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My significant other ate cucumbers and onion with some ranch. I called it a cucumber onion salad. She says there aren't enough ingredients to call it a salad, because "it takes multiple ingredients". I pointed out she had three and asked what the minimum is. She refuses to answer so I ask Lemmy.

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[-] Nemo@midwest.social 6 points 1 year ago

Heterogenous chunks served around or below room temperature are a salad. To be heterogenous, there must be at least two different things, so... two is the minimum, dressing doesn't count towards the total.

Cucumber slices with tajín? Not a salad.

Cucumber, tomato, and red onion dressed with tahini? Jerusalem salad.

Tuna mixed with mayonnaise? Not tuna salad.

Tuna mixed with celery and mayonnaise? Tuna salad (barely).

Lime jello? Not a salad.

Lime jello cut into cubes mixed with orange jello cut into cubes? Jello salad.

Cranberries stewed with spices and sugar? Not a salad, cranberry sauce.

Cranberry sauce mixed with mandarin oranges, cut pineapple, and walnuts, set into a bundt-shaped jello mold? Cranberry salad.

[-] fiat_lux@kbin.social 3 points 1 year ago

If I heat pasta salad in the microwave, is it no longer a salad? Is a leftover portion of pasta a salad before it is reheated? I'm not sure temperature is a requirement.

Also I have to question calling two flavours of Jello "different things", let alone calling 2 flavours of gelatine a salad, but I know Americans are more liberal with the word salad than other places.

Where I am you will rarely see the word salad used in relation to dishes that don't contain some raw chopped vegetables, especially leafy green ones. Or it's the dish's imported original name, like potato salad. Fruit salad is the one exception to that, I think.

[-] ivanafterall@kbin.social 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I could see an argument that past a certain temperature, you are now just eating pasta.

[-] ivanafterall@kbin.social 3 points 1 year ago

I would argue that Jello cubes in whipped cream could be a basic Jello salad. That's two ingredients, but it's also arguably an instance of a one-ingredient salad, since the whipped cream dressing doesn't count.

[-] Stell@lemmy.one 3 points 1 year ago

I think the temperature doesn't work as part of the definition. If you've never had it, Taco Salad is served hot (the meat at least is, and usually the tortilla bowl is as well).

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[-] guyrocket@kbin.social 6 points 1 year ago

When will the divorce be final?

[-] Treczoks@kbin.social 6 points 1 year ago

Have a look at the bottle of ranch dressing, and count all the chemicals in there. Is the count of ingredients necessary for a salad now OK?

[-] Kissaki@feddit.de 5 points 1 year ago

Cut is as a prep step and it becomes a salad.

[-] figjam@midwest.social 5 points 1 year ago

For me a salad is minimum of two uncooked ingredients.

[-] troutsushi@feddit.de 3 points 1 year ago

What about potato salad, noodle salad and similar dishes containing cooked components?

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[-] latca@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago

Those ingredients you listed are literally the ingredients to a dish called cucumber salad. Though usually the dressing is more of an vinegary Italian dressing instead of ranch. Just Google it.

https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/cucumber-salad

[-] reverendsteveii@lemm.ee 5 points 1 year ago

To bolster your point I regularly make something I call cucumber onion salad with cucumber, white onion, and oil w herbs, salt and pepper. To me, it's a salad if it focuses on seasoned raw ingredients, esp vegetables, served cold. There's also the confusion over things like chicken/tuna/egg deli salads focused on being eaten as a sandwich or w crackers, and Midwest "salads" for which all rules seem to be moot except that it's likely served cold.

[-] krayj@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 year ago

There is a centuries-old simple salad recipe involving just cucumbers, onions, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper.

Anyone saying you can't have a salad out of cucumber, onions, and dressing...is wrong.

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[-] Fogle@lemmy.ca 4 points 1 year ago

My girlfriend calls lettuce salad. A bowl of lettuce she calls a salad

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[-] SendMePhotos@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

I mean when you put chopped iceberg lettuce and tomatoes, it's a salad... So... Two?

[-] luthis@lemmy.nz 4 points 1 year ago

Last time I tossed a salad it was two ingredients, so I think you're correct.

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[-] Squirrel@thelemmy.club 4 points 1 year ago

I've often had spinach, some shredded cheese, and a vinaigrette and called it salad.

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[-] BrownianMotion@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

Two ingredients and a "dressing" is a salad.

If no dressing, then three ingredients or more.

Also, chicken caeser salad is a salad, and it has starch/bread.

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[-] hellweaver666@discuss.tchncs.de 3 points 1 year ago

Potato and Mayo = potato salad. So I would say two is the minimum. A bowl of lettuce on its own is not a salad. A salad is a classification of coke, (mainly) vegetable based dishes.

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this post was submitted on 13 Sep 2023
241 points (95.1% liked)

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