Og also realized that growing plants closer to the cave would make his life easier, thus inventing gardening. This was too much for the Neanderthals, who despised anything healthy and moved away, never to be heard from again. Meanwhile, Og began planting beans, as they were abundant, easy to grow, and tasty. Beans also provided entertainment with their weird sounds a few hours after eating them, leading to the creation of the first joke: “Pull my finger.” By mixing the green plants with beans, Og created an endless variety of foods, which became known as “salads,” in honor of his nickname. The rest, as they say, is history.

In reality, beans were among the first crops cultivated. Evidence suggests that peas were grown in Thailand as early as 9750 BC, and beans were cultivated in Mexico and the Americas over 8,000 years ago. Even beans were found in Egyptian pyramids over 4,000 years old, still edible. Beans became an integral part of the human diet across the globe. Early farmers also started growing grains, which were easy to store. Combining grains with beans provided a complete source of protein, lessening humanity’s dependence on meat. Native Americans have long planted squash, beans, and corn together—known as “the three sisters.” It’s likely that various bean salads were made and enjoyed early on, but it wasn’t until the 19th century that official written recipes for bean salads emerged.

Common Types of Beans Used in Salads

To make a bean salad, it’s helpful to know about the different types of beans available. There are thousands of species, so listing all of them would be impractical, but here are some of the most common beans used in salads:

• Pintos – A medium-sized, brown-speckled bean with a creamy texture and earthy flavor. Great in salads, soups, or chili.
• Black Beans – Small, black beans with a musky, earthy flavor. Common in Latin cuisine and perfect for Mexican salads.
• Navy/Great Northern Beans – These tan-colored beans have a buttery taste and are great with ham, in soups, or in salads.
• Green Beans – A veggie favorite with a slightly sweet taste and a soft, woodsy texture. They work in soups, casseroles, or salads.
• Adzuki Beans – Small, reddish beans with a sweet taste and delicate texture. Best for Asian dishes.
• Anasazi Beans – Two-toned red and cream beans, sweet and meaty in flavor. Can substitute for pinto beans.
• Black-Eyed Peas – Cream-to-brown beans with a black ‘eye.’ They have a soft, creamy texture and earthy taste, often paired with pork.
• Chickpeas/Garbanzos – Small, nutty beans popular in Italian and Mediterranean salads and for making hummus.
• Kidney Beans/Red Beans – Used in Red Beans and Rice and other dishes, these beans absorb surrounding flavors well.
• Fava Beans – Large, creamy beans with a buttery, earthy flavor. Great in salads or soups.
• Lima/Butter Beans – Large, creamy beans with a buttery texture, similar to fava beans but sharper in taste.
• Yellow/Maricopa Beans – These beautiful golden beans have a unique flavor, somewhere between pinto and black-eyed peas. They’re addictive in soups, salads, or with tortillas.
• Split Peas – Greenish peas with a sweet flavor, best in soups but can also be used in salads.
• Mung Beans – Sprouted for use in salads, soups, or on sandwiches, they have a crunchy texture and earthy flavor.
• Lentils – Small, firm beans that come in red, brown, or green. They have a woodsy flavor and work well in salads, soups, or casseroles.

The key to a great bean salad is cooking your beans properly. There are only two acceptable methods: boiling or pressure-cooking. Microwaving beans is a mistake that should be avoided. Most beans require pre-soaking (overnight or the “fast-soak” method) to cook properly, except for lentils, green beans, split peas, and field peas, which can be cooked immediately. To soak your beans, place them in a large container with at least two inches of water to cover them. Inspect the beans before soaking and discard any bad ones or rocks.

Cooking Beans

For boiling beans, sauté any onions, garlic, carrots, celery, green peppers, or bacon you want to add, then cook them with the beans. The water-to-bean ratio should be 2:1. Cook the beans for at least two hours, checking after 90 minutes. Keep an eye on the liquid level, adding more as needed. Whether or not to add salt is a matter of preference, though many people add it after cooking.

