Lettuce

Char tender, crunchy, irresistible mini heads of romaine lettuce on the campfire, then smother them in dilly buttermilk dressing.

Flanken-style short ribs are an affordable, quick-cooking cut that benefit from a bittersweet, mustardy orange-marmalade marinade. Pair with hardy charred lettuces for a summer feast

Philosophical question: Is it still a wedge if it isn't smothered in blue cheese and bacon? It's debatable, but we do know that this is a healthyish wedge salad we'd happily eat every day. It's got the rich part—a creamy tahini dressing that's so thick it anchors the greens. It's got the crunchy stuff—seeds and coarse salt. And it's got freshness—actual lettuce and herbs. Iceberg who?

Cover a just-baked, garlic-scented pizza crust with a crisp salad of Bibb lettuce, blue cheese, prosciutto, and pickled onions, plus plenty of red wine vinaigrette.

The ultimate date-night first course: eat it with a knife and fork or eat it with your hands. Either way it’s more fun if you share it off the same plate.

This take on the retro classic is a fun way to start a holiday dinner party. The recipe makes more Louie dressing than you think you might need—but that's a good thing.

This Caesar salad–update makes more vinaigrette than you’ll need, and that’s not an accident. Once you taste it, you’ll want a jarful in your fridge at all times.

Charred scallions add smoky depth to the creamy, double-acid (lemon and rice vinegar) dressing that pulls this salad of store-bought chicken, Bibb lettuce, avocados, and radishes together.

Our perfect quinoa cooking method is to boil it in salted water until tender, then drain and return to the pot. Let steam, covered, for a few minutes and fluff.

If this brings back memories of the “house salad” from that Italian-American restaurant you grew up eating at, then we consider our jobs done.

We call this one a picnic dinner since everything can be eaten with your hands. It's easy to pack up and take to the park if you want, but it also works great on the family table.

The best part? The Caesar-ish Dressing, which is egg- and-dairy-free, but still creamy and flavorful enough to make you think you’re eating a salad with a Caesar dressing.

We eat this salad—which is a great way to stretch a piece of beef—all year long for lunch and dinner, but it's particularly good during the warmer months. The thinly sliced meat, the crunch of the cucumbers and red onions, and the heady aroma of mint and cilantro tossed with the chile-spiked salty-sweet dressing seem made for hot days and nights.

This easy, beach-ready sandwich pairs juicy summer tomatoes with tangy giardiniera and crunchy shreds of iceberg. Bring napkins.

With each bite you get that ideal combo of ingredients—sweet tomato, rich egg, crisp iceberg lettuce.

A couple tablespoons of yogurt miraculously transform a basic vinaigrette recipe into a new creamy dressing.

Smoky bacon, crunchy shredded lettuce, and a zesty dressing—what’s not to like?

This refreshing Thai-inspired salad pairs a summery mix of charred green and yellow wax beans with chiles, fresh lime juice, and loads of cilantro. The zesty grilled tofu and creamy avocado add filling protein and healthy fats, rounding out the meal for a delicious weeknight vegetarian dinner.

Salade Niçoise is a beautifully composed salad of French origin that looks fancy but is incredibly easy to make. The traditional version is often made with tuna, but here the fish is replaced with baked tofu, which makes a great stand-in. And the array of ingredients—white beans or chickpeas, slender green beans, tomatoes, and olives—makes it a splendid main dish salad for a summer meal, either on busy weeknights or festive occasions.