Here at That Salad Lady, we’re absolute suckers for a good salad bowl recipe. We especially love out of the box recipes that go beyond uninspired “garden” blends topped with dressing from a jar.
Sometimes we just need to rethink our perceptions of different foods and combinations. In fact, That Salad Lady has converted some of the biggest salad skeptics and transformed even the pickiest eaters with a single bowl recipe that’s been fine-tuned over the years.
It is the resulting “Ultimate Salad Bowl” recipe that actually earned our founder, Nina, the name That Salad Lady. It’s what set her on a path to prove that every bowl is an opportunity to build a new layer of wellness.
Not Your Average Salad Bowl
The Ultimate Salad Bowl is not the type of dish you’ll find on a restaurant menu. If it were, you’d probably order it.
It’s the perfect blend of tart, sweet and savory – even for the vegetable averse – as the ingredient combination itself helps mask some of the bitter tastes. Packed full of flavor and unbelievably filling, this vibrant salad bowl houses over a day’s worth of veggies and fruits along with hefty amounts of healthy fats and good protein.
It’s also man and kid approved.
Though it might look a bit complicated, the Ultimate Salad Bowl is incredibly easy to make. The prep time is relatively lengthy (roughly 45 minutes) but once the salad is put together, it makes enough for multiple bowls to eat over multiple days or to feed multiple people.
The finished product is worth the time it would take for your Postmates order to arrive anyway (and without the guilt).
THE BALANCING ACT
One of the reasons we’re so obsessed with salad creations is that each ingredient can potentially balance another one out. A single ingredient can even improve the flavor and overall nutritional value of your whole salad bowl.
If we were to just give you a day’s worth of vegetables, it likely wouldn’t satisfy your need for something that tastes delicious and doesn’t leave you raiding your fridge after. Here at That Salad Lady, we want you to understand why each ingredient matters.
So, what’s in the Ultimate Salad Bowl recipe and why?
The Veggie Effect
As with most salad bowls, vegetables are the foundation of the Ultimate Salad Bowl recipe. It includes a colorful array of bell peppers, red onion, broccoli, cauliflower and cucumber. All these ingredients add their own special layer of nutrition to the bowl (visit our Nutrition Glossary to see how).
The Natural Sweeteners
In addition to vegetables, the Ultimate Salad Bowl recipe includes Granny Smith and Fuji apples, dried cranberries (or Craisins®) and the oh-so-savory avocado berry (yes, avocado is a berry).
Aside from adding superior nutrition, the deliciously tart and sweet flavors of the apples (and their skins) help balance out the bitterness of the vegetables, especially when combined with dried cranberries.
While dried cranberries can be a good source of fiber, vitamins and antioxidants, they’re also packed full of sugar. That’s actually why they’re included here. Their natural sweetness, along with apples, negates the need for salad dressing – as does the avocado included. The creamy, nutty, almost buttery flavor of avocado is also great for balancing out the bitterness of veggies.
The Nuts and Seeds We Didn’t Know We Needed
Unless you’re allergic to certain nuts or seeds, we highly recommend adding them to the Ultimate Salad Bowl. Besides offering amazing nutritional value, it’s just something about the unique flavor and texture they bring to the mix.
That Salad Lady encourages us to top off our salad bowls with chia seeds. In addition to boosting nutrition, chia seeds can actually enhance the fat burning potential of a dish.
Adding chia seeds also provides a substantial dose of fiber and health-promoting omega-3 fatty acids, both of which have strong satiating (or filling) effects. The same is true for nuts, which are packed with fiber and healthy fats as well.
You can use a combination of walnuts, almonds and pecans, but just one or two types will suffice. While you can easily add the nuts in raw form, we suggest ‘candying’ them with That Salad Lady’s signature honey-based glaze for even more amazing flavor.
GET YOUR CHOP ON
The Ultimate Salad Bowl recipe calls for chopping most of the base ingredients into bite-sized pieces. Apologies folks – food choppers and mincers won’t work. Needless to say, chopping is the most time-consuming step. It’s okay. It’s good practice! Just use a high-quality chef’s knife. This knife is designed to make the process of chopping veggies and fruits an absolute breeze.
We suggest chopping everything but the avocado in one take, as avocado tastes better when it’s freshly cut. Once the veggies and fruits are chopped up, combine them all in a large colander, rinse and shake up the mix well for a nice, even distribution of colors and then transfer the whole mixture to a large salad bowl.
