SERVES 6 · VEGAN, GF, DF
I make very few warm salads, although I love them in the fall and winter. This salad is a take on a classic spinach and mushroom salad, but I think roasting the mushrooms and onions makes them so much more interesting and flavorful. Ten cups may seem like a crazy amount of mushrooms, but they will shrink down to a fraction of that. You can definitely roast them several hours ahead and leave them at room temperature until you’re ready to assemble the salad. If you want a protein and flavor boost, add some chopped turkey bacon. I love serving this with Lickety-Split Chicken (here) or Roasted Salmon (here).
12 medium-size to large shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps wiped clean with a damp paper towel and cut into ¼-inch slices (about 10 cups sliced)
2 small red onions, cut into ¼-inch wedges
2 tablespoons unrefined, cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
1½ tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
9 ounces baby spinach (13 to 14 cups)
Seaweed gomasio, for sprinkling (optional, but if not using, finish the salad with a couple of pinches of flaky salt)
½ cup unrefined, cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
½ teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line three baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper. Arrange the mushrooms and onions on baking sheets, drizzle with oil, and toss to coat. Sprinkle evenly with thyme leaves and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the mushrooms are slightly golden and the onions are caramelized.
2. Prepare the dressing: Place all the dressing ingredients in a glass jar, adding salt and pepper to taste, and shake until well emulsified.
3. To assemble the salad, place the spinach in a bowl. Add the roasted onions, mushrooms, and gomasio. If you are adding veggies, you can add them to the spinach warm or at room temperature. Drizzle with enough dressing to coat lightly. Toss and serve immediately. Extra dressing can be kept in the refrigerator or a cool, dark place for up to a week.
TIPS: Even if you fall in love with kale, don’t forget about spinach! It is incredibly nutritious, teeming with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals (especially potassium, magnesium, B vitamins, and folate). Spinach is also one of the best plant sources of iron.
You can save cleaned mushroom stems in a container in the freezer for the next time you make vegetable stock.