives you to play. Think of the plate as your canvas. There are no rules—just colors, textures, and flavors. Each plate becomes a personal expression of what spring looks and feels like to you.

Spring Eggplant Carpaccio

Flesh of 2 roasted eggplants (see method here)
juice of 1/2 lemon
kosher salt, to taste
1/4 cup schug (add a garlic scape for spring!)
1 tomato on the vine, grated
2 breakfast radishes, thinly sliced
1 jalapeno, thinly sliced
2 tbsp tahini paste
1/4 cup cumbled feta
2 tbsp good quality olive oil
1 tsp sumac
fresh parsley, for garnish
smoked salt, for finishing

Method:

Mash up the eggplant flesh and season with lemon juice and salt, spread out on a round platter. Top the eggplant with dollops of grated tomato and schug, then sprinkle on some feta crumbles and top with sliced jalapeno and radishes. Drizzle with olive oil, tahini, and finish with parsley and some smoked salt.

 

Related Recipes:

tomato carpaccio
simanim carpaccio
Melon Carpaccio

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Devil-ish Egg Chicken Caesar Salad

Sometimes the best meals come from a little fridge foraging. This deconstructed deviled egg chicken Caesar salad was born from a handful of Shabbos leftovers—grilled chicken, day-old sourdough (I always save a chunk for croutons!), and a couple of soft-boiled eggs—and turned into something unexpectedly delicious. It’s got all the bold, briny, umami-packed flavors of a deviled egg, reimagined in salad form with creamy Caesar dressing, crunchy croutons, and savory bites of chicken. It’s hearty, flavorful, and a perfect example of how a few humble ingredients can come together to create something special.

 

Devil-ish Egg Chicken Caesar Salad

1/4 loaf sourdough (5oz), torn into pieces and crumbs
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp kosher salt
4-5 cups curly kale, stems removed, roughly torn
1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 grilled chicken breasts, diced
3 soft boiled eggs

Umami dressing:
2/3 cup mayonnaise
3 tbsp minced capers
2 cloves minced garlic
1 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread the sourdough onto a baking sheet and mix with smoked paprika, olive oil and salt. Bake until crispy, about 15-20 minutes, stirring every few minutes.

Mix the dressing in a small bowl. Using gloves, massage most of the dressing into the kale, leaving a few spoons for later.

Spread the chicken over the kale, top with sourdough croutons. Drizzle remaining dressing and top with soft boiled eggs.

Related Recipes:

Asian chicken salad
green goddess chicken salad
curry chicken salad
honey mustard chicken salad
kitchen sink chicken caesar salad

Beet & Chickpea Salad


I had some leftover pickles and chickpeas from yesterday’s post, plus some beets in the fridge, so I made one of my Shabbos staples – this beet and chickpea salad that’s super easy to put together, budget friendly and oh. so. good. Perfect for your mezze spread, or just because!

 

Beet & Chickpea Salad
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
8 mini Israeli pickles, sliced in half lengthwise and chopped
2 large pre-cooked beets, diced small
1 small red onion, diced small
small bunch of parsley, chopped
1/3 cup prepared tahini
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
kosher salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Chop and mix! It’s as easy as that!

Related Recipes:

roasted beet salsa

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Rainbow Carrot Salad

I was so excited to get into the kitchen with my friend Rachel Simons, from Seed & Mill to cook up a recipe from her new cookbook, SESAME! To know me, is to love TAHINI – I am legit sesame-obsessed, and Rachel really helped me look at sesame in a whole new way.

We started by toasting up the sesame seeds in a dry pan and as the kitchen filled up with the smell of toasted sesame, we transferred them to a mortar and pestle where Rachel gently pressed on the seeds to crush them into the most incredible magic dust that was nutty and crunchy with an irresistible mouthfeel. Definitely my new favorite technique!

We used the same powder to create a delicious, light, umami dressing for the prettiest pile of rainbow carrot ribbons that Rachel brought from Union Square market. She shaved some scallions and chopped some carrot greens to sprinkle over the salad, and we drizzled on some Seed & Mill tahini for a fabulous finish.

So so good!

Rainbow Carrot Goma-ae Salad
Serves 6 to 8
reprinted with permission from Sesame by Rachel Simons, Ten Speed Press

⅓ cup well-toasted sesame seeds
1½ tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon dashi powder (we used 1 scant teaspoon of Trader Joes umami seasoning)
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon mirin
1 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic flakes
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
½ teaspoon honey or maple syrup
¾ pound rainbow carrots, shaved with a vegetable peeler
3 or 4 scallions, sliced on the diagonal (optional)

Method:

1. In a mortar with a pestle or in a food processor, grind the sesame seeds until some of the oil has been released and the seeds are slightly crushed, but the mixture has not yet become a paste. Instead, it should look like crunchy wet sand.

2 In a medium bowl, whisk the ground sesame seeds, sesame oil, soy sauce, dashi powder, rice vinegar, water, mirin, granulated garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and the honey until well combined. Taste and add more salt, if desired. Set aside.
3 In a serving bowl, toss the dressing with the carrots until evenly coated. Top the carrots with the sliced scallions (if using) and serve immediately.

Related Recipes:

Simanim carpaccio

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