The Big Salad
You’ve gotta love The Big Salad! This is my huge salad inspired by the Seinfeld episode. It’s got lots of “stuff” in it. Call it the big salad, call it a large salad, yadda yadda. Enjoy all the great textures in my big salad recipe!
Seinfeld Big Salad Recipe
There are a lot of big salad recipes out there. This is the Seinfeld big salad recipe, named after the Seinfeld episode where Elaine talks about the one she gets from Monks Café.
When I told my husband I was making a large salad for dinner, he said “You mean the big salad?” We laughed and that’s when I decided to name it after the episode because it’s just that.
It’s got lots of “stuff” in it as Elaine describes it.
Jerry says the ingredients are big lettuce, big carrots and tomatoes like volleyballs.
Try and catch that episode, if you haven’t already. It’s so funny!
Anyway, here’s my version of the big salad. I didn’t give amounts for every ingredient. Toss in what you want, it all works with lots of textures and flavors.
What are the Different Types of Salads?
When you’re looking for big salad recipes, keep in mind there are really only five or six different types.
- Green—leafy vegetables and raw vegetables
- Fruit—fresh or canned fruit
- Rice and pasta—rice or pasta are the base
- Bound—this is “bound” with fillings like mayonnaise (think tuna, chicken, egg or potato salad)
- Dinner—if your salad is a meal rather than a starter or an appetizer, then if will often include a protein and cheese
- Dessert—made with gelatin or whipped cream and are sweet
For this Seinfeld big salad recipe, it can be considered either a green or a dinner type. It’s a huge salad so it’s definitely large enough for a meal. And if you add the optional chicken, steak or salmon then it fits the definition perfectly. But totally up to you!
How to Make a Huge Salad More Interesting
If you’re finding big leaves of lettuce and tomatoes the size of volleyball a bit bland, there are lots of ways to add texture, flavor and interest to your meal. Here are just a few suggestions.
- Toast your walnuts—it takes a few extra minutes but it will bring out the flavor an make them more interesting
- Add some smoked cheese—this can add a new depth. If you aren’t a cheese fan then try something else smoky like paprika or nuts
- Warm up your dressing—a simple yet effective way to add dimension
The Big Salad
Yields: 2 large salads
What Are The Ingredients That Go Into This Seinfeld Big Salad Recipe?
- 1 bag pre-chopped mixed greens
- 1 bag arugula
- shredded carrots
- shredded red cabbage
- ½ chopped red onion, optional
- half hot house/English cucumber, chopped in cubes
- 1 green apple, chopped in cubes
- cherry or grape tomatoes
- chopped walnuts, I used ½ cup and left some more on the side
- dried cranberries, raisins and cherries, I used ¾ cup total
- fresh blueberries, rinsed and dried completely
- sprinkle ground pepper
- sliced grilled chicken, steak, or salmon, this is optional
Try a tasty dressing, it’s perfect for this big meal.
Arugula Pecan Salad with Simple Balsamic Dressing
Here’s another fresh and tasty dressing.
Dressing Alternatives
If you want to try something different than regular dressing or sauce, here are a few interesting substitutions.
- Mix in guacamole—this may seem a little wild but it tastes great!
- Try hummus—add a few tablespoons of hummus and enjoy the added flavor and texture it adds
- Coconut oil—this makes a great alternative to regular oil dressing and has added health benefits too
Healthy Additional Toppings to Try
As you can see, there’s already a lot of stuff in this recipe but if you want to continue customizing here are a few more ideas for great toppings to try!
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- Additional raw vegetables, chopped
- Roasted vegetables
- Nuts and seeds—try pistachios, pumpkin seeds or almonds
- Dried fruit—I’m suggesting dried cranberries in this recipe but you could also try apricots, mango or raisins
- Fresh fruit such as berries, pomegranate arils, apples or oranges
- Whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, farro or barley
- Want more plant protein? Add beans, legumes, tofu or edamame
- Olives
- Tortilla or pita chips—these work well if you’re using Tex-Mex or Mediterranean flavors
- Fresh herbs
Directions:
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- In a large serving bowl, toss the two bags of washed lettuce, place in fridge to crisp up while chopping veggies.
- Prepare veggies then layer however you want over the lettuce and top with nuts, dried fruit and the blueberries.
- I served this with rustic parmesan garlic bread, it was so good! Save leftovers in a plastic bag in fridge for one day.
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Enjoy all the great textures and flavors!
Print this Seinfeld big salad recipe below
The "Big" Salad
Ingredients
- 1 bag bag pre-chopped mixed greens
- 1 bag arugula
- shredded carrots
- shredded red cabbage
- 1/2 cup chopped finely red onion
- 1/2 hot house/English cucumber, chopped in little cubes
- 1 green apple chopped in cubes
- cherry or grape tomatoes
- chopped walnuts, I used ½ cup and left some more on the side
- dried cranberries, raisins and cherries, I used ¾ cup total
- fresh blueberries, rinsed and dried completely
- sprinkle ground pepper
- sliced grilled chicken, steak, or salmon, optional
Instructions
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1.In a large serving bowl, toss the two bags of washed lettuce, place in fridge to crisp up while chopping veggies.
2.Prepare veggies then layer however you want over the lettuce and top with nuts, dried fruit and the blueberries.
3.I served this with garlic bread, it was so good! Save leftovers in a plastic bag in fridge for one day. Enjoy the freshness!
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Bye for now…
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