I originally created this composed salad when I was a vegetarian and writing Simple Green Suppers. It was inspired by some pretty greens from my hoop house (in the late spring, not summer!), but since then it’s become more of a template for assembling some of my favorite ingredients for a main dish salad. It usually features the kinds of goodies that I encourage people who want to make veggie-forward meals to keep in their fridges and pantries. Some, like roasted cherry tomatoes and roasted chickpeas, require turning the oven on.

But on a scorching summer day, when you really just want a no-cook meal, you can build a nice salad with things like hummus (homemade or store-bought), marinated olives, avocadoes, any combination of fresh baby greens and herbs, store-bought roasted nuts, and store-bought pita crisps. Add thinly sliced salami if you’re not in all-veggie mode.

I’ve designed this to serve two and go on a platter, but you could just as easily pack everything in containers, grab a blanket or beach chairs, and head for the beach.

Serves 2

 

Susie Middleton
  • 3 cups fresh baby (the smaller the better) spring greens (any combination of lettuce, arugula, baby kale, baby mustard, mizuna, cress, nasturtium leaves, pea shoots or pea greens, small herb leaves or edible flowers)
  • 12 to 16 Pita Crisps (see below)
  • ½ cup (or more) Quick-Roasted Cherry or Grape Tomatoes
  • ½ cup (or more) Crispy Roasted Chickpeas
  • 1 firm-ripe avocado
  • 1/3 cup (or more) Lemony Chickpea Hummus or any hummus
  • 12 Kalamata or Nicoise olives (or a combination of your favorite)
  • ½ cup toasted nuts, preferably at least two kinds (choose from walnuts, pecans, almonds, pine nuts, hazelnuts or pepitas)
  • 1/2 recipe Farmhouse Vinaigrette (or a few tablespoons of your favorite vinaigrette)

 

1. Arrange a medium-large platter on your counter. I like a rectangle or square shape, but oval will work too.

2. Arrange the pita crisps in a row along the left side of the platter. Mound a row of greens next to the pita crisps. Arrange a row of chickpeas and a row of roasted tomatoes next.

3. Cut and pit the avocado and cut it into wedges. On the far right side of the platter arrange the avocado wedges, the olives, the hummus, and the nuts in one wide row.

4. Put the salad dressing in a small bowl with a small spoon. Bring the bowl of dressing and the platter to the table with a fork, knife, spoon, and serving plate for each person. Use the pita crisps to make mini salad sandwiches from all the ingredients, scooping the avocado out of the shell as needed with a spoon, and drizzling dressing as needed. Or transfer portions of everything to a plate, drizzle on dressing, and cut with a knife and fork.

 

To make pita crisps: Heat the broiler to high. Cut one or two good quality pita breads into sixths (or however many triangles you’d like). Separate the top and bottom pieces. Brush each pita generously with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and arrange on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Broil until deeply golden, and brown around the edges, about 2 to 4 minutes. Leftovers can be frozen.