Pesto Salad
I used to have nothing good to say about iceberg lettuce. I thought it was nothing more than those large, white, chunks of crispy lettuce on a salad bar that nobody wants. But then a friend brought a bag of shredded iceberg lettuce to a taco bar spread at my house, and I came to realize a profound truth: there is a purpose, a time and a place, for each and every green leafed vegetable.
There is a time for kale and a time for spinach.
There is a place for swiss chard and a place for romaine.
And, yes, there is even a purpose for the humble iceberg lettuce.
At this point, I would say two purposes. One is for a taco salad (more on that some other time) and the other purpose for which I believe God created iceberg lettuce is this Pesto Salad.
This salad evolved from your typical caprese salad. You know…tomatoes, mozzarella, and fresh basil. But, as much as I love those August flavors, it began to be a bit much. A salad that is just tomatoes and cheese? Where were the greens, I began to wonder? What would happen if I added some greens? Which greens should be added?
Those questions led to experimentation, and I eventually discovered that shredded iceberg lettuce was the answer. As a crunchy filler, it perfectly rounds out the tomatoes, cheese, basil, and pesto goodness. Serve it up as a fantastic side dish to all things Italian, or as a flavorful lunch dish. I’ve been known to add chicken or avocado, but usually, I just let the flavors of August shine bright on their supporting bed of, that’s right, iceberg lettuce.
Notes:
Only one note: Follow loosely! Usually, I just toss some lettuce (shredded iceberg!), tomatoes, cheese, and basil in a bowl. Then I throw in some pesto, olive oil, splash of balsamic (because that makes everything better), and a dash of salt (that makes everything better, too.) Think of the measurements as a baseline from which you can start experimenting. Maybe more or less of a certain ingredient would make it perfect for you. Experiment and enjoy!
Pesto Salad
Ingredients
- 12 oz shredded iceberg lettuce
- 2 cups of mozzarella pearls, shredded mozzarella, or a combo of mozzarella and parmesan
- 3 cups of cherry tomatoes, whole, sliced in half, or diced
- 1/4 c prepared pesto
- 1/4 c olive oil
- 1 TBS balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp dried basil or fresh basil leaves to taste
Instructions
- Put lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese in a large salad bowl.
- Whisk pesto, olive oil, balsamic, salt, and basil in a small bowl. Pour the dressing on the salad and toss to coat.
