Blue Cheese Salad

A favorite of mine for lunch and even dinner, this blue cheese salad is a cut above for its creamy texture, zesty red wine vinegar dressing, and crunchy, golden croutons!

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Blue Cheese Salad

This blue cheese salad is something I used to often get for lunch at one of my favorite eateries in New York City, where I lived for many years. This popular dive would have a bunch of ready-made salad bowls (your choice of romaine, spinach, or my favorite, mesclun), and some speedy worker would throw in whatever toppings I wanted in about 60 seconds flat. That New York minute also included a quick salad chop, which I always opted for.

This salad, which has cherry tomatoes, asparagus, chickpeas, avocado, croutons, and, of course, blue cheese, was one of two that became my go-to self-made concoction. It’s not an understatement to say that this lunch often helped me get through the drudgery of the day, mainly because the creaminess of the avocado, chickpeas, and blue cheese was a strange kind of comfort food that took an ordinary salad to the next level. I love blue cheese, and I think it’s the star player here despite some solid contenders.

I always ate this salad with an Italian vinaigrette, and I’ve since created my own red wine vinegar dressing with just the right amount of tart vinegar mellowed by fruity olive oil, a bit of honey, and some dried oregano. Accompanying homemade croutons are the finishing touch, which, along with the dressing, taste much like the ones I remember from my favorite New York haunt back in the day. You’ll find the recipe for the blue cheese salad, red wine vinegar dressing, and croutons below.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Mesclun (or any salad blend)
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Asparagus
• Chickpeas
• Blue Cheese
• Avocado
• Croutons (homemade or store bought)
• Red Wine Vinegar Dressing (homemade or store bought)

Why You’ll Love This Blue Cheese Salad

It’s hearty enough as a main meal (for two to three people): Although salads are typically associated with lunch, I know I’m not the only one who sometimes eats them for dinner. The richness of the chickpeas, avocado, and blue cheese makes it filling and satisfying.

You can prepare it beforehand: Just wait to add the avocado until you’re ready to eat. If you prefer croutons with a little less crunch, you can also add them ahead of time. The moisture from the other ingredients will help soften them a bit without making them mushy.

Pro Tips

Prepare the dressing beforehand: If possible, make it the day before. It tastes even better and thickens more as it sits.

Use a mason jar to blend the dressing ingredients: Although you can whisk the dressing in a bowl, it doesn’t emulsify as well. And although you can combine it in a food processor, it seems wasteful to dirty one just to make dressing. Instead, shake it in a mason jar (The bonus is that you can also store it in that same jar.) If you don’t have one, you can use something similar, as long as it has a secure lid.

Suggestions for Variations and Substitutions

• Use store-bought croutons and ready-made dressing for an even faster salad prep.
• Toss in inexpensive ingredients like red onion, cucumber, and shredded carrots for added bulk and nutrients.
• Replace the chickpeas with similar beans, such as butter or navy.
• If you can’t find mesclun, any salad mix will do. You can also use your favorite lettuce (e.g., romaine).

Leftovers

If you don’t think you’ll finish the entire salad in one sitting, add the dressing only to the amount you think you’ll eat. Store the remaining salad in an airtight container (preferably glass) in the refrigerator for up to three days (But one to two days is best.) Store the dressing in a separate airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. Keep the croutons in another container and keep at room temperature for up to five days.

For more salad options, try this delicious smoked salmon tuna salad.