Pressure cooking is the best method for cooking beans. It preserves their nutrients, flavor, and texture. You can skip the soaking process, and in about 45 minutes, your beans will be perfectly cooked. Electric pressure cookers are especially convenient, allowing you to set them in the morning and come back to perfectly cooked beans.

Once your beans are cooked and cooled, you can start preparing your bean salad masterpiece. There are no fixed rules, but here are a few standard recipes to get you started:

White Bean and Tuna Salad (Serves 2-4)
16 oz. cooked Navy or Great Northern Beans (canned is okay)
5-6 oz. canned tuna in oil (sardines work well, too)
1 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup diced onions (green or red)

For the dressing:

3 tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Rinse the beans in cold water and drain. Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Toss the beans with the dressing, allowing them to marinate. Add tuna, parsley, and onion, then toss gently. Serve with crackers or fresh bread.

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The noble bird (Gallus domesticus) was first domesticated in China over 8,000 years ago. The many breeds of modern chickens all came from the wild Asian junglefowl breeds, which are still around and bred for the despicable ‘sport’ of cockfighting. By 3000 BC, domestic chickens had spread across Europe, the Middle East, and even to Polynesia. It is a common belief that the Spanish Conquistadors brought chickens to the New World, but in reality, there is archaeological evidence that chickens were being raised in Chile as early as 1350 AD. Over time, chickens were bred to be larger, tamer, less inclined to roam, and to lay larger, more eggs. Eventually, breeders produced the modern breeds that we know and love today.

The History Behind the Sandwich

The next thing to ponder is how the chicken (or anything else) got between the bread. The concept is said to have originated with the ancient Jewish philosopher Hillel the Elder. He was fond of wrapping lamb slices and bitter herbs in flat, unleavened bread, known as matzos, which were similar to a Jewish tortilla. Almost every culture on the planet has had some form of flat, unleavened bread, and it is certain that the idea of rolling meat and veggies up in it spread rapidly across the known world. It was the first fast food—delicious, portable, and leaving one hand free to deal cards, hold the reins of a horse (or camel), hold a fishing pole, or even wield a weapon if necessary. Africa and the Middle East have retained their love of unleavened flatbreads, but in Europe, yeast breads came to dominate the baked goods industry.

Sandwiches in England and other parts of Europe had a humble beginning in the Middle Ages. In taverns and inns, slabs of beef were hung from the rafters, and portions were sliced off as needed. Plates and dinnerware were very expensive and subject to theft, so only the rich and powerful used plates, knives, and forks. For commoners, the beef was served on thin slices of hard, usually stale bread as a plate, and food was eaten with the hands. After eating, the juice-soaked bread was thrown to waiting dogs or to the poor and less fortunate. The first mention of an open-faced sandwich appeared in the 17th century when naturalist John Ray commented on the practice of laying thin slices of beef on buttered bread. It wasn’t long before someone figured out that if you used two slices of bread, it became a very portable food. The idea spread, and “meat and bread” became the food of choice for card players, gamblers, and men on the go. The modern name of the sandwich owes its birth to none other than John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich. The Earl was very fond of ‘meat and bread’ because it allowed him to play his favorite game, Cribbage, without getting the cards greasy from eating with his hands. He had his valet bring him meat and bread at all times when traveling, so it became common when ordering ‘meat and bread’ in a tavern to simply say, “the same as Sandwich.” This was shortened to ‘sandwich,’ and thus, a legend was born.

It is a good bet that somewhere, sometime, someone began using leftover chicken to mix with other ingredients, creating a palatable dish. But the first official chicken salad recipe is an All-American creation. Even though the Chinese have been making something similar to chicken salad, it was a far cry from what we are familiar with in the US. It all started in 1863, in Wakefield, Rhode Island, at a small but very popular butcher shop called Town Meats. The owner, Liam Gray, hated waste, so he began to mix his leftover (but still edible) chicken meat with mayonnaise, tarragon, and grapes, and served it cold as Chicken Salad. The creation became such a hit that he converted the butcher shop into a delicatessen, which remained in business until just a few years ago.

