A granola-topped little gem salad: Crunchy, savory perfection
“This salad might seem simple to the naked eye, but sometimes it’s the most perfect and seemingly simple things that require the most love and attention,” says Melissa BenIshay in Come Hungry (William Morrow). The preparation begins with making savory granola, which requires 45 minutes of oven time and “which I hope you always keep a jar of after this.”
I’m a baker by trade, creator of Baked by Melissa. But it was my recipe for a green goddess salad that unexpectedly went viral when I posted it on TikTok, and that phenomenon allowed me to create a whole cookbook of the salads and everyday savory dishes my family and I love to eat.
In this salad, “the vibrant shallot vinaigrette pairs perfectly with the crunchy greens,” and the granola adds crunch. Yes, “you could use another green for this, but why would you want to?” Little gem lettuce “has the perfect amount of nooks to scoop up all the delicious toppings, which is a must.”
Recipe of the week Little gem and savory granola salad
2 small heads little gem lettuce
2 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced 3 radishes, thinly sliced
1 shallot, thinly sliced
Savory granola (recipe below), for serving
For the shallot vinaigrette:
1 small shallot, finely chopped
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tbsp)
¼ tsp fine sea salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
Cut ends off little gem lettuces. Combine lettuce, cucumbers, radishes, and sliced shallot together in a large bowl, reserving some veggies for garnish.
To make vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together chopped shallot and the seven other ingredients until combined.
Pour dressing over salad and toss to combine. To serve, garnish with reserved veggies. Top with savory granola. Serves 4 to 6.
Savory granola (Makes 3 cups)
1½ cups organic rolled oats • ½ cup pumpkin seeds • ½ cup sliced almonds • ½ cup puffed quinoa • 2 tbsp sesame seeds • 2 egg whites • 1∕3 cup extra virgin olive oil • 1 tbsp garlic powder • 1 tsp fine sea salt • 1 tsp dried oregano • ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine oats, pumpkin seeds, sliced almonds, puffed quinoa, and sesame seeds in a large bowl.
In a small bowl, whisk together egg whites, olive oil, garlic powder, salt, oregano, and pepper. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix until dry ingredients are completely coated.
Spread mixture on baking sheet and flatten with a spatula. Bake for 30 minutes. Stir granola around with spatula and bake for an additional 15 minutes, until granola is golden brown and toasted.
Let granola cool completely before storing in an airtight container at room temperature. It should stay good for about 3 weeks.