About the Recipe
This Celery Crunch Salad is the answer to bland bowls and limp lettuce. Built on a base of crisp celery, peppery rocket, and refreshing romaine, it’s layered with juicy cucumber, sweet tomatoes, and an unexpected twist of chopped dates and grated apple for a sweet bite. Pecans add that rich, nutty crunch while shavings of parmesan bring umami goodness. It’s the kind of salad you’ll actually look forward to eating — full of contrast, colour, and flavour.
The dressing? A zingy combo of mayo, lemon or lime juice, white vinegar, and cracked black pepper – lightened with a splash of water to drizzle or dollop to your liking. Serve it fresh, or prep it ahead and keep the dressing on the side to dodge a soggy second-day situation.
Perfect as a standalone lunch or as a colourful sidekick to grilled fish, chicken, tofu, or tempeh – don’t forget the protein!
Ingredients
5 celery stalks, thinly sliced
1 packet of rocket
1 romaine lettuce, roughly chopped
1 cucumber, sliced or ribboned
1 punnet cherry tomatoes, halved
1 handful pecans, roughly chopped or whole
A few chopped dates (Medjool work beautifully)
1 apple, grated
Parmesan shavings (optional, or swap for a dairy-free version)
Any extra bits you love — radish, avocado, pumpkin seeds, etc.
Dressing:
1–2 tbsp mayo
Juice of ½ lemon or lime
1 tsp white vinegar
Splash of water to thin
Cracked black pepper, to taste
Preparation
Add all salad ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Toss gently to combine.
In a small bowl or jar, whisk the dressing ingredients until smooth.
Serve immediately with dressing drizzled on top, or pack into containers for the next day — just keep the dressing separate until ready to eat.
Add a side of grilled chicken, tofu, tempeh, or a boiled egg to make it a balanced meal.