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Salads & Sides Recipes

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Artichokes Istanbul-Style

Ferda Erdinc, who owns Istanbul’s Zencefil restaurant in Crete, taught Ana how to make this traditional Turkish specialty. Serve it with fish or as one of many mezze before a meal. Recipe from the book Spice – Flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean, by Ana Sortun, published by Regan Books/Harper Collins.

Arugula Salad with Cucumbers, Feta and Mint

Adding bread to a salad of greens and tomatoes is popular in the Mediterranean. Here it’s paired with cucumbers, radishes, and olives, in a tasty mix that delivers lots of satisfying crunch. Cracker bread is a thin flatbread that absorbs liquid without becoming mushy. Recipe from The Zuni Café Cookbook, by Judy Rogers, W.W. Norton & Co.

Arugula with Pancetta, Grilled Asparagus, and White Beans

Serve this tasty dish for lunch, or as a first course for a meal that includes a light, grilled fish. You can substitute prosciutto, salami, or ham for the pancetta: toss it on the grill for just a minute before serving. Recipe from License to Grill, by Chris Schlesinger and John Willoughby, William Morrow and Co.
 

Arugula-Walnut Pesto

Here’s a fresh and delicious alternative to the more traditional basil pesto. Serve as a sauce for pasta or thin with a bit of olive oil to make a dressing for raw or cooked vegetables.

Avocado Carpaccio Salad

This recipe cleverly substitutes avocado for the thin slices of raw beef used in traditional carpaccio. Although it requires several steps, it’s very easy to master. And, you can use any of the marinated vegetables and the dressing with other salads. Recipe from Chef Pedro Alfaro, courtesy of the California Avocado Commission.

Avocado Mediterranean Pasta Salad
Make a bowl of this tasty salad for your next picnic lunch, office party, or casual weekend meal. It keeps well for up to three days in the refrigerator. Buy a small pasta shape to keep all the ingredients in proportion. Check out pasta shapes marketed to kids!) Or, substitute whole grains such as barley, farro, or brown rice for the pasta.
Recipe courtesy of California Avocado Commission.
 
Avocado Pasta Salad

Brighten a picnic pasta salad by adding avocado and orange! Recipe courtesy of California Avocado Commission

Barley Salad (Insalata d'Orzo)

Barley is possibly the oldest grain in the world. Adaptable and strong, it grows on both frigid mountaintops and in blistering desert heat. Here it brings character to an easy-to-make Mediterranean salad. Recipe courtesy of Mary Ann Esposito.

Beet Tzatziki

Ana's replacement of beets for cucumbers is an interesting take on the Greek tzatziki, traditionally used a sauce or dip. Recipe courtesy of Ana Sortun, owner and chef, Oleana and Sofra, Cambridge, MA.

Bella's Mediterranean Cobb Salad
Make some hard-boiled eggs ahead of time and store in the refrigerator for up to a week so you can assemble this salad in minutes. Salad recipe courtesy of Mooney Farms.