Today, there are as many variations of chicken salad as there are people. The only rules for chicken salad are that it must be served cold, use some sort of binder (usually mayonnaise, but there is nothing stopping someone from trying mustard, ketchup, sour cream, cream cheese, or any combination), and include at least one raw vegetable or fruit, such as onion, garlic, celery, grapes, mandarin oranges, pineapple, or apples. Of course, cooked chicken is required—typically skinless, boneless, and often all breast meat. Other than that, anything goes. The meat can be chunky or shredded, grilled, smoked, fried, steamed, or boiled. You can add nuts, seeds, bean sprouts, or any spices you want.

To tell the truth, I don’t think I’ve ever had any chicken salad that wasn’t delicious, no matter how simple. A dear friend of mine once had a small deli downtown, and her most popular item was her chicken salad, which consisted of just chicken chunks, mayo, and celery. Not even any salt and pepper. I never went in there when it wasn’t full of people enjoying her creation. She has since moved on to bigger and better things, and her deli is now an ice cream shop, but most of us still have fond memories of her and her outstanding sandwiches. So, don’t be afraid to experiment. Be creative and release the culinary artist that lives within you. Here are a few chicken salad recipes to get you started, including Liam Gray’s Original Chicken Salad.

Liam Gray’s Original Chicken Salad

1 lb. of leftover chicken meat, with skin and bones removed, and shredded
1/4 cup of juice from the chicken (or chicken broth)
1/4 cup seedless grapes (red or white), cut into eight pieces each
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp tarragon
Salt and pepper to taste
Place all the ingredients in a suitably-sized mixing bowl and toss together (gently, so as not to crush the grapes) until well mixed. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

Serve on a bed of lettuce, carefully placing the chicken salad in the center with an ice-cream scoop. Garnish with a tomato wedge and crackers. Can also be used on sandwiches.

Kelly’s Simple Chicken Salad

This is the girl I mentioned who had the delicatessen downtown. Her chicken salad had a simplistic, country goodness about it that was hard to beat. Don’t worry about exact proportions—just do whatever looks right to you. That’s the beauty of this recipe.

1 gallon of water
4-8 large boneless, skinless chicken breast fillets
2-4 cups mayonnaise
1/2-1 cup celery, sliced thin
The night before you plan to make the chicken salad, add the water to a large pot and bring it to a boil over high heat. Add the 4 chicken fillets, and when the water returns to a full boil, lower the heat to a simmer. Cook the chicken just until it is no longer pink in the center. Do not overcook. Place the chicken in a container and cover it with some of the chicken water. Place a lid on the container and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, remove the chicken from the container, discard the water, and cut the fillets into 1/2″ chunks. Place the chicken in a large mixing bowl. Slice the celery and add it to the bowl. Add the mayonnaise and toss the whole mixture well. Return to the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours before serving. Use on sandwiches or on a bed of lettuce with crackers as a garnish.

Curried Chicken Salad

2 cups cooked chicken, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
2 green onions, sliced thin, or 1/4 onion, diced
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup slivered almonds (toasted if desired)
1/2 to 3/4 cup mayonnaise, or to taste
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp curry powder (add more if you want it spicier)
Salt and pepper, to taste
In a mixing bowl, combine the diced chicken, celery, onion, almonds, and raisins. Toss with the lemon juice and mayonnaise. Add more mayonnaise if needed, but don’t make it too runny. Add curry powder, salt, and pepper to taste.

Serve on lettuce, sandwiches, or in pita bread for a ‘pocket’ sandwich.

Cajun Chicken Salad

A fantastic chicken salad with the great taste of Louisiana Cajun cooking.

