Little Gem Salad With Garlicky Almond Dressing
- Total Time
- 20 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:4 to 6 servings
- 4 to 6heads of Little Gem lettuce (more, if very small)
- ¼cup crushed toasted almonds (See Tip)
- 3tablespoons sherry vinegar
- 2garlic cloves, minced
- ½cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
211 calories; 21 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 15 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 3 grams protein; 313 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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- Step 1
Remove wilted exterior leaves from each head of lettuce. Cut stems from the lettuce heads, separate leaves and swish in a large basin of cold water, letting any sand or dirt sink to the bottom. Lift the leaves from the water and transfer to a colander. Shake away excess water. Wrap in kitchen towels to dry or use a salad spinner.
- Step 2
Make the dressing: Put almonds, vinegar and garlic in a small bowl. Whisk in the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
- Step 3
Put leaves in a wide salad bowl. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Dress lightly just before serving, using 2 or 3 tablespoons of dressing and coating leaves well. Taste and add more dressing as necessary. Store any remaining dressing in refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Tip
- To toast almonds, place them in a pie pan in a single layer, and place them in a 400-degree oven. Shake the pan occasionally and bake until almonds are fragrant, crisp and browned, about 10 minutes. To test, cut an almond in half to see that the interior is light brown.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
danielle
After eating this I don’t think I can go back to any other dressing ever again.
Cynthia
In our house we call this a honeymoon salad because it’s “lettuce alone.”
Chris
Anything David Tanis comes up with becomes a go-to for me :-)
Betsy
A note to my note: I would toss the almonds in at the last minute. Meant to mention that!
Betsy
This works well made ahead. Just give it a good shake when you’re ready to eat : )
absolut_foodie
This is amazing. I ended up doubling the almonds and made the dressing into almost a paste. The smoky almond taste along with the tangy, sweet, sherry vinegar and pungent garlic result in a product greater than its parts. On the second night I added avocado chunks to the leaves which worked out brilliantly to add a creamy element.
Anthony
I let them cool for 10 minutes or so after toasting, and then crush them up with a mortar and pestle. But simply using a knife and cutting board to chop them works too!
Claudia
Wow! Wonderful. Easy and so delicious. Been in a long term salad rut so happy I found this. Followed exactly.
Nana
This salad is nice and simple! I used Romaine and some lettuce from the garden. I blended the almonds with the other ingredients in the dressing which made the dressing creamy and thick with and effect almost like a Caesar salad.
Jennifer
Are these blanched almonds or with the skins on ?
Karolyn
Maybe pine nuts?
Lilyan
I made it with arugula, baby gems, radicchio and endive. I added an avocado. Quite good!!
kat
This salad was so good. I only had red wine vinegar on hand, so I added a little sugar to give it a touch of sweetness that the sherry vinegar would have. And I only had slivered almonds which toasted up pretty quickly and did the trick. Will definitely be making this again.
Rolnrn
Tried swapping in cashews for almonds. Brilliantly rich and creamy- toasty, to the extent of possibly using red wine vinegar for sherry vinegar.
Penni
Terrible dressing. Way too much vinegar
Jennifer
I am about to making this evening. It seems so oily to me. Maybe we are just vinegar fanatics, but 3TB to 8TB in half a cup isn't much vinegar. I'm believing in the recipe and extremely positive comments this first time and going for it!
Bill
This was outstanding. As others commented the addition of avocado adds a note of creaminess which goes well with the assertive dressing. I will definitely make this again.
Joe Z
This salad is incredible! Among the very best I’ve had.
Kate
Delicious and so lovely to present but am I the only one that doesn’t want to use a knife eating salad? Optional, I know.
Jan
I had no almonds, so I used roasted, salted pistachios. I blended it in the mini-food processor, including the pistachios. Added some chopped pistachios on the salad just before serving. My husband said it was the best dressing ever! Yum!!
Gaby
Simple. Great.
mimi
Delicious! I could see adding big croutons to this. Endless possibilities to riff on. I made it with walnuts and hazelnuts because that’s what I had. I also added a bit of fruit flavored vinegar to round out the sharpness from the walnuts.
margaret
This dressing is excellent. My family and guest ate every bite of the salad and were even vying with each other to mop up the dressing from the empty bowl.
Esvee
This is so good! This dressing has become my go-to for every salad, and I've also been putting it on steamed green beans. Highly recommend.
Taylor
A wonderful salad for Holiday meals or guests or any time when you want salad but don't have time to do a lot of chopping. The robust flavor and slight crunch of the dressing together with the beauty of small, multi colored Gem Lettuces (if available) makes this a standout salad.
Lilyan
I made it with arugula, baby gems, radicchio and endive. I added an avocado. Quite good!!
J in McLean
Best dressing ever! Sometimes use white balsamic vinegar, some times add som Mikes Hot honey. So good!
SLK
Love this. Also suggest adding some lemon juice, the acid is great!
zoe
I added shallots to the dressing as well which was delish! the shallots pickled and added another tangy element which was well received by everyone I served it to! Will make again (soon).
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