No-Cook

A somewhat more exotic salsa, this jazzes up meals with a tropical beat. See the menu with Gingered Coconut Rice, page 96. Serve with tortilla chips or as a condiment with spicy dishes.

Use this as a dip for vegetables or small crackers or as a dressing for salads or pita sandwiches.

Serve as a spread on whole-grain crackers, crisp lavash, or wedges of pita bread. For more information on miso, a pungent soyfood, see page 21.

Silken tofu makes a perfect base for a good, dairy-free dip.

Here’s a dip that could inspire your family to eat more raw vegetables. It’s great for informal gatherings and cold buffets, too. Serve this with an array of colorful vegetables, including broccoli florets, baby carrots, red bell peppers, and halved cherry tomatoes.

This is especially good as a sauce for Shake-and-Bake Tofu (page 138). You can also use it as a sauce or spread with veggie burgers, or try it as a dip for crisp raw vegetables.

A classic Middle Eastern dip for scooping onto wedges of pita bread.

A basic tossed salad is transformed into a crunchy sandwich by wrapping it up. This makes a great side dish for grain, bean, pasta, and soy entrées.

This mild side dish complements vegetable curries as well as recipes made with hearty winter vegetables, as in the accompanying menu.

I’m not one to eat pears out of hand, but I like them—slightly underripe—in salads. Contrasted with the pleasant bite of goat cheese and the sweetness of dried cranberries, this salad is a party for the palate.

Here’s a salad sure to brighten a winter meal, when clementines are in season.

This is a modified version of Greek salad. I like to serve it with spinach dishes, as suggested in the menu with Spinach Rice (page 92). Or serve it with Hummus (page 229) and warm pita bread if you are expecting company for lunch.

Pickled beets are an appetizing addition to a salad of mixed greens.

Like slaws, this salad is nifty served with sandwiches and veggie burgers. It’s a great choice for taking on picnics as well.

Avocado is one of the most sensuous foods I know. Don’t be afraid of its fat content—it’s the kind of fat that’s good for you. See the menu with Tomato and Green Chili Quesadillas or Soft Tacos (page 173).

The shape, texture, and unique flavor of chickpeas make them a perfect salad ingredient. I will often add chickpeas to a salad when the meal’s main dish is on the lighter side. See the menu accompanying Pasta with Asparagus (page 67).

Black beans and corn team up to create a substantial salad that’s a great potluck or party dish.

I often make this to serve with a light pasta dish such as Pasta with Asparagus (page 67).

A hefty salad like this one can easily share center stage with a grain or pasta dish as shown in the menus for Bulgur with Cabbage and Green Beans (page 109) and Summer Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes (page 64).

Sometimes Israeli salad is embellished with fresh herbs, olives, or radishes, which you can add if you’re so inclined. But here it is in its essential form, the way my father-in-law, Arie Tabak, makes it. He also serves fresh rye bread with it, to soak up the delicious liquid that forms as it stands.