Little Gem Salad

Little Gem Salad

Restaurant-style little gem salad with creamy balsamic dressing, segmented oranges, crunchy cucumbers, and za’atar savory granola. Adapted from Lauren Grant’s recipe on Zestful Kitchen.

Ingredients

• Kosher salt & black pepper
• ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• ¼ cup chopped raw almonds
• 1 tbsp white sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp za’atar
• 2 tsp chia seeds
• 2 tbsp olive oil (granola)
• 1 tbsp + 1 tsp honey (granola)
• ½ cup olive oil (vinaigrette)
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 small clove garlic
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• ½ tsp honey (vinaigrette)
• 5 cups chopped little gem lettuce, washed and spun dry
• 2 large oranges, segmented
• 2 mini (Persian) cucumbers, thinly sliced

Method

1. Savory granola: Heat the oven to 350°F with the rack in the middle; line a quarter sheet pan with parchment. In a bowl, combine oats, almonds, sesame seeds, za’atar, chia seeds, ½ tsp kosher salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper.
2. Whisk 2 tbsp olive oil with 1 tbsp + 1 tsp honey; drizzle over the oat mixture and stir to coat. Spread on the pan and press into a thin, compact layer (a second sheet of parchment helps). Bake until golden and fragrant, 25–28 minutes. Cool on the pan, then break into large pieces.
3. Balsamic vinaigrette: In a blender or with an immersion blender, blend ½ cup olive oil, ¼ cup balsamic vinegar, garlic, Dijon, ½ tsp honey, and ¼ tsp salt until emulsified and smooth. Season generously with black pepper.
4. Salad: In a large bowl, toss the little gem lettuce with enough vinaigrette to lightly coat. Season with salt and pepper. Top with orange segments, cucumber slices, and savory granola. Serve immediately.