4 cups of cooked white meat chicken, diced
1 1/2 cups celery, chopped fine
1 1/2 cups green onions, chopped fine
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup pecans, chopped fine
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp McIlhenny’s Tabasco Sauce (you can substitute with other sauces, but for the real deal, stick with McIlhenny’s Tabasco)
Add all the ingredients to a mixing bowl and toss until well mixed. Adjust the mayonnaise as necessary to achieve the desired consistency. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

This is best served on hoagie buns or sandwich rolls. Garnish with a large glass of iced tea and a picture of Justin Wilson.

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Hail Caesar—not the Roman, but the iconic salad! Among the luxurious, decadent choices at finer restaurants, the Caesar salad stands out with its crisp romaine lettuce or fresh spinach, paired with a slightly tart, creamy dressing. While countless variations exist, authentic Caesar salads share key traits: crisp, cold leafy greens; a dressing traditionally made with a raw or coddled egg; and Italian olive oil for its robust flavor—Spanish olive oil simply lacks the character needed.

Despite its imperial name, the Caesar salad has no ties to Julius, Augustus, or any Roman lineage. Born in the 20th century, it emerged from necessity during Prohibition in 1923, when alcohol was banned in the U.S. Restaurateurs like Caesar Cardini, an Italian immigrant, operated in both San Diego, California, and Tijuana, Mexico, to bypass restrictions. On July 4, 1924, a rush of patrons at Cardini’s Tijuana restaurant depleted his supplies. Rather than close, he improvised with available salad ingredients, preparing the dish tableside for flair. The result was a culinary hit that spread globally, becoming a fundamental skill for chefs and restaurant staff.

Handling Raw Eggs Safely

Raw eggs in traditional Caesar dressing raise concerns about salmonella. The risk stems from cracked or improperly washed eggs, but thorough washing with a 2% bleach-water solution eliminates bacteria. Never use cracked eggs or unwashed eggs for any recipe. For those wary of raw eggs, coddling—immersing eggs in hot (not boiling) water for 45 seconds or pouring boiling water over them and letting them sit for 10 minutes—sterilizes without cooking, meeting health code standards across all 50 states when done correctly.

Classic and Modern Caesar Salad Recipes

Original Caesar Salad

For the dressing:

• 1/3 cup virgin Italian olive oil
• 1 large egg, well-washed
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp capers
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
• Pinch of salt

For the salad:

• 2 medium heads of romaine lettuce, outer leaves removed
• 2 cups croutons
• 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions:

1. Grate Parmesan cheese and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, capers, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper. Crack the washed egg into the bowl and whisk until creamy.
3. Slowly trickle in olive oil while whisking to emulsify the dressing. Add oil too quickly, and it may remain thin and oily.
4. Tear (don’t cut) romaine into bite-sized pieces and place in a large salad bowl. Add half the dressing and toss well.
5. Add remaining dressing, croutons, and Parmesan, then toss again.
6. For authenticity, prepare tableside and serve on chilled plates.

Chicken Caesar Salad

This egg-free variation simplifies preparation.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. grilled boneless, skinless chicken breast fillets
• 2 large bunches fresh spinach
• 2 cups croutons
• 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup Italian extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 anchovy fillets, finely diced
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Grill chicken breasts and let cool. Cut into bite-sized pieces or 1/2-inch strips. For a crispy version, use fried chicken tender strips.
2. In a blender or food processor, puree garlic, anchovies, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and olive oil until smooth.
3. Tear spinach into large pieces and place in a salad bowl. Add half the Parmesan and dressing, then toss well.
4. Add chicken, croutons, remaining dressing, and Parmesan, then toss again.
5. Serve on chilled plates or bowls.

