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Colorful Mediterranean Romaine Salad with Poppyseed and Balsamic Dressings Recipe

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★★★★★

4.4 from 56 reviews

A vibrant and flavorful mixed romaine salad featuring colorful bell peppers, red onion, feta cheese, toasted pecans, craisins, and pepitas, served with a delightful combination of balsamic and poppyseed dressings. Perfect as a refreshing side or light main course.

Ingredients

Scale

Salad

  • 8 cups romaine lettuce, torn or chopped
  • 1 yellow pepper, chopped into 1/4″ pieces
  • 1/2 orange pepper, chopped into 1/4″ pieces
  • 1/2 red onion, sliced
  • 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
  • 1 cup chopped toasted pecans
  • 1/2 cup craisins
  • 1/4 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Balsamic Dressing

  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 2 tbsp. maple syrup
  • 1 tsp. honey dijon mustard (substitute regular dijon)
  • Pinch salt & pepper

Poppyseed Dressing

  • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
  • 3 tbsp. honey
  • 1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. poppyseeds
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 tsp. lemon zest
  • 1 tbsp. finely grated sweet onion
  • 1 tsp. dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup olive oil

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Salad: Place all salad ingredients (romaine lettuce, yellow pepper, orange pepper, red onion, feta cheese, toasted pecans, craisins, and pepitas) into a large bowl and toss well to combine evenly.
  2. Make the Balsamic Dressing: In a glass jar, combine balsamic vinegar, olive oil, maple syrup, honey dijon mustard, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Secure the lid and shake vigorously until the mixture is well blended.
  3. Make the Poppyseed Dressing: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together white wine vinegar, honey, poppyseeds, salt, dry mustard, mayonnaise, lemon zest, grated sweet onion, dijon mustard, lemon juice, and olive oil until smooth. Transfer to a glass jar and refrigerate.
  4. Combine Dressings: Mix equal parts (1 cup each) of balsamic dressing and poppyseed dressing in a bowl. Whisk until fully incorporated.
  5. Dress the Salad: Drizzle the combined dressing over the tossed salad and gently toss to coat all ingredients. Serve immediately with extra dressing on the side to top up as desired.

Notes

  • The combined dressing (balsamic and poppyseed) yields enough for several salads and can be stored refrigerated for use within a week.
  • Feel free to substitute honey dijon mustard with regular dijon mustard if preferred.
  • To toast pecans, lightly toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until fragrant.
  • This salad is best served fresh to preserve the crispness of the lettuce and the texture of nuts and pepitas.
  • You can adjust the sweetness by varying the amount of honey and maple syrup according to taste.

Keywords: romaine salad, feta cheese salad, pecan salad, balsamic dressing, poppyseed dressing, healthy salad, vegetarian salad

Find it online: https://www.sanacooks.com/colorful-mediterranean-romaine-salad-with-poppyseed-and-balsamic-dressings-recipe/