Best Salad Ever (My Most Requested Salad Recipe) (2024)

by Mary Neumann ·

Today I am sharing one of my most requested recipes, The BEST SALAD EVER!! If you like the ingredients, you will LOVE this! Gorgonzola, apple, cherries (or cranberries), pecans and bacon, with a sweet balsamic dressing. Trust me, you will be going back for seconds…maybe thirds – it’s that good!

Read the rave reviews from people who tried this recipe on Pinterest!

Read more reviews from my original post for this salad.

Best Salad Ever (My Most Requested Salad Recipe) (1)

The Best Salad for Dinner Parties, Holidays, Special Occasions!

I created this over twenty-six years ago when I was pregnant with my first child, trying to cure my salty, sweet, tart craving. Since then, it has been my go-to and one of my most requested recipes. I make it for dinner parties, holidays, special occasions, and it’s what my first child requests every single birthday – fitting.

I highly recommend using my saladdressingrecipe below – no substituting. All the flavorstogether is what makes this salad so delicious.

Best Salad Ever (My Most Requested Salad Recipe) (2)



Mary’s Best Salad Ever (My Most Requested Salad Recipe):

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Ingredients

  • 1 bag spring salad mix
  • 1 bag romaine
  • 3 oz bag of Oscar Mayer real bacon (It’s best to make your own bacon – but I almost always cheat – applewood smoked bacon is awesome with this salad)
  • 1/2 cup dried cherries or cranberries
  • 1 large granny smith apple, chopped
  • 1/2 cup toasted pecans or almonds
  • 5 oz Gorgonzolaor blue cheese crumbled


Directions
Clean lettuce, place in large bowl and top with ingredients – toss.

Mary’s Sweet Balsamic Dressing


Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil or canola
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons good balsamic vinegar
  • 1/8teaspoondry mustard (or a little squeeze of yellow or Grey Poupon mustard)
  • Few twists of fresh cracked pepper Or use 1/8 tsp of reg ground pepper

Directions
Whisk all the ingredients together, until sugar and oil are blended. It takes a few minutes for the oil and sugar to blend. Keep whisking….it will blend.

Tips

You can substitute dried cherries with dried cranberries and sub Gorgonzola/blue cheese with goat or feta cheese.

The dressing is easy to adapt by adjusting the amount of sugar. If you like less sweet, add a little sugar at a time until you reach the desired sweetness.

Some people have made the dressing with olive oil and enjoyed the results. I have not used olive oil, so I am unable to tell you if it changes the taste of the salad. If you want to use olive oil, make a small batch to taste test.

Chop the apple right before serving to prevent it from browning.

Top with chicken (grilled is wonderful) for a meal.

Best Salad Ever (My Most Requested Salad Recipe) (3)

If you make the salad, please let me know what you think.

Thanks for stopping by!

Cheers!

More Gorgonzola Apple cherry Bacon Pecan Salad

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Megan

    How many does this serve?

    • Mary Neumann

      Serves 6-8 people Megan.

  2. Kristy

    A friend of mine made this salad for our Christmas party last year, and I immediately had to ask her for the recipe. It’s so good! It’s been my go-to salad ever since.

  3. Debi

    Made this for Thanksgiving dinner and everyone loved it. Will definitely make over and over. I don’t like gorgonzola so substituted with crumbled goat cheese. Delicious!!

  4. JJeanie Schuler

    I apologize if I missed this information – how many servings are there in this recipe? It sounds like the perfect salad for our neighborhood ladies’ progressive lunch next week. Thank you!

    • Mary Neumann

      When I make this, it serves up to 8 people.

  5. Julie

    I made this salad and brought it to my family’s Thanksgiving dinner. It was so delicious and I was asked to share the recipe. This is a keeper! Thank you for posting it!

  6. Debbie

    Hi Mary….I am an avid and very adventurous cook and so when I came across your balsamic dressing, I had to chuckle bc I’ve throwing those ingredients together with a few others and everyone goes wild. I also will throw some tortilla shells on the grill and brush some of the dressing onto it and flip and do the other side until it’s as soft or crisp as you like. I use honey and brown sugar in place of regular sugar. I also throw in some garlic, onion powder, and some herbs, and I mix in some apple cider vinegar as well. Try it and let me know your thoughts!!! Thanks for sharing!!! I love it!! 🙂

  7. Martha Merrill

    What is the size of each bag of salad? I need to know so I am making the correct amount of salad.

  8. Dede

    Best. Salad. Ever.
    I never comment or write reviews but this is worth it.
    I followed recipe exactly. Unbelievable combination of tastes.
    Thank you so much for the recipe!

  9. Debby

    I am highly allergic to blue cheeses -what can I sub?

    • Mary Neumann

      You can sub with feta or goat cheese, Debby.

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Best Salad Ever (My Most Requested Salad Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

What is the most requested salad dressing? ›

Ranch Dressing

The ranch is hands down America's most beloved salad dressings. It is made from a number of ingredients such as buttermilk, mayonnaise, mustard, garlic, onion, chives, salt, and pepper.

