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Cottage Salad Recipe

Cottage Salad Recipe

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Cook the quinoa: Bring 1½ cups of water to a boil in a small pan. Add quinoa, stir and cover, reducing to simmer. Cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit covered for 10 minutes. Fluff up before adding to a large mixing or salad bowl.
  2. Preheat oven to 425°F. Peel and dice sweet potatoes, tossing in a bit of oil. Spread sweet potatoes onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool before adding to the salad.
  3. Cook the green beans: Trim ends off the beans and add to 3 cups of water in a medium-sized pan. Bring to a boil and cook for one minute. Strain beans and blanch in cold water until cool. Strain again, before chopping into bite-sized pieces. Add the cooked beans and chickpeas to the large bowl.
  4. Preheat barbecue to medium, about 450°F. Lightly oil corn, jalapeño, Vidalia onion and garlic. Place the vegetables on barbecue and grill until soft and golden, turning occasionally. Remove vegetables from the grill. Cut corn off of the cob, slice the onion and finely dice the jalapeño and garlic. Add to the bowl.
  5. Add the remaining vegetables and mint to the bowl.
  6. Whisk dressing ingredients together and add about half to the salad. Stir and season with salt to taste. Add the cheese and adjust flavours by adding more dressing and salt to taste. Serve immediately.
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Cottage Salad Recipe

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A superior collection of seasonal fresh veggies tossed with feta, quinoa and a light Dijon, honey dressing…

  • clock icon
    45 MIN
  • 8 SERVINGS
Healthy cottage salad recipe served in a big bowl

A vegetarian treat loaded with delicious flavours, try our COTTAGE SALAD RECIPE!

I always love when weekend guests offer to prepare a meal during their visit. Nothing like a welcome reprieve from kitchen duties but also lets me enjoy something delicious.

Such was the case a few weeks ago, and after my friends had come and gone, I went to the fridge to grab a snack. There I discovered a whole bunch of choice ingredients, only partially used, and thought, “Hmmm, what to do with half a zucchini, a couple of sweet potatoes, a handful of beans, cherry tomatoes and a few other tasty treats?” From that, this COTTAGE SALAD RECIPE was born.

Here’s what goes into making it:

Ingredients for the cottage salad

THE VEGETABLES

To call this salad nutrient-rich is an understatement. It’s jam-packed with fresh vegetables, and I encourage you to add a wide variety – more is more! This will end up being one of the healthiest salads you ever make.

I always try to include cherry tomatoes, celery, zucchini, cucumber, scallions, red onion and bell peppers but don’t feel you need to stop there. Add your favourite veggies, just peeling, cutting and chopping them before tossing them into the bowl. It’s so worth the effort.

Green and yellow beans

BEANS

Every health and nutrition expert will tell you the same thing – eat more beans. I think that’s excellent advice. Beans are loaded with vitamins and protein and adding to their appeal, they keep this recipe is 100% vegetarian. We love adding a can of drained chickpeas and some blanched, chopped green beans. Both add a pleasing flavour.

Ready to roast sweet potatoes

SWEET POTATOES

Sweet potatoes rival carrots as being one of the leading sources of beta-carotene. I like to peel and cut them up into tiny bite-sized cubes before I roast them in a hot oven for about 10 minutes.

A bowl of quinoa and fresh herbs

QUINOA

I jumped on the quinoa bandwagon years ago and thankfully have never fallen off. Cooking it up for recipes is easy and takes little time, but when we consider the fact that quinoa is gluten-free, high in protein, plus contains all nine essential amino acids, well then, why not include it?

Griiled onion, corn, jalapeno and garlic

GRILLED VEGGIES

The first time I made this salad I realized I could add a boost of grilled flavours by cooking off a few veggies. Try this recipe with some grilled ears of corn, half a jalapeño and a sweet Vidalia onion. One final addition is grilled garlic. I’m not sure where my moment with grilled garlic is going, but I’ll be putting it to even greater use in upcoming posts.

Ingredients for the dressing for the cottage salad

DRESSING

Whisk together your favourite go-to salad dressing – I’m listing mine as a reference. If you struggle with making a dressing from scratch, I suggest you start with the standard foundation of ½ a cup of olive or vegetable oil and ¼ cup of apple cider or red wine vinegar. Play around with a few flavour enhancers like mustard, honey and chopped herbs to taste and you’ll be a salad dressing expert in no time.

Everything in the bowl ready to be tossed

Thinking you might like a different salad dressing to go with? Check out this CREAMY POPPY SEED DRESSING or our popular MUSTARD VINAIGRETTE.

Healthy cottage salad recipe served with grilled chicken

Although I think this salad can be served as a healthy, stand-alone vegetarian main course, I know some of you may wish to serve it as a side. It partners wonderfully with our QUICHE LORRAINE or BARBECUED SALMON FILLET.

Your next healthy salad is close at hand. Make our COTTAGE SALAD RECIPE today!

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Cottage Salad Recipe

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Cottage Salad Recipe

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Ingredients

  • 1 cup quinoa, cooked
  • 2 sweet potatoes, peeled, diced and roasted
  • 1 can chickpeas, drained
  • 1 cup green beans, blanched and chopped
  • 1 Vidalia onion, grilled and sliced
  • ½ jalapeño pepper, grilled and finely diced
  • 5 garlic cloves, grilled and finely diced
  • 3 ears of corn, grilled and cut off the cob
  • 1 cup each, chopped: cherry tomatoes, zucchini, cucumber
  • 2 green onions, chopped
  • ½ red pepper, chopped
  • 2 celery ribs, chopped
  • ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
  • ½ cup chopped mint
  • 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
  • kosher salt to taste
  • extra virgin olive oil for sweet potatoes and grilled veggies
  • For the dressing:
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon capers, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • salt and lemon juice to taste

Directions

  1. Cook the quinoa: Bring 1½ cups of water to a boil in a small pan. Add quinoa, stir and cover, reducing to simmer. Cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit covered for 10 minutes. Fluff up before adding to a large mixing or salad bowl.
  2. Preheat oven to 425°F. Peel and dice sweet potatoes, tossing in a bit of oil. Spread sweet potatoes onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool before adding to the salad.
  3. Cook the green beans: Trim ends off the beans and add to 3 cups of water in a medium-sized pan. Bring to a boil and cook for one minute. Strain beans and blanch in cold water until cool. Strain again, before chopping into bite-sized pieces. Add the cooked beans and chickpeas to the large bowl.
  4. Preheat barbecue to medium, about 450°F. Lightly oil corn, jalapeño, Vidalia onion and garlic. Place the vegetables on barbecue and grill until soft and golden, turning occasionally. Remove vegetables from the grill. Cut corn off of the cob, slice the onion and finely dice the jalapeño and garlic. Add to the bowl.
  5. Add the remaining vegetables and mint to the bowl.
  6. Whisk dressing ingredients together and add about half to the salad. Stir and season with salt to taste. Add the cheese and adjust flavours by adding more dressing and salt to taste. Serve immediately.

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