Introducing Food52’s Tournament of Salads: Lettuce Play

A salad can mean anything. Butter lettuce, farro, favas, a jar of tuna—it’s hard to think of an ingredient that doesn’t “belong” in a salad. It’s as easygoing as a dish can get, especially in spring, prime salad-making season, which makes it the perfect subject of our first Food52 recipe tournament.

We know you love competitions, and this one features some of our favorite salad recipes from our community, cookbook authors, and chefs. Only one will be crowned the champion. Will it be a Caesar? A wedge? Something you’ve never made before? Let’s find out, together.

We began with 16 salads—and with the help of 30 community judges who volunteered their time and salad-making skills, we narrowed the field down to two: Ali Slagle’s Not Just Another Chicken Caesar and Sohla El-Waylly’s My Big Fat Halloumi Salad.

Now, finally, we have our winner—but woah was the Salad Bowl a nail-biter! Our four judges were evenly split: Linsey Sowa and Paula Marchese were team Caesar all the way, while Zoe Rose Friesen and Shana Liebman were 100% team Big Fat Halloumi. Luckily, two judges in former rounds voluntarily made the salads and posted their own tie-breaking scores, bringing us to our winner: Ali’s Caesar!

Congratulations to both Sohla El-Waylly and Ali Slagle for coming this far, and especially to Ali, our ro-maining champion! A big thank you to everyone who judged this tournament—it was beautiful to see so many variations and well-considered opinions of these recipes (check them all out: #f52tournament). Now we all have so many more salads to try—scroll to the end to see the original 16 salads below, along with a full breakdown of the scores.

Next up: The Tournament of Summer Sides. Add your recipe for consideration by May 31 by tagging your recipe “Tournament of Summer Sides” in the Special Consideration field when you upload or edit your recipe. (Reach out if you have any difficulty.) The games will commence in July.

Our first voting round has closed—you helped us winnow the field of 16 salads to 8. The results are below!

With our 8 contenders set, we entered Round 2 of the competition. Here's where our judges landed.

Bracket 1 Winner: Nancy

Nancy Silverton’s Chopped Salad vs. Jess Damuck’s Source Aware Salad

This was the only bracket where two “professionals” went head to head. Nancy’s Chopped Salad, a perennial Food52 favorite, was the 1st seed, and Jess Damuck’s Source Aware Salad was the 8th. They were well-matched—for many people, including myself, the difference between winning and losing came down to a few tenths of a point.

In the Chopped Salad camp:

• For Jess Montalvo (@717jr, founder of Sugar Stache Confections, it was very close, but the Chopped came out on top with a 9. “​​As a main or a side, this will be a repeat in our rotation—and maybe a highlight at a potluck or barbecue.”

• Amy Unsworth (@amyunsworth20), was not terribly impressed by either salad, but gave the Chopped a 6, beating the Source Aware by double.

• Rachel Rhodes (@procrstibakingpodcast), a co-host for the Procrastibaking podcast, gave the Chopped an 8. “I loved the simple oil and vinegar style dressing and the salad was a breeze to prep.”

• Lupita Balderas (@lupisthecookiecouture and @thecookiecouture on TikTok), who blogs and teaches cookie decorating and macaron classes (in-person and on her YouTube), gave Nancy’s salad a 10. “This is the kind of dish that, bite by bite, you start falling in love with, and you start planning ahead to make this salad once again,” she said.

• Moi (@altnbd) I decided to play along, because I had never made Nancy’s Chopped Salad. It beat the Source Aware by a razor-thin margin: an 8 over a 7.8.

In the Source Aware Camp:

• Letty Helgans (@queenleticia1, a private account) gave the Source Aware Salad a 9 (vs. 8.6 for the Chopped). She made a beautiful video in her newly renovated kitchen, and when I saw that she also had Portmerion dishes, I knew we were kindred spirits. Also, her scoring was impeccable. “The salad dressing was amazing—very fresh and clean tasting.”

Congrats, Nancy! Was there really ever a question you would come out on top?

Bracket 2 Winner: Sohla

Sohla El-Waylly’s Big Fat Halloumi Salad vs. MrsLarkin's Green Goddess Salad

A unanimous showing for Sohla’s salad in this bracket. One could argue that matchup wasn’t ideal, pairing a simple salad with a more complex “meal’ salad, but the numbers don’t lie.

• Zoe Rose Friesen (@dinneratmidnite), a food blogger, comedy writer, and very good follow, made the most riveting salad videos of the tournament in this round, giving the Big Fat Halloumi a 8.4/10 because “This salad is a party on a plate and makes me feel alive. Cue Salad Dance!” I implore you to watch her videos to find out how both salads scored in the Vibes category.

• Michelle Pang (@michpanguin) gave it a 7.75. “Every bite was a little different and it was bright (thanks to the fresh citrus), sweet (courtesy of torn dried dates), and smoky/spicy (lightly dressed with a simple honey dressing that features sumac and Aleppo Pepper).”

