Irish Pub Salad with Hard Boiled Eggs (Print version)
Hearty Irish pub-style salad combining fresh greens, pickled vegetables, cheddar cheese, and hard-boiled eggs.
# What you need:
→ Salad Base
01 - 6 cups mixed salad greens (romaine, butter lettuce, watercress)
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup cucumber, sliced
04 - 1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
05 - 1/2 cup pickled beets, sliced
06 - 1/2 cup pickles, sliced
07 - 1/2 cup cooked baby potatoes, halved
→ Protein & Cheese
08 - 4 large eggs
09 - 4 oz sharp Irish cheddar cheese, cubed
→ Dressing
10 - 1/4 cup mayonnaise
11 - 2 tablespoons sour cream
12 - 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
13 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
14 - 1 teaspoon honey
15 - Salt and pepper to taste
# Directions:
01 - Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 9 minutes. Transfer eggs to ice water, allow to cool completely, peel, and halve.
02 - Distribute salad greens evenly across four plates or a large serving platter.
03 - Top greens with cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, red onion, pickled beets, pickles, and baby potatoes.
04 - Scatter cheddar cheese cubes across the salad.
05 - Arrange halved hard-boiled eggs on top of the salad.
06 - In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, whole-grain mustard, apple cider vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper until well combined.
07 - Drizzle dressing over the salad immediately before serving, or offer on the side for individual preference.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- This salad somehow manages to be both light and satisfying, with those creamy eggs and sharp cheddar playing off the crisp vegetables in a way that makes you forget youre eating something healthy.
- Its incredibly adaptable to whatever bits and bobs you might have lurking in your fridge, making it perfect for those evenings when youre trying to avoid the grocery store.
02 -
- Adding the dressing too early will make your crisp vegetables release water and turn your beautiful salad into a soggy disappointment, so always dress right before serving.
- Starting your eggs in already-boiling water leads to that greenish ring around the yolk, while the cold-water start method I discovered produces that picture-perfect yellow center every time.
03 -
- Slice your red onions paper-thin and soak them in ice water for 10 minutes before adding to the salad to maintain their color while softening that harsh raw bite.
- Cutting the cheddar into small cubes rather than shredding means you get these perfect little pockets of sharp flavor that stand up distinctly against the other ingredients.