Easy Caesar Salad Dressing

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 3 anchovy fillets, finely diced (or 2 tsp anchovy paste)
• 1 tsp capers
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• Salt and pepper to taste (use sparingly due to anchovies’ saltiness)

Instructions:

Making traditional Caesar dressing is similar to crafting mayonnaise, which can be tricky. For a simpler approach, use mayonnaise as a base. Whisk all ingredients into the mayonnaise until well combined, then refrigerate overnight to let flavors meld. Store in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

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The key to a good pasta salad, as the name suggests, is correctly cooked pasta. The first step is carefully selecting your pasta. While making your own is the best option, that’s a topic for another article. Here, we’ll focus on commercially-made pasta. There are basically three types of commercial pasta: Teflon-Rolled (Extruded), Bronze-Rolled (Extruded), and Whole Wheat (so-called). Teflon-Rolled pasta is the standard ‘bargain’ pasta most of us are familiar with. The rollers used to make it are Teflon-coated to prevent sticking. This pasta is usually medium-golden, with a smooth surface, and is very brittle. It’s edible, but not particularly enjoyable. The smooth surface doesn’t allow sauces or dressing to stick, and it’s easy to overcook. The window for perfectly cooked Teflon-Rolled pasta is only about 1-1/2 minutes.

Bronze-Rolled pasta is the ‘premium’ type, found at better grocery stores and specialty shops. It’s made using solid bronze rollers coated with vegetable oil. This pasta has a rough textured surface, is lighter gold in color than Teflon-Rolled, and is softer to the touch. It also has plenty of pores for sauce and dressing to stick to. Bronze-Rolled pasta is more forgiving with cooking times, offering a 2 to 3-minute window before it’s overcooked.

Whole wheat pasta is not as nutritious as you might think. It’s essentially Teflon-Rolled pasta with some husk added back in to make it brown. It often has a ‘knobby’ texture because the husks are not milled finely enough. Plus, even if it claims to be 100% whole wheat, it’s not entirely accurate. For pasta that will stand up to your salad, stick with Bronze-Rolled pasta for the best results.

The Cooking Process
Now that we’ve chosen our pasta, we need to cook it properly. This is where many pasta dishes go wrong. There are varying opinions on the best way to cook pasta, but it largely depends on how you plan to use it. Regardless of your method, make sure you have all your salad ingredients ready before you start cooking the pasta. Chop the veggies, prepare your dressing, and complete any other prep work in advance.

For salads, here’s the best method. First, understand what correctly cooked pasta should look, feel, and taste like. Under-cooked pasta is still somewhat stiff and tastes a little “raw.” The telltale sign is a whitish, powdery ring in the center when you cut it in half. Overcooked pasta, on the other hand, is soft, limp, and has a mushy mouth-feel. If this happens, throw it away or give it to the dog. Perfect pasta will be “al dente,” meaning it’s still firm, springy, and lively.

Another key point: use the largest, tallest pot you have. There is no such thing as ‘too much water’ for cooking pasta. The pasta needs room to roll around in the water to cook evenly. If the pasta sticks to the bottom of the pot or clumps together, you used too little water. Be sure to add a generous amount of salt—at least 2 tablespoons. This helps the pasta absorb water more quickly and also toughens the exterior so it cooks evenly.

Now, let’s address the question of whether to add oil to the water. The majority of cooks don’t understand that adding oil doesn’t prevent the pasta from sticking together. Oil floats on the water’s surface and doesn’t mix with the food. What oil does is prevent starch from foaming up and causing a boil-over. So, don’t waste expensive olive oil—any vegetable oil will do.

Once the water is at a rolling boil, add the pasta. It needs to be at maximum temperature when the pasta enters so the outside cooks quickly and seals in the inside. Keep the heat on high to quickly bring the water back to the boil if it cools when you add the pasta. Stir the pasta occasionally during cooking to ensure even cooking. Depending on the shape, type, and thickness of the pasta, it will cook in 6-8 minutes. Start tasting it at around 4-5 minutes and check frequently.