• Carrie Odgers Lax (@carrieolax) gave Sohla’s salad a 9.5 “I was a little skeptical about the combination initially, but the flavors melded perfectly and the different textures (sweet, chewy dates, salty, crunchy chickpeas, crisp & melty halloumi, tender roasted eggplant, juicy tangerine) made it a really satisfying meal.”

• Lindsey Bickers Bock (@tarheelinsey wasn’t bowled over by either option but gave the salad a 7. “I’m still waiting for the wagon I’m going to jump on to carry me through this tourney.”

Congrats, Sohla!

Bracket 3 Winner: Ali Slagle

Ali Slagle’s Not Just Another Chicken Caesar vs. Dymnyno’s Lacinato Kale & Mint Salad With Spicy Peanut Dressing

We had the lightest showing of judges in this bracket, and the decision was split until the 11th hour, a nail-biter that had me terrified that I would need to hold a last-minute salad off. Alas, a tie-breaking verdict came through.

In the Lacinato Kale & Mint Salad With Spicy Peanut Dressing camp:

• Amy Unsworth (@amywithane) gave the Kale salad a 9.75. “Overall, they're both great—marinating the chicken in caesar dressing is a great idea and we loved it, but the mint in the kale salad really brought everything together.”

In the Caesar camp:

• Cortney Hurley (@cortneyhurley), gave the Caesar an 8. “Cooking the chicken in the dressing left it tender and succulent, the quick crouton method left them crunchy with a good chew and really I'm ready to make another batch of chicken to finish off all this romaine.”

• Amy Tylock (@stimpy44) gave it a 9, and plans to add this to her regular rotation. (Hers is a private account, but we followed her to verify her score!) “The dressing was a little thick which kept it from getting a perfect score, but the seasoning was spot on.”

Congrats, Ali!

Bracket 4 Winner: Emily

Emily Nunn’s White Bean, Tuna, Artichoke & Olive Salad with Anchovy Dressing vs. A Cozy Kitchen’s Pea, Asparagus & Avocado Salad With Burrata

And finally in our last bracket, our judges were mostly aligned with moving Emily Nunn’s salad to Round 4, but this was a bittersweet bracket for me. The tournament was designed to pit “amateur” recipe developers against pros, and none of our community recipes advanced. For our next Tournament of Summer Sides (see below on how to enter), I think we’ll have a different outcome.

In the Pea, Asparagus & Avocado Salad With Burrata camp:

• Marion Sultan (@tatitestkitchen), co-founder of Dhaba Recipes, a recipe organizing and sharing platform, chose A Cozy Kitchen’s Pea, Asparagus & Avocado Salad With Burrata, calling it a “very refreshing salad with a super creamy dressing made with yogurt and avocado. A good find.” See her videos of both salads here and here.

In the White Bean, Tuna, Artichoke, & Olive Salad with Anchovy Dressing (aka Seat-of-the-Pants Salad) camp:

• Ivy Greene (@ivysgreene) chose Emily salad. “We loved the taste and texture of this salad which I made entirely with items from my pantry. A 9 out of 10 and would definitely make again,” she wrote. She did add arugula to the mix, but this recipe invites you to riff.

• Leslie Goldenberg (@sticksnscones) also chose Emily’s salad, giving it a perfect 10. “Both salads boasted fresh spring flavors, but the crowd favorite was Emily Nunn’s.”

• Alison Krupnick, @akrupnick, a writer who pens the “Slice of Midlife” Substack, also scored in Emily’s favor with a 6.5, but commended both recipe developers: “It takes some thought to come up with a balanced salad recipe that hits all the notes. Congratulations to these competitors.”

Congrats Emily and all of our contenders!

In the pantheon of salads, Nancy Silverton’s Chopped Salad remains one of the very greats, but its place in the Tournament of Salads has come to an end. It was a close contest, but Sohla El-Waylyy’s My Big Fat Halloumi Salad won our judges’ hearts and plates, 4 to 1. Meanwhile, Emily Nunn’s pantry-tastic Seat-of-the-Pants Salad was no match for the crowd-pleasing power of Ali Slagle’s Not Just Another Chicken Caesar.

There you have it: My Big Fat Halloumi and Not Just Another Chicken Caesar are headed to the Salad Bowl! Here’s what our judges had to say about each.

Bracket 1 Winner: Sohla

Nancy Silverton’s Chopped Salad vs. Sohla El-Waylly's Big Fat Halloumi Salad

Team Chopped: 1

For Shyla Stratham (@shylastrath), a Food52 cookbook club member, the salads were neck and neck. Nancy’s Chopped won by a sliver (8 vs. 7.8) that came down to taste (“delicious!”) and presentation (“Lots of nice color for eye appeal!”).

Team My Big Fat Halloumi: 4

• To help decide this round, Beverly Scofield (@bevscofield) invited three fellow testers who were universally smitten with the Big Fat Halloumi’s surprising mix of flavors. ““Umami punch,” “a 10 on crunch!,” and “my husband had 3 helpings!” were among the compliments they showered on Sohla’s salad.

• Lynn Born (@lynnsarnowborn) also invited a trio of testers to see who would “come out a-head.” She declared the Halloumi the winner, primarily on taste: “Both scored high marks, but Sohla sweeps it. Some bites of her salad were very peppery, but if you got the perfect bite of fruit, greens, cheese and dates…YUM!”

