Salad

Little fried balls of Gorgonzola turn a boring green salad into a mouthful of joy. For convenience, you can prepare and chill the cheese balls overnight so they are very firm before you fry them. To test the temperature of your oil, drop a small piece of bread into the pot. If it sinks to the bottom, the oil is not hot enough; if it rises slowly to the top and turns golden brown, it’s just right for frying.

Panzanella is a staple of Tuscan cooking that is traditionally made with leftover stale bread; the dressing moistens the bread, which soaks in all the flavors and juices from the vegetables. I like panzanella but I love cornbread. When I found myself with lots of leftover cornbread one Thanksgiving, I was inspired to give it an Italian spin, and this salad was born. It’s best to use stale cornbread, but if you have only fresh cornbread, toast the cubes in the oven at 300°F for 8 to 10 minutes to dry them out; that way they won’t fall apart in the salad and become mushy.

Roasting offers an easy, no-fuss way to quickly prepare asparagus. Reducing the balsamic vinegar before drizzling it over the vegetables concentrates its flavor to mimic aged varieties. Serve the dish for lunch or along with a green salad for a light dinner.

Wild salmon is widely available in cans. To ensure that you’re getting the most sustainable option, look for the blue Marine Stewardship Council logo on the label. The warming spices that make up curry powder—typically a combination of turmeric, coriander, cinnamon, and cumin, among others—also offer a wealth of health benefits, including boosting metabolism and decreasing inflammation.

Balsamic vinegar and brown sugar combine to make a tart, sweet dressing for all kinds of berries—a high variety ensures you’ll get a range of antioxidants. Serve the salad as is or topped with chopped toasted nuts.

Like Italian panzanella, this salad—a specialty of the eastern Mediterranean—pairs fresh vegetables and bread. The combination of vegetables, beans, and herbs is excellent for reducing high cholesterol.

Amaranth is a small herb seed, not a cereal grain, that tastes a bit peppery and is rich in protein and high in fiber. Here, it is toasted until it pops, much like popcorn. The lemon juice is not only for flavor; it also keeps the apples from turning brown.

This salad’s simple appearance belies its delicious combination of Mexicaninspired flavors. Studded with corn, pumpkin seeds, and red peppers, it makes a substantial lunch on its own, or a side dish for dinner.

The eye-popping combination of hues in this salad is sure to perk up the appetite, which in turn stimulates digestive enzymes. Pairing grapefruit and avocado also delivers nutritionally: Red grapefruit contains lycopene—which may help lower risk of heart disease and pancreatic, lung, and prostate cancers—and the antioxidant is best absorbed when eaten with healthy fat, such as that contained in avocado.

Although more commonly cooked, brussels sprouts, Swiss chard, and kale also make delicious raw salads, as long as they’re thinly sliced. This salad—which combines two of the vegetables—serves as a particularly nice fall or winter first course, when it’s hard to find flavorful leaf lettuces.

Fatty cold-water fish, such as Atlantic mackerel (also called Boston mackerel), deliver the most important forms of omega-3 fatty acids, helping to reduce cholesterol and even stave off type 2 diabetes and some cancers. Avoid king mackerel, however, as it has high mercury levels. Here the fish is marinated in lemon juice, then broiled so the skin crisps.

In addition to vitamins A, C, and K, parsley contains the phytochemical polyacetylene, which helps reduce cancer risk.

Papaya is packed with vitamin C and beta-carotene; endive is an excellent source of fiber and vitamins A and C.

Oranges are the standout in this supremely easy salad, providing hefty amounts of vitamin C and fiber. Olives (and olive oil) add healthful monounsaturated fat.

This salad features Madras curry powder—a blend of spices that includes turmeric, coriander, cumin, and cinnamon, all of which are antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, and detoxifiers. Watercress is also a potent detoxifier.

Don’t let the cauliflower’s pale hue fool you into thinking it’s less nutritious than more colorful vegetables; a member of the Brassica family, it contains powerful compounds that help detoxify the liver and fight cancer.

This vegetarian version of the classic dish omits the anchovies and replaces the tuna with cannellini beans; navy beans or chickpeas are other options.

You can vary this recipe by using half olive oil and half walnut oil and topping the beets with toasted walnuts. For the most visually appealing presentation, use a mixture of beets such as Chioggia, golden, and red.

Lentils are a particularly robust source of protein, folate, and iron. Red, orange, and yellow bell peppers provide more vitamin C and carotenoids than green ones; these powerful antioxidants support eye health, boost immunity, and fight heart disease. This nutritious make-ahead salad is perfect for a packable lunch, picnic, or barbecue.

This main-course salad combines chard, mushrooms, and quinoa to form a satisfying vegetarian meal abundant with vitamins, minerals, and complete protein.