From there, let the mixture chill in the fridge while you prepare the rest of the ingredients – you can even store this overnight.
BUILD YOUR SALAD BOWL
Now, it’s time to build your bowl. Chop up the avocado and add it to the chilled mix, throw in the candied or plain nuts, and then top it all off with sprinkles of dried cranberries and chia seeds. Consider this to be the basic Ultimate Salad Bowl blend!
From here on out, it’s all about your personal preferences. Double your salad bowl portions and eat less meals or store the basic blend (minus the avocado, dried cranberries and chia seeds) in the fridge and spread out your bowls to eat over the course of multiple days.
All put together, the actual blend is large enough for 6-8 generous-sized portions. No dressing is needed for the basic Ultimate Salad Bowl blend, as it’s naturally sweet.
If you must have dressing, use That Salad Lady’s honey mustard blend. You can even make your own dressing by whisking some extra-virgin olive oil with freshly squeezed orange and lemon juices. This simple combination of ingredients can really bring out the salad’s natural flavors.
If you’re planning for leftovers, it’s best to add dressing to each individual salad bowl as opposed to mixing it in with the whole salad blend. The veggies and fruits will quickly get soggy and you won’t be as happy with your creation the next day.
Add Your Finishing Touches
Make it your Ultimate Salad Bowl recipe by adding your own finishing touches to the basic blend. The more you add, the more fun it’ll be to eat. So, create a fun-filled eating experience for yourself.
If you want to include leafy greens, some great choices include kale, spinach, and traditional salad greens like arugula, romaine and loose-leaf lettuces. The darker the greens, the more nutritious. That Salad Lady recommends adding leafy greens on a bowl-by-bowl basis. They have a tendency to get soggy with prolonged storage.
Don’t forget to visit our Nutrition Glossary so you can confidently choose the best greens for you.
To boost the protein content and filling effect of your salad bowl, throw in a handful of chopped chicken breast, cooked shrimp, hard-boiled eggs or even roasted extra-firm tofu. Once again, don’t forget about our Nutrition Glossary as it’s all about making YOU confident in building YOUR bowl.
Here at That Salad Lady, we like to add Gorgonzola cheese and bacon as well when we’re craving a richer, more savory flavor. All put together, the Ultimate Salad Bowl is huge. Our founder, Nina, generally eats hers within a few days, as she only eats one large meal a day.
It’s all about building a bowl that works best for YOU.
SHOW US YOUR BOWL
That Salad Lady wants to see your bowl! If you like it, which we are sure you will, drop a comment below and tag pics on Instagram with @thatsaladlady, #thatsaladlady and #buildyourbowl. If you love it, pin it on Pinterest and share it on Facebook and Twitter using #thatsaladlady.
The Ultimate Salad Bowl Recipe
Course: MainCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Moderate8
servings35
minutes10
minutes485
kcal45
minutesPacked with flavor, unbelievably filling and kid approved, this colorful salad bowl recipe houses a day’s worth of veggies and fruits with plenty of healthy fats and good protein.
Ingredients
- Base Salad Blend
4 medium bell peppers (multiple colors including red, orange, yellow and/or green), cored, sliced and chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 medium red onion, sliced and chopped or diced
1 medium cucumber with skin, seeded,* sliced and chopped into bite-sized cubes
1 large head broccoli or 3 1/2 cups florets, stems and leaves removed, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1/4 to 1/2 head cauliflower or 2 cups florets, stems and leaves removed, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 Granny Smith apple, cored, sliced and chopped into bite-sized cubes
2 Fuji apples, cored, sliced and chopped into bite-sized cubes
2 avocados, peeled, pitted and chopped into bite-sized cubes
1 cup dried cranberries or Craisins®
1-1/2 cup nuts (multiple types including walnuts, almonds and/or pecans; see additional ingredients and recipe linked below for ‘optional’ honey-based glaze)**
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1 cup Gorgonzola or blue cheese crumbles (optional)***
8 strips bacon, pan-fried or oven-baked, sliced and chopped into tiny bits (optional)****
- Honey-Based Glaze (Optional)
3 tablespoons pure, raw and unfiltered honey
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Juice of 1/2 orange
Directions
- Combine chopped peppers, onion, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber and apples in a large colander or similar dish.
