Crispy crunchy Chow Mein Noodles are just the beginning to what makes this lettuce salad so special. A salad so wonderful in flavor and texture that you’ll want to save this one for company.
This is a recipe that my mom had and served for years and years. A recipe born in the 70’s when that intriguing ethnic aisle suddenly appeared in our small town Kansas grocery store.
You remember. Those family meal cans of La Choy Chinese food that included two cans tethered together. One with noodles and one with the ingredients for a stir-fry dinner. Seems like water chestnuts were always involved. Along with chow mein noodles and bean sprouts. And to this Kansas farm girl who had never ever tasted a bite of decent Chinese food in her life, I have to admit it rather liked them.
These offerings even preceded the ever popular packages of ramen noodles. Soon, that aisle expanded to Mexican food and our culinary horizons were elevated beyond Fried Chicken and Pot Roast.
Which lettuce is best for salad?
At the time my mom made this lettuce salad with iceberg lettuce. Let’s take a look at some options for this salad.
- Iceberg Lettuce: Iceberg is a pale green vegetable so crunchy you’ll love it on a burger. It’s also the lettuce my mom used back in the day for every lettuce salad she ever made. Neutral in flavor with a great crunch, no wonder it’s popular.
- Romaine Lettuce: Sturdy, crunchy and packed with nutrition. A bit savory and somewhat neutral in taste, I like to use it in this salad for color. Combined with a lighter colored lettuce, it works perfectly.
- Butterhead Lettuce: Or Bibb lettuce, tender and mild, and beautifully lime green in color, Butterhead lettuce has a sweeter buttery flavor. A wonderful lettuce to compliment Romaine in texture, color and shape.
Key Ingredients for this tossed salad
What makes this lettuce salad so impressive is that its name suggests Company salad? Let’s take a look at the textures and ingredients that bring this salad together.
- Sugared almonds. Toasted in butter and sugar = totally divine. It brings the sweet to our favorite sweet and salty flavor profile.
- Yellow and Red Bell Peppers. A touch of sweet, a touch of crunch, but more importantly bold colored little chunks of sweet bell pepper pop when combined with the vibrant green lettuces.
- Green Onions. Beautiful little slices of green onion bring a milder and grassier flavor that adding a full grown mature onion. Not to mention an Asian flair to this lettuce salad.
- Pepita Seeds. First let me add, that Pepita seeds are not simply hulled pumpkin seeds. Pepitas are harvested from a certain type of hull-less pumpkin. Meaning pepita seeds are not extracted from a shell. They are a common ingredient in Mexican Food and are toasted or roasted and salted. Sweet and totally delicious. You can also make this salad with Sunflower Seeds.
- Crispy Chow Mein Noodles: The crowing glory. When tossed with the lettuce greens, and the sweet and tangy dressing, chow mein noodles take this lettuce salad from good to great. Especially in the texture arena.
- Chinese Salad Dressing: Simple, yet tangy bold in flavor, oil, rice vinegar and brown sugar is simply a delicious combo.
Recipe for Company Lettuce Salad
I hope you give this Asian themed lettuce salad a try, and if you do, please come back and give the recipe a star rating and leave a message about your experience with the recipe.
And if you have a favorite lettuce salad recipe or any recipes with Chow Mein Noodles, let me know, I’d love to give it a try.
More Special Lettuce Salad Recipes:
- Southwestern Salad Recipe with Black Beans, A beautiful combination of greens and vegetables with a feisty honey lime vinaigrette.
- Tree House Salad with Sweet and Sour Dressing, A hearts of palm salad with simple fresh ingredients topped with one of the best sweet and sour dressings you’ll ever taste.
- Louisiana Sunburst Salad, A beautiful salad made famous by the Palace Cafe in New Orleans with poached cranberries.
- Berry Salad with Warm Chanterelle Mushrooms, Colorful with raspberries, blackberries and arugula. Caramelized Onions and Chanterelle Mushrooms turn this salad from ordinary to exotic.
And don’t miss my Salads and Salad Dressings Category. You’ll find lots of recipes for lettuce salads and dressings. Including the most popular salad dressing recipe on my site for Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing.
And if you want to be known as the salad diva, don’t miss my post for 9 Secrets To A Remarkable Tossed Salad. Lots of tips and tricks for serving the finest side salad ever.
Crispy crunchy Chow Mein Noodles are just the beginning to what makes this lettuce salad so special
- 2 teaspoons butter
- 3/4 cup sliced almonds
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- DRESSING:
- 1/4 cup Extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- SALAD:
- 8 cups lettuce a combo of romaine, butter or iceberg
- 1 medium red bell pepper chopped
- 1 medium yellow bell pepper chopped
- 2 green onions chopped
- 3 ounces chow mein noodles crispy, canned
- 1/3 cup pepita seeds roasted, or sunflower seeds
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In a small heavy skillet, melt butter. Add almonds and cook over medium heat until toasted, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle with sugar. Cook and stir for 2-3 minutes or until sugar is melted. Spread on foil to cool.
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For dressing, in a small bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar and brown sugar. Chill until ready to serve.
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For salad, in a large bowl, combine the lettuce, peppers and green onions. Add dressing; toss to coat. Sprinkle with chow mein noodles , pepita seeds and almonds. Serve immediately.
Lettuce Salad with Chow Mein Noodles … It’s Whats for Company