What are the 3 types of salad according to how you will serve it? ›

Appetizer salads – light, smaller-portion salads served as the first course of the meal. Side salads – to accompany the main course as a side dish; examples include potato salad and coleslaw. Main course salads – usually containing a portion of one or more high-protein foods, such as eggs, legumes, or cheese.

What are 5 components of a satisfying salad? ›

  • High quality greens. This means just about anything BUT iceberg. ...
  • Protein. Consider animal-based proteins like salmon, shrimp, chicken, beef or turkey. ...
  • Temperatures. Alix loves to toss a salad with some roasted cherry tomatoes, broccoli or cauliflower. ...
  • Dressing. ...
  • Textures.
Sep 27, 2018

What makes a salad more delicious? ›

How to make salad more interesting
  1. Add texture with roasted seeds or nuts. Seeds and nuts are a great salad topper. ...
  2. Make it more filling with whole grains. ...
  3. Beans and other legumes add plant-based protein. ...
  4. Fresh herbs add lots of flavour. ...
  5. Sweeten your salad with fruit. ...
  6. Make sure your salad is properly seasoned.

What is the unhealthiest salad dressing? ›

And at the top of that list? Caesar dressing. Made up of mayonnaise, cheese, salt and oil (and all too often, anchovies), Caesar tends to be one of the least healthy options out there. Those ingredients cause it to be high in both saturated fats and sodium.

What are the three 3 keys to a quality salad? ›

The three keys to ensuring a quality salad are:
  • freshness of ingredients.
  • the ingredients blend together in harmony.
  • appealing to the eye.

What are the 5 basic types of salads? ›

The five basic types of salad are green salads (tossed or composed), bound, vegetable, fruit, and combination. The five basic salads that can be served throughout the course of a meal are starter, accompaniment, main course, intermezzo, and dessert.

What is the main ingredient in salad? ›

Most leafy vegetables that can be eaten raw are used: all varieties of lettuce, garden cress and watercress, endives, cabbage, spinach, escarole, romaine (cos), arugula, and fresh herbs. Other vegetables, raw or cooked—tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, peppers, beets, and so on—may garnish the green salad.

What does a perfect salad contain? ›

A salad is bland and boring without some crunch. You obviously get a little bit of crunch from the greens, but it should not stop there. Add some crunchy veggies and/or fruit, such as carrots, apples, cucumbers, jicama, broccoli, cauliflower, etc. Use whatever sounds good.

What to add to salad to make it better? ›

Add one or more of these protein-rich foods to your salad:
  1. lean meat: chicken or turkey breast, lean steak.
  2. lower-fat cheese: light cheddar, Swiss, mozzarella, feta, goat cheese.
  3. legumes: kidney beans, lentils, chickpeas, white or black beans.
  4. eggs: hard boiled.
  5. soy products: cubed tofu, edamame.

Which salad is most often used slightly sweeter? ›

Romaine lettuce is most frequently used in Caesar salads and other salads. It has a slightly sweeter, bolder flavor than crisphead, which adds a mild burst to salads and sandwiches.

How do restaurants make salads so crisp? ›

Lettuce actually needs a good amount of airflow, in addition to a bit of moisture (but not too much!), in order to stay crisp. That's why restaurants store their lettuce in special perforated bins that allow for air circulation while it's held in the fridge.

What is extremely important in salad making? ›

Season, taste, repeat

Every salad component should taste good enough to eat on its own, so season your leaves, your dressing, and your add-ins (raw veg, roasted veg, croutons, nuts, and protein), tasting for salt and acid as you go.

What adds flavor to salad? ›

Dried Cherries, Cranberries or Raisins: Add these dried fruits for their flavor and texture. They are also quick easy to add with no preparation required! Basil, Chives, Dill or Parsley: Toss small basil leaves or chopped larger ones in with your greens. Try chopped fresh dill.

What is the world's most popular salad dressing? ›

Most Famous Dressings in the World
  1. Ranch Dressing. The ranch is a salad dressing or dip made with buttermilk, salt, garlic, onions, herbs (dill, parsley, chives, etc.), and spices (mustard seeds, black pepper, paprika, etc.) ...
  2. Fry Sauce. ...
  3. Chermoula. ...
  4. Blue Cheese Dressing. ...
  5. Thousand Island Dressing. ...
  6. Italian Dressing.

What is the number one salad dressing brand? ›

What is the most popular salad dressing in the U.S.? Ranch is first, followed by Ceasar and vinaigrette. Hidden Valley, Kraft Foods and Newman's Own make the best Ranch dressing so they top this list of best dressings.

What is the most popular salad dressing in the United States per study? ›

Ranch dressing is the most popular salad dressing in the USA due to its creamy texture, tangy buttermilk base, and blend of herbs and spices like garlic, onion, dill, and parsley.

What is the best selling salad dressing in the United States since 1992? ›

Ranch has been the best-selling salad dressing in the United States since 1992, when it overtook Italian dressing. It is also popular in the United States and Canada as a dip, and as a flavoring for potato chips and other foods.

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