The Final Steps
When the pasta is almost done, remove it about 1 minute before you think it’s ready. It will continue to cook as it cools. However, for pasta salad, it’s crucial not to add your raw salad ingredients to hot pasta. Adding hot pasta to fresh veggies, such as onions, celery, or tomatoes, will cook them and ruin your salad. For a pasta salad, cook the pasta until it’s “al dente,” drain it in a colander, and rinse it well with cold water to stop the cooking process. Rinse it until the pasta is completely cold. You can use your hands to toss the pasta under the water and make sure it’s cooled all the way through.

This step is the only time I recommend rinsing pasta. If you let it cool on its own, it will dry out quickly and lose its flavor and texture. Tossing it with olive oil would keep it from drying, but it will also make the pasta too slick for the dressing to stick, leaving a pool of dressing at the bottom of the bowl. Rinsing with cold water is essential for the perfect salad.

Once the pasta is cold, transfer it to a large mixing bowl and add the rest of your ingredients. Don’t be afraid to get creative with the ingredients and dressing. Toss everything together thoroughly and allow the salad to chill, covered, in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving. This allows the flavors to develop. Keep the salad chilled as much as possible until it’s time to serve.

Here’s a Few Suggestions for Pasta Salad Ingredients

Try to keep your ingredients consistent with the style you’re aiming for. If you want an oriental-style salad, use ingredients like baby corn, snow pea pods, and water chestnuts. For a Mediterranean, Greek, or Italian-style salad, go for cut green beans, Roma tomatoes, Feta cheese, and black/green olives (cut back on salt when using green olives, as they are very salty). Keep your salad true to its theme.

Be sure to cool any cooked vegetables, such as steamed broccoli, cauliflower, and asparagus, before adding them to the salad to prevent them from cooking the other ingredients.

Canned ingredients, such as peas, SPAM, cooked mushrooms, French-cut green beans, olives, anchovies, or canned shrimp, chicken, tuna, or salmon, are all fine to use right from the can.

When making your dressing, ensure it’s fully emulsified, especially when using vinegars. Otherwise, the pasta will absorb the vinegar while the oil will just sit on the outside of the pasta. Use a mild vinegar, like rice wine vinegar. Stronger vinegars, such as malt, apple cider, or white vinegar, will strip the bright colors from your vegetables and pickle them, making the salad look dull and taste unpleasant. Balsamic vinegar, though delicious, will turn the pasta a brownish color, so it’s best avoided.

The taste experience is made up of three parts: the initial taste, the secondary taste, and the finish. You control this balance with the proportions of each flavor. For an Italian flavor profile, fresh vegetables like tomatoes and green peppers should dominate the initial taste, followed by the flavor of onions, garlic, and pasta. The finish can be mild, with a touch of basil, oregano, or a kiss of rosemary. For a Ham and Pea Pasta Salad, the initial flavor should be country ham (or SPAM/Treat), followed by the creamy sweetness of green peas, and a rustic buttermilk finish.

The dressing should be simple, such as a mild ranch, buttermilk, or plain mayonnaise. The general rule of thumb is 1 cup of dressing for every pound of uncooked pasta.

Your choices of ingredients and dressings are only limited by your creativity. Now that you know how to make pasta salad, you can tweak it to your tastes. You can either use a store-bought dressing or make your own. Here are two of my favorites:

Creamy Buttermilk Dressing

This dressing is perfect when you don’t want the dressing to overpower the main flavors. It makes about 2 cups, enough for 2 lbs of pasta and ingredients.

2/3 cup each of buttermilk, sour cream, and mayonnaise
¼ cup rice wine vinegar or lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced fine, or 2 teaspoons garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Mix all the ingredients together, making sure they’re well-blended. Use immediately. Optional: Add basil, oregano, and a pinch of rosemary for a creamy Italian twist.

Creamy Vinaigrette

1-1/3 cups olive oil
½ cup rice wine vinegar or lemon juice
1 tablespoon each of Dijon mustard and mayonnaise
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
Salt and pepper to taste
Blend all ingredients well, and use immediately. This recipe makes about 2 cups.

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