- Rinse and ‘shake up’ the mix well for an even distribution of colors and then transfer the mixture to a large salad bowl.
- Cover the bowl and let the mixture chill until remaining ingredients are prepared or even overnight.
- For candied nuts, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and prepare the honey-based glaze as per the recipe. The nuts should ‘candy’ within 15 minutes.
- Add chopped avocado to the chilled vegetable and fruit mix.
- Toss in plain or cooled candied nuts along with cheese and bacon, if using.
- Top the blend with sprinkles of dried cranberries and chia seeds.
Notes
- *Scrape out cucumber seeds to avoid watering down the salad bowl.
- **Do not add nuts if you have a nut allergy.
- ***Whether you use Gorgonzola or blue cheese, both bring rich, earthy flavor and a good dose of pure protein to the bowl. Gorgonzola has a milder taste and softer texture than blue cheese which tends to be harder and crumblier.
- ****Use whatever type of bacon you prefer. We generally use turkey bacon as the additional salt enhances the flavor of the salad bowl.
- Leafy greens like kale, spinach and traditional salad greens make great additions to the blend. Add them on a bowl-by-bowl basis, as they tend to get soggy when stored.
- To boost the protein content and filling effect of your bowl, throw in a handful of chopped chicken breast, cooked shrimp or even roasted extra-firm tofu. Chopping up or shredding the breasts of a precooked rotisserie chicken can be delicious, cost-effective and time efficient.
- If you must have dressing, try our honey mustard blend. You can even make your own dressing by whisking some extra-virgin olive oil with freshly squeezed orange and lemon juices. This nutrition-boosting combination can really bring out the salad’s natural flavors.
- Depending on your eating style, you can double your portions and eat less meals or store the basic blend (minus the avocado, dried cranberries and chia seeds) in the fridge and eat multiple bowls over the course of multiple days.
This information is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate. Please review our full disclaimer to get a clear understanding of the nutrition and health information and resources presented and written on our website.
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Hi Nina! I was wondering what the amount per serving size was for this salad? Is the 485 calories for 2 cups? 3 cups of salad? Thanks! 🙂
Hi Amanda! It’s approximately 2-3 cups per serving, depending on how large you chop the ingredients 😉
Also, note that the bulk of the calories come from fats (avocado and nuts).
I came across your TikTok and was impressed with your salads. I started incorporating this salad 4 to 5 times a week as a meal. I am very happy to use so many plant sourced foods. We are not vegetarians, just trying to eat healthier. Thank you
Hi Paula! We’re super happy to hear this, as our goal is to promote plant-forward eating, regardless of eating style:) Thanks for your input!
Hello,
Where do you get the brown bowls from please? Also, how do you keep the ingredients fresh and crispy while storing.
Hi Shannon! The large bowl is from Williams Sonoma and the smaller ones are from Macy’s. We talk about different ways to keep the salad layers fresh in the blog sections above the recipe card so be sure to check those sections out too. The key is to store ingredients like leafy greens, any proteins and dressing separately and then add them on a bowl by bowl basis (when you’re actually ready to build your salad bowls), as they tend to cause other salad layers to get soggy. This particular recipe makes for a great mason jar salad too! You can find more info here: https://thatsaladlady.com/recipes/salad-bowl-recipes/an-easy-recipe-for-crafting-the-perfect-mason-jar-salad. Hope this helps!
Hi Nina!
I am so excited to have stumbled onto your TikTok! My goal is to incorporate more salads into my diet. However, I am not creative. Your recipes, in addition to your evidence based explanations are wonderful and encouraging. Knowledge is Power! I feel you are empowering me and others to appreciate the value of a more plant based diet! Thank you so much! I can’t wait to prepare this recipe! It looks and sounds delicious! I will let you know!
Awesomeness! Thanks so much for your valuable feedback. We’re so glad you’re here and do keep us posted on your bowl creation(s) 😍
Came across your salad videos and love it! Inspiring for health ! Looking forward to following and trying your recipes
Hi Susan and welcome! So happy to hear that 😊
You rock! Thank you so much. I’m starting my salad journey but I’m vegetarian and don’t know what to do. Thanks
Awesome Angela! Thanks so much for that and you are most welcome 😊
Thank you for sharing am anxious to try it
Yay! Awesome and you are most welcome 😊