The 2025 “Oh, No! We Forgot a Salad!” Issue

Yes, you need one. No, it doesn't have to make your life a living hell.

Me, after remembering I forgot a salad, back in 1569. (Not really. This is a Market Scene by Pieter Aertsen(1508-1575)

ARE YOU THERE? It’s me, Emily. I’m popping in to help you get a nice salad on the table during the holidays—not just impending Thanksgiving but all the madness that follows, right up to New Year’s Eve 2026.

I understand that you might be a bit of a wreck. And I feel you. I almost killed a man in Reno one Christmas, just to watch him die, after he offered to help me pull a ham out of my tiny oven in our tiny kitchen, while eight increasingly wine-drunk guests were starting to make jokes about ordering a pizza.

But I’m absolutely honor bound to gently float the idea that a salad can be the easy star of your table—a bright, light, colorful break from a landscape that’s often full of heavy beige and brown food.

So without further blah blah blah, here is a roundup of some salads that will make the day lovelier without turning you into a murderer. You still have time.

DON’T FORGET TO also check out the 2023 edition of “Oh, No! We Forgot a Salad!” (Just hit that link.) And below, I’ll hit you with links and photos of some more salads it’s not too late to include on your menu. Just keep in mind: Holiday salads don’t have to be green. They just need to be delicious and refreshing.

But first, ICYMI, I’m reposting last week’s issue, right below, which included my holiday-perfect Snowy Mountain Salad; it’s a delicious and easy showstopper made from shaved Brussels sprouts (you can use your food processor!), oranges, and toasted hazelnuts, dressed in a sherry-shallot vinaigrette and blanketed in a fluffy layer of finely grated Manchego cheese.

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🌟 LAST WEEK’S ISSUE:

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🌟 More Salads for Your Holiday Table!

(Click the links after the name of each salad, except for the last one, which is just followed by a downloadable PDF recipe.)

⭐️ Radicchio Cups with Persimmons, Pears, and Strong Sherry Shallot Vinaigrette (from this issue)

⭐️ Pear, Parsley, Pecorino, Pistachios (DOS Four Ps Salad), from this issue

⭐️ Steven Satterfield’s Cauliflower Salad with Celery, Dried Apricots, and Pistachios (from this issue)

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A small REQUEST. . .

Please hit the ❤️ button at the bottom of this newsletter if you like it here! —Emily

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⭐️ Cherry Tomato and Orange Salad (from this issue)

⭐️ A Bracing Green Salad with Orange, Fennel, and Zesty Orange Shallot Vinaigrette (from this issue)

⭐️ A Delicious Emergency Salad (Celery, Dates, Parmesan, Lemon, Olive Oil)(from this issue)

⭐️ Marcella Hazan’s Orange and Cucumber Salad (from this issue)

⭐️ Autumn Apple Salad (from this issue)

⭐️ A Garlicky Shaved Brussels Sprout Hullabaloo (another one from this issue)

⭐️ An Orange Salad from Corfu (Neratzosalata)(from this issue)

⭐️ Bitter greens with bacon, pecans, and warm balsamic dressing (downloadable recipe below)

Bitter Greens With Bacon, Pecans, And Warm Balsamic

28.8KB ∙ PDF file

Download

Download

🥬That’s It! We’re done here! We’ll see you soon with a recipe for authentic French Pets de Nonne. I’m kidding—it’s going to be salad.

🥗 ONE IMPORTANT NOTE! Please remember: all issues of the newsletter are always available at the Department of Salad website. (You can search “The Department of Salad” or go directly to emilyrnunn.substack.com.) To search the Index, simply use the search function (command F), which produces a search bar in the upper-right-hand corner of the page. 😀

🥬 IN THE MEANTIME: Please hit the ❤️ button below, share your comments, or share the newsletter with friends and loved ones (who deserve it). Your presence and engagement mean the world to us. Thank you for being one of our special subscribers!