Roast Vegetable Salad

May 23, 2024

Make this delicious salad for your next evening meal.
Or make a large batch and use it to prep for a weeks worth of lunches.

The best part . . . you have two dressing recipes to choose from!

Roasting vegetables is a great way to bring out their natural sweetness and deepen their flavours. In the recipe I have suggested my favourite vegetables that I love to roast. Sometimes you might wonder why some vegetables are great to roast and others are not. Here are some of the best vegetables for roasting, and a list of why they’re so great.

Carrots: They caramelize beautifully and become sweet and tender when roasted.
Potatoes: Both regular and sweet potatoes get crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
Beetroot: They become tender and their natural sweetness intensifies.
Asparagus: Quick to roast and becomes tender-crisp with a slightly charred flavor.
Parsnips: Their sweet, earthy flavor is enhanced by roasting.
Zucchini: It roasts quickly and develops a caramelized, slightly smoky flavor.
Pumpkin: It turns caramelised and sweet with a creamy texture.
Capsicum: They become sweeter and their skins blister, adding a nice texture.
Onions: Roasting makes them sweet and tender with a slight char.
Cherry Tomatoes: They burst and caramelise, becoming intensely flavourful.

Ever wondered what mesclun salad is. . .

I typically serve the rest vegetables on a bed of mesclun salad. Mesclun salad, often referred to simply as mesclun, is a mix of young, tender salad greens. The term “mesclun” comes from the Provençal word for “mixture,” and it originally described a traditional mix of wild greens in Provence, France.

Mesclun typically includes a variety of lettuces and other greens, which can include:

- Arugula
- Mâche (lamb’s lettuce)
- Oak leaf lettuce
- Frisée (curly endive)
- Radicchio
- Mizuna
- Tatsoi
- Mustard greens
- Swiss chard
- Spinach

The mix often combines mild, sweet, and slightly bitter flavors, providing a complex taste. The greens also vary in texture, from crisp to tender.
Mesclun is rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, making it a nutritious choice for salads.
Because mesclun consists of young greens, it is delicate and best served fresh. The leaves are typically small and tender.

Have you thought about using a yoghurt dressing?

The yoghurt dressing is a refreshing addition to the salad for several reasons:
Yogurt provides a creamy texture similar to that of mayonnaise or cream-based dressings, but it is lighter and less rich, which feels more refreshing on the palate. It has a natural tanginess due to its lactic acid content. This tanginess adds a bright, zesty flavour that can cut through the richness of other ingredients in the salad, making the overall dish feel lighter and more invigorating.

Another reason is that yogurt is typically kept refrigerated and served cold. When used in a salad dressing, it maintains a cool temperature that enhances the refreshing quality of the salad, especially in warm weather. It has a high water content, which can add a hydrating element to the salad. This contributes to a feeling of refreshment, particularly when combined with fresh, crunchy vegetables.

And the nutritional benefits cannot be ignored. Yogurt is rich in probiotics, vitamins, and minerals, which can contribute to a feeling of well-being and energy, adding to the perception of refreshment.

Why to choose the citrus dressing option.

If you choose to use the citrus dressing you may find you like it for theses reasons. I often choose it if I am looking for a light and refreshing option. Citrus dressings are often lighter than creamy dressings. They add flavor without overwhelming the other ingredients, making the salad feel more refreshing and less heavy.

Citrus fruits like lemons, limes, oranges, and grapefruits have a naturally tangy and zesty flavor. This bright acidity can enhance the taste of a salad by adding a refreshing, lively note that balances the flavors of the ingredients.

Citrus dressings pair well with a wide variety of salad ingredients, including greens, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and proteins like chicken, fish, or tofu. They can complement both savory and sweet components, making them very versatile.

I find it is super important to have good knives especially when cutting large hard vegetables. One of my favourite knives are the paring knives from Victorinox.

Are you after a different salad?

You could try this suggestions instead.

The Cheapest and easiest Pea Salad

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