Salad

"Celery is the perfect vehicle for a salty, assertive dressing like this one. Chiles and peanuts make it that much more addictive." —Alison Roman, senior associate food editor

David Chang's buttermilk dressing is our kind of ranch. Use the freshest beans possible: You want that tender snap.

"At home I cook quick, healthy, and vegetarian," the chef says. Cue this soy-and-ginger-marinated tofu (no cooking required!) that tastes way better than takeout.

Charred to a crisp: Not a statement usually associated with salads, but delicious nonetheless in this Mexican-inspired romaine number.

Let colorful, sweet heirloom tomatoes shine in a simple side salad.

Not your ordinary side of rice. Two types means more textures to layer with crunchy nuts and tender beans.

This fresh and filling salad gets gently tossed with a creamy, garlicky tahini dressing and topped with fresh herbs and crunchy walnuts.

"Don't try this with iceberg," advises Roberta's chef Carlo Mirarchi. Flavorful, robust lettuces work best, allowing you to get grill marks on one side while the rest wilts.

Yes, you can treat parsley as a salad green, as long as your bunch isn't woody. Sweet molasses and tart sumac make it vibrant.

The flesh immediately surrounding the seeds is the most succulent part of any melon; if you haven't tried eating the crunchy seeds before, hold on to your hat.

Dress just before serving so that the fennel will still be crunchy and the melon retains its juices.

Cooked summer squash can be mushy. Solution: Eat it raw. If you can't find buckwheat groats, use chopped toasted almonds instead.

"Cool and bright, this herb-laced corn salad is my new summer staple." —Alfia Muzio, recipe developer

Eggplant is like a sponge. Salting it draws out moisture and firms up the flesh, and deep-frying ensures it cooks evenly until creamy throughout. Worth your time.

The peppers will go from softened to mushy if they sit too long; you want to serve them with some bite left.

Sugared, roasted lemons are edible from rind to flesh and give this salsa-like mix a bracing jolt of sourness.