It’s been a strange winter in Seattle; deceiving bursts of warmth and sunshine amidst the cloudy, wet, and cold days have left me pining for the sun more than usual. Hard as I might want to, I can’t seem to change the climate, but I’ve definitely been trying to compensate by eating colorful foods and bright flavors.
Case in point, this ribbon salad. I’ve been making it pretty regularly since the beginning of the new year. Not only is it super simple to make, delicious and absolutely gorgeous, it also packs in a pretty solid, nutritious punch. So if, unlike me, you’re still committed to your New Year’s resolutions, this salad definitely fits the bill.
Rainbow Ribbon Salad // serves 2
- 5 rainbow carrots
- 1 zucchini
- 1 cucumber
- 1 watermelon radish
- 1 candy cane beet
Vinaigrette
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp cumin
- salt and pepper to taste
Prep //
There are a few ways you can go about creating your ribbons. For the sturdy watermelon radish and beet, I used a mandolin set on the thinnest setting to get perfectly sliced rounds. For the carrots, zucchini and cucumber, I used a vegetable peeler to get super thin ribbons. The tool you use depends on how thick you’d like your ribbons to be. The peeler is great for nearly translucent pieces, while a mandolin would get you a thicker bite.
Wash and peel your veggies. Slice your ribbons into a large bowl and toss to disperse the colors. In a separate bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the vinaigrette. When you’re ready to serve the salad*, dress it with the vinaigrette, give it another quick toss, and then arrange it on a platter. Enjoy!
Prep note: This salad tends to get juicier as it sits, so it’s best to eat it soon after dressing it. If you need to make it ahead of time however, put the undressed and unseasoned ribbons in your fridge for up to an hour.
Also, hello everyone! I’m excited to have made it out of the kitchen to here on the blog where I’ll be sharing my favorite recipes with you. I’m Natasha, Cass’ ribbon-slicing, pie-baking, brussels-sprout-shaving intern (and now contributor!). Here’s to lots of good eats and booze… I mean, carefully crafted and totally situationally appropriate cocktails.
