Quick Trader Joe's Year-Round Salad

Here’s my go-to quick and easy year-round salad recipe

THIS IS THE MOST REQUESTED SALAD RECIPE AT OUR GATHERINGS!

I personally think salads are a great recipe to bring to a gathering because it’s just so easy to make. And with everything from Trader Joe's, it really only takes 10 minutes to put together. It is the most requested salad recipe at our gatherings and for a good reason! 

I also make this salad when I am low on time but need a quick dinner. I almost always have most of the ingredients, and if I don’t, it’s a really quick swap. 

The complex flavors, textures, and the combo of sweet and savory are really what makes this salad unique!

It’s also gluten-free, which we love!

Here’s what you need!

GREENS:

Any greens will work. I personally love arugula for this. It has a bite to it, with a little bit of spice. The organic arugula at Trader Joe's in the produce section is always a winner! It’s priced at $2.29/7 Oz.

FRUIT: 

Apples and grapes. The reason I use these two ingredients is because they are always in season! You can find apples any time of year in every store, and the same with grapes too! You can use green apples, red apples, or yellow apples. You can use green grapes or red grapes (preferably seedless).

Interchangeably, you can add pears and pomegranate in the winter or blueberries and strawberries in the summer. See what I mean? Easy to substitute using what you have!

CHEESE:

I personally love feta for this, it’s salty and the perfect contrast to the sweet fruit. It’s also easy to add since it’s already crumbled. Trader Joe's has a well-priced feta cheese that is perfect for this. If you’re dairy-free, try their feta cheese alternative! It’s completely vegan!

Alternatively, you can use blue cheese or shaved parmesan cheese! Both of those are also great options.

NUTS:

Walnuts are my favorite, they are great for brain health. I load up on the raw, unsalted nuts from Trader Joe's because they are frankly the most affordable out of all grocery stores. The reason I go for raw, unsalted is because there are no added oils or salts. They are clean and easy to digest. But the most important part is to toast those raw, unsalted nuts!

To toast your nuts, I throw mine into the air fryer at 390 for 3 minutes. It’s the perfect way to add texture, flavor, and a bite to the salad. You can do this while you’re chopping up the other ingredients! If you don’t have an air fryer, grab a skillet and add your nuts on the skillet (no oil necessary). Just toss them around for 3-4 minutes until an aroma starts to arise.

Alternatively, you can use pumpkin seeds/pepitas (always on hand from Trader Joe's), sliced pecans, sliced almonds, peanuts, cashews, macadamia nuts, or sunflower seeds if you are nut-free! See what I mean? Just use whatever you have on hand for a little bite!

DRIED CRANBERRIES OR CHERRIES:

This is also a crucial ingredient. The dried cranberries are perfect year-round, and the price at Trader Joe’s is great! However, they do contain some oil and sugar. If you want to omit it, try adding the dried, unsweetened cherries. Those are such a perfect alternative, and I tend to use those often because of their ingredients!

SALAD DRESSING:

This is when we really elevate this salad. I honestly prefer to make my own dressing because it saves me so much money. Plus, I get to control using good quality olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and sweeteners. Here’s a quick video of how simple it is to make your own dressing!

Alternatively, you can go for some of Trader Joe’s pre-made dressings.

Here are a few that work well with this salad:

• Trader Joe's Organic Balsamic & Fig Dressing

• Trader Joe's Maple Vinaigrette Dressing

PROTEINS:

I don’t mind a simple salad without protein. But if you felt like you needed to add some protein to this, some simple protein add-ons are…

• Drained and rinsed chickpeas - You could even try air frying chickpeas. 

• Chicken sausage

• Grilled chicken breast - you can try my easy chicken cutlets.

• Grilled steak

• Air-fried salmon - check out my Air-Fried Salmon eCookbook, where there are over 15 air-fried salmon recipes you can choose from!

Trader Joe’s Year Round Salad Ingredients

• 6 cups spring mix

• 4 cups arugula

• 1 cup red grapes, chopped

• 1 cup apple, chopped

• 3/4 cup feta cheese

• 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted

• 1/3 cup walnuts, toasted & chopped

• 1/4 cup unsweetened dried cherries

Balsamic Dressing

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 1/4 cup spicy Dijon mustard

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

How to Make Trader Joe’s Year Round Salad

Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl.

Add all of the ingredients of the dressing into a mason jar, small blender, or bowl. Shake, blend, or whisk well until it's all blended. Toss the salad with the homemade balsamic dijon vinaigrette.

Serve immediately.

Tips

To toast the nuts and seeds, just place them on a non-stick pan for about 5 minutes on medium heat to warm. Stir a few times to keep it from burning.

Substitutions

• Use any greens for the spring mix and arugula. This is also really good with romaine lettuce or butter lettuce.

• Try green grapes instead of red.

• Try green apples instead of red.

• Try gorgonzola cheese, goat cheese, or blue cheese crumbles instead of feta.

• Any nuts and seeds would work in place of the pumpkin and walnuts. I love sliced almonds, pecans, and sunflower seeds as well.

• Try dried cranberries instead of dried cherries.

FAQ

What veggies and types of lettuce pair well with Trader Joe's Year Round Salad? 

For this salad, you can use any greens that you prefer. I suggest using a combination of spring mix and arugula, but you can also use romaine lettuce, butter lettuce, green cabbage, and iceberg lettuce. As for other veggies, you can add any of your favorites or what you have on hand. This includes broccoli stalks, red cabbage, brussels sprouts, green onion, cucumbers, sun-dried tomatoes, or sliced bell peppers. Feel free to get creative and customize the salad to your liking!

Trader Joe's Year-Round Salad is a healthy option for home cooks seeking a quick and easy option that can be enjoyed any time of the year. With simple ingredients that are readily available, this salad offers a combination of flavors, textures, and the perfect balance of sweet and savory elements. Whether you're attending a gathering or in need of a quick dinner, this salad can be prepared in just 10 minutes using Trader Joe's affordable and high-quality products. Plus, it's gluten-free! The customizable nature of this Trader Joe's salad allows for easy substitutions based on seasonal availability or personal preferences. Elevate the salad with a creamy dressing, or choose one of Trader Joe's pre-made options to add a delicious finishing touch. 

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Trader Joe's Summer Salad

Yield: 6 Servings

Prep time: 15 MinTotal time: 15 Min

I wanted to share my go-to quick summer salad with y'all.

Ingredients

• 6 cups spring mix
• 4 cups arugula
• 1 cup red grapes, chopped
• 1 cup apple, chopped
• 3/4 cup feta cheese
• 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted
• 1/3 cup walnuts, toasted & chopped
• 1/4 cup unsweetened dried cherries

Balsamic Dressing

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup spicy dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Add all of the ingredients of the dressing into a mason jar, small blender, or bowl. Shake, blend or whisk well until it's all blended. Toss the salad with the homemade balsamic dijon vinaigrette. Serve immediately.

Tips

1. To toast the nuts and seeds, just place them on a non-stick pan for about 5 minutes on medium heat to warm. Stir a few times to keep it from burning.

Substitutions

1. Use any greens for the spring mix and arugula. This is also really good with romaine or butter lettuce.
2. Try green grapes instead of red.
3. Try green apples instead of red.
4. Try gorgonzola cheese or blue cheese instead of feta.
5. Any nuts and seeds would work in place of the pumpkin and walnuts. I love sliced almonds, pecans, and sunflower seeds as well.
6. Try dried cranberries instead of dried cherries.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @jazzleaf on instagram and hashtag it # jazzleafeats

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