The Cheesy Crouton Swap For A Bowl Of Salad Greens Bursting With Extra Flavor

During the warmer months, there's nothing quite as refreshing as a crisp, well-balanced salad. There's an abundance of exciting and tasty leafy green recipes, like a chorizo chickpea salad with feta, or a blueberry walnut spinach blend topped with grilled chicken and a lemon vinaigrette. One major addition that can enhance these salads is the inclusion of crunchy ingredients. Additions like croutons not only add an interesting texture, but they offer a chance to infuse a recipe with new and interesting flavors. So, if you're looking for a way to elevate your favorite easy kale Caesar salad recipe, try swapping ordinary croutons for Cheez-It crackers or your favorite off-brand equivalent. (Psst, Trader Joe's sells a tasty gluten-free vegan version).

This swap works in salad for the same reason cheese crackers are an interesting swap in s'mores — their savory cheddar flavor blends easily with sweet flavors. With the toasted nuttiness these snack crackers are famous for, you've pretty much got the perfect garnish for almost any salad — barring, of course, mixtures with ingredients that might make the crackers soggy, like watermelon. Plus, you can always season or toast them to tailor them to a particular flavor profile or give your dish an even deeper burst of salty, cheesy deliciousness.

As with any salad recipe, the key to using cheese crackers here is balance. Adding a proper proportion of ingredients allows flavors to blend and complement each other, creating nuance and complexity without any of the flavors getting lost. If you're making a large salad for a dinner party, about 2 cups in a standard-sized serving bowl should be enough to add a crispy texture to every bite. If you're making a salad just for yourself, ¼ cup or less should do the trick — unless, of course, you're a cheese crackers fiend, in which case it's okay to add more. 

Something else to think about when adding these crackers to a salad is the flavors of the other ingredients. If you have time, oven-toasting cheese crackers in some melted butter and dried spices, like garlic powder or hot pepper flakes, deepens their inherent savoriness and helps them align with your salad's flavor profile. Try lemon pepper spice for a salad with salmon, or ranch seasoning for a salad topped with buffalo chicken.

Of course, you can also use different flavors of cheese crackers to make your salad feel a little more special. White cheddar pairs great with berries or apples, while smoked Gouda could work well in a traditional Cobb. Whatever flavor you choose, just be sure to add the crackers right before serving to avoid a mushy texture.