• Neige Var (@bica_the_portuguesewaterdog) gave the BFH a perfect 10. “This salad says: A lot of thought went into this. It makes for a beautiful bowl, full of interesting ingredients. It has all the makings of a winning dish.” She did, however, swap in sweet potatoes for the eggplant. Is this a step too far? We let it slide.

• Christine Valada (@valada_photo), a former Washington Post photographer, also gave the Big Fat Halloumi a 10/10 for its year-round appeal. “A delicious arrangement of peppery arugula, bitter radicchio, sweet dates, tangerine, and roasted eggplants, chickpeas, halloumi and almonds create a salad that will be delightful in summer and winter.”

Congrats, Sohla!

Bracket 2 Winner: Ali

Ali Slagle’s Not Just Another Chicken Caesar vs. Emily Nunn's White Bean, Tuna, Artichoke & Olive Salad with Anchovy Dressing

Team Seat-of-the-Pants: 1

The Seat-of-the-Pants Salad from Emily Nunn, head of the Department of Salad Substack, ended its run in Round 3. Judge Caroline Bratney (@omnomwithrob), together with her husband and namesake of her account, Rob, gave it a higher mark than the Caesar thanks to its ease. “When I think about a salad I’d make again for our everyday work and family life, I prefer one that uses fewer dishes, requires less labor, and provides greater nutrient density. So for me it’s so-long to girl dinner, and the Tuna, Artichoke, Olive, and White Bean Salad is the winner!”

Team Caesar: 3

• For longtime community member AntoniaJames (@helenleahconroy), Ali’s Caesar was the resounding winner, both for the garlicky mayo the chicken marinated in, and its stovetop croutons. “That marinade makes phenomenal shrimp, too,” she wrote, “This recipe is a keeper!”

• Katrina Laxa (@thetastiestbook), a food blogger and recipe developer, had 8 testers along for this round, and again the Caesar edged out the white bean salad. “This chicken Caesar is, frankly, just another chicken Caesar,” she said, but there’s nothing wrong with that. “Ali’s salad is easy & crowd-pleaser & has great crunch—it’s a great go-to salad for any occasion and day of the week.”

• Finally, Carol Scapaticci (@carolmaryelizzz), who has a private account we verified, also swung in the Caesar’s favor. “The chicken and, especially, the croutons won it for me. Next time, I’d eat just those elements as a sandwich.”

Congrats, Ali!

It was a close salad battle, but Ali's Caesar won—here’s how we arrived at our score.

• Linsey Sowa (@linseysowa) gave the Caesar high marks for its inventive use of mayo, “a brilliant shortcut to lots of flavor with less effort and ingredients.” “I can see the potential for the [Halloumi]” she said, “but with some doctoring and adjustments.” Final scores: Caesar 8.4, Halloumi 6.8.

• Shana Liebman (@adailydip) posted her assessment next—and the Halloumi came out on top for its originality and techniques. “While I rarely repeat recipes, I have copied elements of @sohlae’s salad—i.e. roasting halloumi and chickpeas, adding toasted nuts, and using sumac in a dressing.” Her family adored the Caesar, but the mayo ratio was a bit off to her. Final scores: Halloumi 8, Caesar 6.2.

• Paula Marchese (@paulamarchese_) was smitten with the Caesar’s taste and unique riffs: “I loved the 2-for-1 element of making a mayo dressing that would both top the salad and marinate the chicken. And pan frying bread slices in olive oil for the croutons was so delicious, I may never make croutons in the oven again.” Final scores: Caesar 9.2, Halloumi 7.

• Zoe Rose Friesen (@dinneratmidnite) chose the Halloumi in Round 2, and came back to play in the Salad Bowl. Her favorite part of the Caesar was the marinated chicken—but for someone who doesn’t love mayo, you can see how the Halloumi was hard to beat. “The tastes and textures in [the Halloumi] explode off the plate! Every bite brings a different taste experience with all the different combinations of these ingredients.” Final scores: Halloumi 8.4, Caesar 7.

With the salads tied, the Salad Bowl went into overtime! I panicked and asked every judge what to do. Ultimately, I turned to two veteran judges of the tournament, who voluntarily played along in this final round.

• Letty Helgans (@queenleticia1) from round three emailed me her scoresheet: 7.1 Halloumi, 7.9 Caesar. I’m posting her pictures and scores for proof!

• AntoniaJames (@helenleahconroy), who had given the Caesar a 9.4 in round 3, also posted her Halloumi score (6.6), so here too, the Caesar won.

And that’s how Ali Slagle’s chicken Caesar became the Best Salad of All—at least in Salad Bowl 2024!

Thanks to all for playing and following along!

Our next tournament subject is summer side dishes. Do you have a recipe we should consider? Submit it by May 31. If it’s an existing recipe, just click the edit button below the photo of your recipe and tag your recipe Tournament of Summer Sides in the “Special Considerations” field. For new recipes, follow the same tagging instructions when you add it to the site here. Questions? Get in touch.

---

Want to place bets now on which salad will win? Share your pick below!