Salad

Most people think of ambrosia salad as a cloud of chunky white fruit in a glass bowl with neatly arranged canned mandarins on top. But we've evolved from those dark ages, and it's high time this salad got a makeover. Ambrosia can be reeeaally delicious, if made with the best, freshest ingredients. If you are even thinking about using dried coconut flakes from a bag, don't bother with this. Sweet fresh coconut meat is what makes it a standout. I don't usually go for aperitifs, but a chilled glass of Lillet is perfect with this salad.

In Peru, Quinoa is one of the most nutritious grains cultivated by our ancestors, which we are once again sharing with the world.

Make the rice before you leave, and pack the vinaigrette in a little jar on the side. You'll thank us, Scout's honor.

If this were our party, we'd get all the grilling out of the way early in the day and toss this Mediterranean fantasy of a salad together in our caftans.

When you leave lemon peels behind on the cutting board, you're (literally) throwing away free flavor. The peel adds a mild bitterness that we love, plus a bit of texture that instantly makes a salad dressing interesting. This whole-lemon vinaigrette can take on much more than Bibb lettuce: It's substantial enough to go head to head with blistered string or flat beans, smoky grilled meats—you name it.

Poaching the shrimp with their shells on locks in their flavor.

The usual slaw suspects get a modern upgrade thanks to a salty-cheesy walnut pesto.

No one will know this umami-packed creamy dressing is made with tofu; they'll just think it's delicious.

Serve this ultra-creamy tahini sauce with grilled meats or roasted vegetables, or use it as a base for a silky avocado dip or an herby salad dressing.

Grilled fennel, tomatoes, and scallions, plus cumin-rubbed grilled steak, turn this quinoa salad into a one-dish dinner you'll want to keep serving all summer long.

Toss the first juicy, sweet cherries of the season into this salad, along with rotisserie chicken and a vibrant creamy horseradish dressing.

The rich Spanish flavors of smoked paprika and Marcona almonds are balanced by the bright freshness of parsley and celery in this update on a classic side dish.

Feel free to adapt this fruit salad as the seasons change; aim for a mix of juicy fruit (like melon), stone fruit, and berries.

Inspired by chile salt-sprinkled mangos, this salad is so deftly seasoned, you won't even notice there's not a drop of oil in the whole dish.

A dressing of only vinegar and chili oil ties this salad together.

A texture riot of a salad; it gets crunch and creaminess from toasted pecans and almond butter(!).