Four Salad Recipes Using Local Garden Vegetables

Fresh and Healthy Recipes for Summer Pasta and Vegetable Salads

© Georgene A. Bramlage

Aug 28, 2009

Where can cooks find nutritious vegetable recipes? Plentiful sources include friends, relatives, package inserts, and handouts from farmers' markets and roadside stands. Here are four garden fresh salad recipes gathered from a variety of sources:

Community Broccoli and Pasta Salad

This quick, easy and nutritious summer salad was collected during a community potluck and recipe exchange.

• 1 lb. broccoli
• 1 lb. pasta (ziti, penne, or mostaccioli)
• ¼–cup plus 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 3 cloves (or to taste) garlic, chopped fine
• ½–cup grated Parmesan cheese; fresh does taste sharper

1. Cook pasta al dente. Drain and toss with 1 tbsp. olive oil to keep pieces separate.
2. Clean and prepare broccoli. Pare off tough outer layers from stalks. Divide and cut off florets from main stalks. Quarter stalks lengthwise and then cut into 1 ½ to 2" pieces. Steam until tender.
3. Using a small skillet, sauté garlic in ¼-cup olive oil. Set aside to cool.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine all cooled ingredients and cheese. Toss gently and pile onto a serving dish. Serve at room temperature.
5. Prepare ahead of time and refrigerate, but bring to room temperature before serving so oil will be a proper consistency.
6. Serves 4 to 8.

A family favorite passed along by a neighbor who liked to cook and trade recipes. A stand mixer with shredding attachment makes this a less time–consuming recipe. Also, "lite" Italian bottle dressing makes a good time–saving substitute for cooked dressing.

• 1 medium head cabbage
• 1 small onion
• 2 medium carrots
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 large sweet bell pepper (for a festive look, use ½ red and ½ green)
• ½-cup sugar
• 2/3–cup white, cider or herb vinegar
• 1 cup vegetable oil (canola or corn work well)
• 1 tsp. dried mustard
• 1 tsp. celery seed
• 1 tbsp. salt

Prepare vegetables as follows :

• Shred cabbage finely,
• Mince onion,
• Grate carrots,
• Dice celery thinly, and
• Dice bell pepper into small pieces.

Place prepared vegetables in a large mixing bowl in the order listed.

Prepare dressing:

• In a large saucepan, mix vinegar, oil, mustard, celery seed and salt together.
• Bring to a boil.
• Pour hot liquid over vegetables.

1. Cover mixture and refrigerate for 24 hours without stirring.
2. Stir when ready to serve.
3. Mixture will stay crisp and flesh-flavored for 7 to 10 days in a refrigerated covered container.
4. Serves 16 to 32.

Made with a recipe found on packaged Polish sausage. This salad tastes better than traditional potato salad. It is perfect for picnics and potluck dinners because there is little fear of spoiling. Ingredients may be prepared ahead of time, refrigerated and then assembled right before serving.

• 8 small red potatoes cut into ¼" rounds before cooking
• ½ lb. kielbasa also cut into ¼" rounds
• 2 oz. beer (about ¼–cup)
• ¼-cup distilled white vinegar
• 1 ½ tsp. finely chopped fresh garlic
• ½ tsp. salt
• ? tsp. white pepper
• ½–cup vegetable oil
• 1 small head Boston Bibb lettuce or a combination of green and red leaf lettuce

1. Boil sliced potatoes with skins intact in water until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain in colander.
2. Cook kielbasa with beer in large covered skillet over medium–high heat for 5 minutes; remove cover and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Remove sausage with tongs to paper towel to drain.
3. Whisk together vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper in a small ceramic bowl; slowly whisk in the oil.
4. Return potatoes to cool saucepan; add dressing and gently toss.
5. Remove lettuce leaves from head or bunch; wash leaves and pat dry.
6. Arrange lettuce leaves on a serving platter or around the edge of a shallow serving bowl; mound potatoes in the middle; place sausage around the potatoes leaving an edge of lettuce showing.
7. Serves 4 to 8

This recipe is from an advertisement for rice. It is an interesting way to use an overabundance of fresh spinach. Add vegetables like sliced radishes or julienne–cut zucchini to make the recipe stretch.

• 1 cup brown or white rice
• ½–cup bottled Italian salad dressing
• 1 tbsp. soy sauce
• ½ tsp. sugar
• 2 cups spinach cut into thin strips
• ½–cup sliced celery (or other crunchy vegetable)
• ½–cup thinly sliced green onions, including tops (or other green vegetable)
• ?–cup crumbled crisp bacon (or soy bacon substitute)

1. Cook rice until tender but not mushy. Drain and transfer to large ceramic bowl. Cool slightly.
2. Combine salad dressing, soy sauce and sugar. Stir into warm rice.
3. Cover and chill.
4. Fold in remaining ingredients before serving.
5. Serves 4 – 6.

• Simple Homemade Garden Fresh Summer Salsa: Quick Recipes for Tomato, Tomatillo and Fruit Salsas
• Five Simple Recipes for Garden Fresh Corn: Quick, Easy and Homemade Vegetable Dishes for Summer Meals

Basket of Garden Fresh Vegetables

Sliced Vegetables

Cooking Freshly Sliced Zucchini

Print Article

View All Articles

How to subscribe to feeds