Shaved Vegetable Salad

My mother, who grew up to be a cook in our house, was always good with vegetables. But her repertoire was limited, consisting of steamed vegetables with flakes of butter, green salads dressed with Good Seasons Italian dressing, and baked potatoes.

Today, methods of preparing vegetables have evolved well beyond what I grew up with. One of my favorite ways to give veggies the love they deserve is with simple shaved salads.

In this recipe, I use thinly sliced ​​carrots, fennel, radish, and asparagus, then toss the veggies in a light citrus-honey dressing and finish with some Parmesan cheese. The result is a crisp, fresh salad that’s perfect as a light main course or as a healthy side dish.

If you don’t have any of the vegetables listed, simply swap them out for something else. This salad is incredibly flexible!

What is a shaved vegetable salad?

Shaved salads start with raw veggies that you slice into wafer-thin and toss with a tangy dressing. I usually rely on my Japanese mandolin for chopping vegetables quickly.

This Benriner mandolin is quite affordable and has served me well for more than 20 years. You can also use a sharp chef’s knife or food processor with a slicing blade, although the slices may not be as clean and even as a mandolin.

Which vegetables are best for grated salads?

The appeal of shaved salads is that they work any time of year, depending on what’s in season. They’re best prepared with vegetables that are firm enough to be sliced ​​very thin and will hold up well even after dressing (no soggy salads allowed!).

In spring, asparagus is an obvious choice. Zucchini is great for summer. Root vegetables like turnip greens, radishes, carrots, celery, and fennel are great for any time of year. Even raw turnips and winter squash work if shaved thin enough.

The best dressing for shaved vegetable salad

Like any green salad, shaved salads are ideally prepared just before you intend to serve them. They benefit from a dressing with a lot of acid.

You can keep it simple and add a generous squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of olive oil, or make a vinaigrette with citrus or vinegar for that touch of acidity. Start by placing all the shaved veggies in a bowl, add the dressing—use less than you think you need—and toss well.

Taste and add more dressing, salt, pepper or herbs if needed. I prefer to serve shaved salads on a plate or platter rather than in a bowl to really show off those bright colors.

Proposals and Substitutions

The variations of this shaved lettuce are literally endless. Here are a handful of suggestions:

• Tinker with the ratio of vegetables. Are you crazy about asparagus? Use more and omit carrots, radishes or fennel.
• Try a completely different combination of vegetables. Kohlrabi, celery and radish are a crunchy, refreshing trio.
• Use favorite nuts like pecans, hazelnuts, or slivers of almonds.
• Use different types of cheese like pecorino, dry jack, or crumbled goat or feta cheese.
• Add chopped chives or parsley to the mixture.
• Add dried fruits like sour cherries or pitted Medjool date chips.

Prepare this vegetable salad ahead of time

The beauty of this and so many other shaved salads is that you can do a lot of the work ahead of time.

Grate all the vegetables and place in a bowl. chop mint Cover both and store in the fridge. Whisk together the dressing and set aside. Just before serving, mix everything together, add the grated parmesan and finish with chopped walnuts.

Turn this vegetable salad into dinner!

This salad is on the light side, but can easily be turned into a center-of-the-plate lunch or dinner by adding a high-protein meal. Grill or grill chicken breasts, hard boil eggs and cut in half, or cook up a lightly seasoned piece of fish like salmon, and you’ve got a truly nutritious dinner.

Leftovers can be bagged up and carried to work for lunch the next day. The salad isn’t quite as crunchy as it is freshly made, but it’s still very tasty.

More vegetable salads to prepare

• Lentil salad with summer vegetables
• Spring vegetable salad with mint pesto
• Shrimp Cobb Salad with Creamy Basil Dressing
• Mixed green salad with honey mustard, eggs and toast
• Watercress salad with strawberries and feta