spring bibb lettuce salad with parmesan tahini dressing and pistachio garlic crumble

hi friends!
i flew home to minnesota for a few quick days to spend time with my parents, see some friends, and to remind myself that i can still withstand nippy weather without complaint. so far, so good on all counts. has anyone else been flying these days? i’ve done a bit of back and forth between the midwest and the east coast, and i’ve got to say that i almost hope we never go back to chaotic, clustered, is-this-your-first-time-with-tsa airport life. the efficiency of almost no one around is unreal and i have been a huge fan. we boarded quickly (back to front! what a stunning concept!), i had an absolute knockout view of the washington memorial at takeoff, and happily tucked into a container of cantaloupe and read for a couple hours. *side note - i had a very heated instagram debate about bringing your own food on the plane and wow was this a polarizing subject. answers ranged from “i brought a rotisserie chicken, bones and all” to “sardines” to “i’d absolutely punch you in the face if you ate curried chicken salad next to me in-flight.” packing cantaloupe felt a little like waving a white flag, but i’ve settled with my choice.

anyway, that’s the update from my little corner of the world, and now, i’d like to talk about this springy bibb lettuce salad that looks unassuming but is a real stunner and the perfect thing to crunch on as the days get warmer and brighter. a few chops, a few stirs, a fun pistachio garlic crumble and we are on our way!

bibb lettuce is sort of like the fun friend who is full of surprise and delight. each leaf acts as it’s own little nest where delicious things are nestled, and i’m a huge fan of this avenue of salad eating vs. something sad and less delightful like shredded salad bar lettuce. fancy, nested salad business only, please.

we’re adding peas, shaved carrots, and radishes for extra crunch and texture, basil and mint because they add a gorgeous contrast to the bibb lettuce and i truly believe every dish needs a fresh herb, we’ve got a parmesan tahini sauce that is an absolute dream, and then in lieu of a crouton, we’re pulsing some pistachios and parmesan quick and generously (may i stress GENEROUSLY) topping the salad with that salty nutty crumble. everything is happening here and it’s all amazing. hugely in support of this delightful, not boring salad life.

a few things before we get started:

- you can make the dressing and the crumble ahead of time, but I don’t recommend dressing the salad until you’re ready to eat. truly nothing worse than soggy, sad, lettuce
- if you’re dairy-free, you can totally omit the parmesan, however, you will need to add some salt to the salad if you go that route. the parmesan lends to a salty, textured bite
- the basil, mint, and lemon zest are sort of the secret superheroes in this dish. they add a beautiful, understated brightness that takes this from a meh, ok, salad, to wowowow that salad is sosososogood
- if you can’t find bibb lettuce, no sweat. a combo of romaine and spinach would be so delicious here, too

spring bibb lettuce salad with parmesan tahini dressing and pistachio garlic crumble
makes: 2-4 servings
prep time: 10 minutes
cook time: -

for the salad:
6c bibb lettuce leaves
1/2c peas (frozen + thawed works here)
1/2c radishes, thinly sliced
2 large carrots, shaved with a vegetable peeler
1/4c fresh basil leaves, torn
1/4c fresh mint leaves, torn
zest from 1 lemon
black pepper, to taste

for the crumble:
1/2c pistachios
1tbsp parmesan cheese
1/2tsp garlic powder

for the dressing:
1/4c tahini
1/4c parmesan cheese
juice from 1 lemon
pinch of black pepper
water, to thin

arrange all the ingredients for the salad in a large bowl. then, whisk the dressing (adding more water as needed) until smooth. toss the salad with the dressing, and set aside.

blend the ingredients for the crumble in a blender until a breadcrumb-like texture forms. top the salad with the crumble. easy peasy.