A bowl of fresh green salad ingredients assembled with a jar of dressing and small, wispy bits of spinach and mixed greens strewn about.
Photography by Meghan Rodgers

The Greenest Green Salad Recipe

by Meghan Rodgers

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March 10, 2021

Maybe it’s because the sun is shining and daylight saving time is just a few days away, but it sure does feel like spring has arrived! Spring weather always makes me want to declutter the house a bit, but also, start preparing lighter, healthier meals.

The Greenest Green Salad Recipe is a perfect meal for March when we celebrate all things Irish. While salad might not make you immediately think of St. Patrick’s Day, consider that traveling to Ireland is to find lush fields and vegetation as far as the eye can see, and that Johnny Cash once lamented over the Emerald Isle’s resplendent views in his famous song “Forty Shades of Green”:

“I miss the river Shannon
And the folks at Skibbereen
The moorlands and the meddle
With their forty shades of green”

Why is Ireland so green? A combination of the Mexican Gulf Stream, a temperate climate and ample annual rainfall make Irish soil some of the most fertile in the world. It rains about between 150-225 days of the year, depending where you are, with the west coast getting the brunt of all that Atlantic weather. This moist, fertile soil supports the vibrant vegetation and beautiful green landscape that the country is known for.

Celebrate this St. Patrick’s Day with this easy-to-make Greenest Green Salad. It’s healthy enough that you’ll definitely be able to justify a pint of green beer — or two!

Cheers!

A bowl of fresh green salad ingredients assembled with a jar of dressing and small, wispy bits of spinach and mixed greens strewn about.

The Greenest Green Salad Recipe

Serves about 4

Ingredients

For the salad

5 cups of mixed greens

1 cup of kale

1 Granny Smith apple, chopped

1 cucumber, chopped

1 cup broccoli florets

1 cup green grapes, halved

1 avocado diced

1/4 cup pickled jalapeños

1/4 cup sliced green onion

 

For the dressing

1/3 cup olive oil

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp green herbs (your choice)

1 tbsp dijon mustard

1 tsp maple syrup (or honey)

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Directions

  1. Add all dressing ingredients to bottle or jar and shake or whisk until combined.

  2. In a large salad serving bowling, add greens and kale. Top with remaining salad ingredients. Drizzle with prepared dressing and toss to coat.

  3. Serve immediately!

    Tip: I like to add a bit of crunch to my salads so I usually top them with some nuts or croutons. Of course, in keeping with our green theme, pistachios will make the perfect addition. Feel free to toss them in the bowl or add them on top. Either way — a delicious addition!

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Meghan Rodgers is a media professional and writer covering travel, food and the environment. Find her writing on the food blog EverybodyCraves and her adventures on Instagram.