Eating more vegetables doesn’t always have to be virtuous, and a salad for dinner doesn’t have to leave you hungry and unsatisfied. A bed of leaves is the perfect base for layering all your favourite ingredients, along with tasty toppings like crunchy oil-drenched croutons, lavish dressings, creamy mozzarella or whatever else takes your fancy. Add different textures to your salad with crispy roast potatoes, creamy ripe avocado or gooey caramelised roast vegetables to take it to the next level.

Time to leave the sad wilted leaves in the supermarket sandwich aisle and get down and dirty with these three seriously satisfying salad recipes.

Egg and Bacon Salad with Bacon Dressing

Brunch just got a salad makeover! You crisp up bacon in the oven then make a rich umami dressing with the leftover oil from the baking tray. Top it all off with a protein punch from some boiled eggs and you’re good to go!

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 12 rashers smoked bacon
• 4 eggs
• 600g new potatoes
• 2 little gem lettuces
• Olive oil
• 1tsp Dijon mustard
• 2tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 5g chives, finely chopped
• Salt and Pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 160°C (fan)/ 350°F/ Gas 4. Place the bacon in a single layer on a nonstick baking tray and cook in a hot oven for 12-15 minutes until golden and crispy. Reserve the bacon fat, you will use this to make your dressing. To make sure your bacon is extra crispy leave to cool on a cooling rack over kitchen towel. Reserve the baking tray.
2. Boil a pan of water, then add your new potatoes. Cook for 15 minutes until a fork will easily pierce them. Drain then add to the bacon baking tray with a splash of olive oil. Roll around to coat in the oil, then using the back of a fork crush each potato. Season with salt and place in the oven for 20 minutes until crispy.
3. Add the eggs to a separate pot of salted boiled water over a high heat (salt prevents the eggs from cracking). Once boiling, boil for exactly 7 min, for perfect, mid-boiled eggs. Meanwhile, fill a bowl of very cold water with ice (the ice packs in your Gousto box are perfect) ready for cooling your eggs.
4. To make the dressing measure out the reserved bacon fat then add olive oil until you have 4 tbsps total. Add the Dijon, apple cider vinegar, chopped chives and a pinch of salt and pepper and mix until well combined. You can all do this by adding everything to a clean jar and shaking.
5. Crumble the bacon into large pieces, add half to a large bowl with the lettuce leaves and the dressing and toss until everything is well coated. Place in a serving bowl with the crispy potatoes, peeled and halved boiled eggs, remaining crispy bacon then top with a pinch of black pepper and enjoy.

Roast Pink Beef Tomato and Mediterranean Veg Salad

Everyone in the Gousto kitchen was so excited to see these beautiful pink beef tomatoes the first time we tried them. Roasted alongside a handful of other Mediterranean vegetable favourites then drizzled with homemade cheddar pesto, they stand out as the real star of the salad world.

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1 aubergine
• 20g basil
• 40g cheddar cheese
• 1 ciabatta roll
• 1 courgette
• 15g flaked almonds
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 pink beef tomato (or regular beef tomato)
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• A handful of rocket
• 1 yellow pepper
• Olive oil
• Salt and Pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/ 200°C (fan)/ 425°F/ Gas 4. Deseed and slice the yellow pepper, and chop the courgette and aubergine into bite-size pieces.  Add them all to a baking tray drizzle generously with olive oil, salt and pepper and toss to coat. Roast for 20-25 minutes (removing the tray halfway through and giving everything a good mix up) until everything is golden and tender.
2. While the vegetables are roasting, remove the green stalk from the pink beef tomato, slice the pink beef tomato in half, horizontally and add the tomato halves to one side of a baking tray with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper and put the tray in the oven for 15-20 min or until softened
3. While the tomatoes are in the oven, peel the garlic and chop it roughly, then grate the cheddar cheese. Add the basil, chopped garlic, grated cheese and flaked almonds to a food processor with 3 tbsp olive oil and 3 tbsp cold water and whizz until a smooth.
4. Rip the ciabatta into large bite-sized pieces. Once the tomatoes have been cooking for 10 min, add the ripped ciabatta to the other side of the tray and drizzle them with olive oil. Return the tray to the oven for 5 min or until the croutons are beginning to crisp.
5. Meanwhile, combine the red wine vinegar with 2 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.
6. Drizzle the salad dressing over the roast vegetables and rocket, then top with the roasted tomato halves and croutons and dollop over the pesto.

Aussie Mozzarella, Avocado and Sesame Salad

At face value you might think you’ve had this salad before – chunky croutons, creamy avocado and bright white mozzarella – but this version has a surprise delicious twist! Australia’s close proximity to Asia sees its influence everywhere in all different dishes, in this case, a soy and sesame dressing and crunchy black sesame seeds.

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 2 ciabatta rolls
• 1 large avocado
• 1 tsp black sesame seeds
• 125g cherry tomatoes
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 25g honey
• 1 ball of mozzarella
• 1 red gem lettuce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 spring onions
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/ 180°C (fan)/ 395°F/ Gas 6. Tear the ciabatta rolls into bite-sized pieces and add them to a baking tray, then sprinkle on the dried oregano and a generous pinch of salt. Drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil, mix it up and put the tray in the oven for 12-15 min or until the ciabatta is golden and crunchy.
2. Meanwhile, add the honey, toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, red wine vinegar and 1 tbsp olive oil with a pinch of salt and pepper to a large bowl. Mix well until combined.
3. Drain the mozzarella and tear it into bite-sized pieces, halve the cherry tomatoes then trim and finely slice the spring onions, and cut the avocado flesh into chunks.
4. Tear the red gem lettuce leaves into a bowl then add the cherry tomatoes and spring onions. Pour over the dressing and give everything a good old mix up.
5. Serve the dressed salad topped with croutons, torn mozzarella and avocado. Garnish with black sesame seeds and enjoy!

What are some of your favourite indulgent salad ingredients? Let us know if you try any of our down and dirty salads on Instagram @goustocooking.