Creative Ways to Use Tender Greens, Because Salad Fatigue Is Real (2024)

As much as we love salad, we can only eat so much before getting sick of it. Whether you received a boatload of tender lettuce in your CSA, or you're working hard to use up all of your grocery store greens before they wilt, salad fatigue is a real thing. Tender greens, like mesclun, frisée, arugula, watercress, or young lettuces aren't hardy enough to stand up to being cooked (like chard, kale, or collards). They're too delicate to be grilled, like romaine. But that doesn't mean you're stuck with salad at every meal. Back away from the balsamic vinaigrette, and try these alternative ways to eat your greens.

Blend Them Into a Smoothie

If you put kale in your smoothies, you'd better believe you can add tender greens, too. In fact, greens like mesclun and soft lettuces are sweeter than kale, and combine well with fruits and herbs. We'd steer clear of arugula, though—it can be assertively peppery.

Wilt Them (On Purpose)

Salad greens can't take the heat of a braise, but they are tasty when gently wilted. Add them to still-warm simmered beans, lentils, grains, or roasted veggies, and the heat of the pot or pan will gently wilt them. To ensure that they don't become soggy or sad, stir them in just before serving. They become limp and discolored (read: brown) after a while.

Make a (Fruit) Salad

Okay, yes, it's still a salad. But when you make ripe fruit like cherries, melon, citrus, and plums the starring ingredients, a handful of greens doesn't feel so boring. When the fruit is juicy and in season, this makes healthy breakfasts and virtuous desserts basically fool-proof.

Make a Bed for Your Eggs

Soft-boiled or fried eggs with runny yolks are the perfect pairing for tender greens. Skip the extra step of making a vinaigrette and just set your cooked egg right over a tangle of lettuce. When broken, the yolk will coat the greens. It's not a salad so much as it is a way to soak up all that eggy goodness.