The Keys to a Restaurant Quality Salad (& What You're Doing Wrong!)

Restaurants make their salad dressings from scratch.

The biggest difference between restaurant salads and homemade ones is the dressing. Restaurants almost always make their dressings from scratch, using high-quality ingredients and a carefully crafted recipe. To make an equally good dressing at home, start by using fresh, high-quality ingredients like extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and fresh herbs. Mix and match different flavors and textures until you find the perfect balance that suits your taste. Mastering the salad dressing you love most will make your homemade salads taste so much better!

Restaurants season their salads.

Have you ever had a salad at a restaurant and noticed that every bite is packed with flavor? This is because restaurants season their salads, adding salt, pepper, and other spices to bring out the natural flavors of the ingredients. To season your salad at home, start by using high-quality ingredients like fresh herbs and spices, and make sure to add at least a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.

Restaurants use fresh ingredients.

Another reason restaurant salads always taste better is that they use fresh ingredients. They source their produce from local farms and markets, ensuring that the ingredients are as fresh as possible. To make an equally fresh salad at home, shop at your local farmer's market or grocery store, and choose ingredients that are in season.

Restaurants understand balance.

A good salad needs balance - a balance of textures, flavors, and colors. Restaurants understand this and carefully choose their ingredients to ensure that each salad has the perfect balance of sweetness, sourness, bitterness, and umami. To make a balanced salad at home, use a mix of greens, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds. Add some protein, like grilled chicken or tofu, and finish off with a homemade dressing.

Technique.

Finally, restaurants use proper technique to make their salads look and taste amazing. They carefully wash and dry their greens, cut their vegetables and fruits into bite-size pieces, and toss everything together in a large bowl to ensure that each bite is evenly coated in dressing. To make a restaurant-worthy salad at home, follow these tips: Wash and dry your greens thoroughly, cut your ingredients into small, uniform pieces, and toss everything together in a large bowl.

“This article was written with the assistance of AI technology and was then heavily edited and optimized by our editorial team.”