For Salad That Rivals Restaurant Quality, Always Season Your Greens

Trying to make a salad at home that's as good as the ones you get in a restaurant can be frustrating. You might use all your favorite ingredients or attempt to replicate a salad you couldn't get enough of while eating out, but it never seems to measure up. Chefs have a few tricks for creating crave-worthy salads that are more than just a lead-in to the main course, and one of the most important is to always season the greens.

All food needs seasoning to  bring out its full flavor. Seasoning your salad greens creates a more balanced flavor in the dish, because it allows the taste of the greens and the dressing to combine, rather than relying solely on the latter to add flavor to plain lettuce. Use table salt or fine kosher salt for seasoning, as they dissolve better than coarser varieties.

Sprinkle salt and pepper on the greens before adding the dressing, and don't forget to season the other ingredients as well. You can get a little adventurous by incorporating other spices, like garlic powder, onion powder, or even spicy cayenne pepper. For particularly watery components like tomatoes and cucumbers, consider salting them ahead of time to draw out excess liquid. This helps prevent the salad from becoming too soggy, and enhances the flavor of the salted veggies. You can even use the extracted liquid in your dressing.

Pro tips for making restaurant-quality salads don't stop with seasoning. Another key is using fresh greens and other ingredients, including seasonal vegetables and fruits. Add fresh herbs like parsley, basil, or dill for more complex flavor notes. Be sure to rinse the greens thoroughly and dry them with a salad spinner or paper towels. This prevents them from becoming soggy and helps the dressing cling to the leaves better.

A restaurant-caliber salad also calls for homemade dressing. Make it fresh using oils, vinegars, seasonings, and other ingredients you enjoy. Use an emulsifier like mustard, honey, or a spoonful of mayonnaise to help the oil and vinegar blend and stay combined. For a velvety texture, try mixing in crumbled hard-boiled egg yolk, or chop up nuts and incorporate them into the salad dressing instead of adding them directly to the dish. Always taste the dressing and be cautious with the salt and pepper, since you've already seasoned the greens and other ingredients.

Use a large bowl to mix all the elements together, providing enough space to toss everything so the ingredients and dressing are evenly distributed throughout the salad. Instead of adding all the dressing at once and risking overdoing it, start with a smaller amount on the greens, then toss and taste. Continue adding the dressing in light increments until the balance is just right.