Momma's Easter Green and White Salad
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My mom has made this salad for years and it’s a staple for our Easter dinner. That’s why it’s fittingly called Momma’s Easter Green and White Salad. It is super fresh and features a light dressing, which is a nice counterbalance when you have a big, heavy holiday meal.
She got the recipe from her dad’s first cousin, who was also my kindergarten teacher. It’s just raw vegetables, but you let them marinate in the dressing for at least four hours to really let the dressing permeate.
Cutting the Vegetables
Fresh cauliflower and broccoli are the stars of this salad. They provide a nice crunch, but also add contrasting color.
Prepare them both by trimming off their florets using Cutco’s sharp Gourmet Prep Knife.
To add another pop of color and flavor, chop a green pepper into bite-size pieces using a 7″ Santoku knife.
To add a little nutty flavor, water chestnuts are added. They also add to the crunchy textures of the salad. Because of their small size, use Cutco’s Mini Cheese Knife to slice them.
The ingredient list for the salad includes some yellow onion, but it’s really optional. If you do choose to include it, don’t add it until the end, otherwise, the onion flavor could overtake the salad.
The Simple Dressing
The dressing has a subtle sweet and tangy taste to it, and the creaminess of the mayonnaise helps balance it all out.
It is incredibly easy to make. Just mix together mayonnaise, sugar, white balsamic vinegar, dry mustard, salt and pepper. As a side note, if you’re watching your sugar intake, you can also use an artificial sweetener like Equal®. That’s it! So simple.
When the dressing is ready, pour it over the prepared vegetables – no cooking required – and mix well. Place the salad in the refrigerator for at least four hours. Letting sit overnight is even better as the vegetables sort of marinate in the dressing to really let the flavors sink in.
Flavor, Color, Texture
Momma’s Easter Green and White Salad has it all. Flavor, color and texture. When eating it, you’ll get a zip of tanginess from the vinegar and mustard in the dressing, along with some creaminess from the mayonnaise, and lots of crunch from the vegetables. Everything blends beautifully together for a perfect bite.
It’s colorful, yet understated, and is just a really good, fresh side salad. Try it and it might become part of your family holiday dinner traditions.
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons sugar or 3-4 packs of equal® sweetener
- 1/8 cup white balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
For the salad:
- 1 head of cauliflower, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 head of broccoli, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 (8-ounce) can of water chestnuts, drained and sliced
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped, optional
Directions
- In a medium bowl mix all the dressing ingredients together.
- In a large bowl mix the cauliflower, broccoli, bell pepper and water chestnuts.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and mix well.
- Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight is best.
- If adding the chopped onion, add it right before serving and mix into the salad.
- This dish is best served chilled.
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