Warm vegetable salad is a nice variation of the chilled ones we know and love. This salad features a light, bright lemon garlic vinaigrette to tie everything together.
Although I love a good salad, eating them chilled or at room temperature gets boring after a while. Because of this, I decided to warm the ingredients and discovered that it was a complete game changer. The increased temperature enhances the natural flavor of the vegetables, and I noticed they absorb more of the vinaigrette’s flavors. Moreover, the texture of the vegetables is altered a bit. Some are slightly soft, others are tender-crisp, and there’s even some smooth creaminess in the mix, making every forkful nothing short of satisfying.
Why You’ll Love Warm Vegetable Salad
Nutritious and flavorful – Warm vegetable salad is a fantastic way to get closer to your recommended serving of vegetables per day. The salad delivers a hearty dose of leafy greens, fiber, and an array of vitamins and minerals, plus it’s delicious, so you’ll likely return for seconds. The combination of different textures and flavors makes each bite a delightful experience.
Versatile and customizable – One of the greatest advantages of warm vegetable salad is its versatility. You can use any combination of vegetables you enjoy or are in season, meaning you can adapt the salad based on your preferences and/or produce availability. You can also experiment with different dressings, herbs, and spices to create unique flavor profiles. In other words, there’s no reason not to enjoy this salad.
Comforting and satisfying – The warmth of the vegetables adds a cozy element to the dish.
Easy and time-saving – Despite the yummy flavors and lovely presentation, warm vegetable salad is surprisingly easy to prepare. With minimal cooking and simple assembly, you can have something delicious and nutritious on the table in a flash.
Warm Vegetable Salad Ingredients Notes
- Spinach: Since this salad is warm, save the baby spinach for raw salads and use standard leaves instead. Remove tough stems and wash the spinach thoroughly to remove dirt or sand. The greens will wilt slightly once exposed to heat and become tender.
- Kale: Kale is an excellent choice for a warm vegetable salad because its leaves are tough. This is why they need to be massaged if served raw. When heated, kale becomes even more effective at breaking down the tough leaves, making it easy to eat.
- Tomatoes: I don’t know about you, but a salad isn’t good unless there is a juicy bite of tomato in every forkful.
- Zucchini: The slices are very mild yet verge on sweet, so they contrast the bitter greens.
- Asparagus: I keep the spears whole for a wow factor. Plus, they’re more fun to eat that way (just my opinion).
- Fresh lemon juice: The vinaigrette that dresses this salad is a little heavy on lemon juice because the tart acidity enhances the vegetables. Moreover, it works well with garlic and good-quality olive oil.
Find the complete ingredients list with amounts in the recipe card below!
How to Make Warm Vegetable Salad
- Make the dressing: Add the lemon juice and garlic to a food processor and process until well combined, then run the processor as you slowly add the oil in a steady stream.
- Heat the greens: Heat the oil in a skillet, then briefly sauté the greens until they wilt.
- Warm the other vegetables: Add the remaining vegetables to the skillet once the greens are done.
- Dress and serve: Arrange the greens and other vegetables in a salad bowl, dress the salad with the lemon garlic vinaigrette, top with sliced avocado, and serve.
Variations, Substitutions, and Cooking Tips
Add protein – Pan-seared chicken with sautéed onion and garlic would taste great on top of the salad. Steak is another option, or if you’re a seafood fan, try white fish, shrimp, or scallops. For plant-based options, sautéed tofu would be delicious, as would crispy chickpeas or another bean of choice.
Incorporate more salad greens – Add arugula for a peppery kick or a heat-tolerant green like romaine or Bibb lettuce to the salad.
Use different veggies – As mentioned, warm vegetable salad leaves a lot of room to experiment, and what better way to do that than with seasonal vegetables?
Add herbs – Fresh herbs plus gentle heat equals delicious flavors and mouthwatering aromatics. Parsley would be tasty, as would cilantro and basil.
Top with croutons – To make croutons, cube stale bread, toss in oil and seasonings, then toast in a pan over medium heat until golden and crisp on all sides. Watch them closely to prevent burning.
Storage and Freezer Tips
Store the warm vegetable salad in an airtight container and refrigerate it once cooled to room temperature. For the best results, store the vegetables and dressing separately. The salad will keep for up to 4 days.
- 5 cups spinach
- 3 cups kale
- 2 handfuls of green beans
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 yellow zucchini, chopped
- 1 bunch of asparagus
- 1 avocado
- Dressing
- 2 lemons
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 tbs olive oil
- To a food processor, add the juice from the lemons and the garlic.
- While blending, add the olive oil and mix until smooth and creamy.
- Set aside.
- In a pan, add olive oil and heat then add the kale and spinach. Cook for about 2-3 minutes or until the greens begin to wilt.
- Place in a large bowl and set aside.
- Add the cherry tomatoes, asparagus and the green beans to the same pan and cook until the tomatoes are blistered and the asparagus is tender (about 3-4 minutes).
- Add the greens to each serving bowl then top with the tomatoes, asparagus and green beans then drizzle with the vinaigrette.
- Slice the avocado and add to each bowl.
- Serve immediately.
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