Scoop Salad Recipe

Wash and thoroughly dry romaine, spinach and spring greens. Chop romaine into bite-size pieces. Combine romaine, spinach and mixed greens in a large shallow bowl or platter to create an even base suitable for scooping.

Prepare the vegetables: halve the cherry tomatoes, seed and dice the cucumber, dice the avocado and red bell pepper, shred the carrot, and slice green onions. Arrange each vegetable in small separate mounds on top of the greens, leaving space between items so a spoon can 'scoop' each component.

Scatter the sweet corn evenly over the salad.

If using grilled chicken, slice or dice into bite-size pieces and warm briefly if desired, then cool slightly. Arrange chickpeas (or black beans) and chicken in their own scooping mounds on the salad.

Make Cheese Scoops

Use a small ice cream scoop or large spoon to create 3–4 round scoops of cottage cheese or herbed goat cheese. Place the scoops evenly around the salad so each diner can take a scoop to add creaminess to their portion.

Toast the sunflower seeds or pepitas in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2–3 minutes, shaking the pan until fragrant and lightly browned. Allow to cool and sprinkle over the salad along with the crispy tortilla strips or crushed pita chips just before serving so they stay crunchy.

Make the dressing: in a small bowl or jar whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, minced garlic, salt and pepper until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning—add more lemon for tartness, more honey for sweetness, or a pinch more salt.

Drizzle about half the dressing over the salad and toss gently (or let diners dress their own). Reserve remaining dressing to serve on the side for scooping.

Sprinkle chopped fresh herbs across the salad and tuck lemon wedges around the platter. For a 'scoop salad' experience, provide large spoons or small bowls so each person can scoop a bit of greens, vegetables, a cheese scoop, seeds and a drizzle of dressing in each serving.

Serve immediately so the crunchy elements remain crisp. Leftovers: store dressing separately and keep avocado and crispy elements apart until ready to eat.