This is a classic French Salad you find in bistros all across France. It is an excellent light and clean salad to serve alongside rich foods like roasts, stews and dishes with creamy sauces, which is exactly the intended purpose in France!
Welcome to Day 13 of the inaugural Holiday Salad Marathon, where I’m sharing 30 salads in a row through to Christmas Eve – just for something different to the usual sugar-loaded baking countdowns!!
Off the back of last weeks’ French(ish) Tomato Salad with Olive Tapenade, I have another French one for you:
French Bistro Salad
Hearty French bistro classics like steak frites, boeuf bourguignon, French Onion Soup, Quiche Lorraine and Coq au Vin need a light and clean salad on the side to cleanse and refresh the palate … so that you can eat more!
This classic leaf salad has handfuls of herbs for character and colour, while the pretty pink tangles of pickled eschalots bring sweet and tangy pops in every bite. A sprinkling of walnuts gives us a bit of texture as a finishing flourish, and we’re going with a classic lemon dressing to keep things clean and simple.
What goes in French Bistro Salad
Here’s what I’ve put in this salad – but look at this recipe more as a guide rather than something to follow exactly.
The main characteristics are the use of fresh herbs, some leafy greens, a plain lemon dressing and preferably something tangy like the pickled eschalots I’ve included (but you could easily throw in something pickled from a jar instead!).
Herbs – For the herbs I’ve used tarragon (highly recommended for real French), parsley, and chives here but you can use any combination of soft herbs you like. Dill, chervil, basil would all also work wonderfully. Try to keep the herb leaves whole or just roughly chopped or torn if required. Don’t get hung up on the quantities either. Just keep throwing in herbs until you can taste them in the salad!
What you need for Quick Pickled Eschalots
This brings welcome tang as well as pretty pops of colour into the salad. As mentioned above, you could easily switch this out for anything from a jar that’s got that tangy pickled flavour!
Here’s what you need:
I’ve used red wine vinegar here but you can use white wine vinegar, cider vinegar, sherry or champagne vinegar. White wine vinegar will be a bit sharp but that’s easily fixed with a little splash of water.
To make the quick pickled eschalots, just stir the sugar until it dissolves in the vinegar, then pickle the eschalots for 30 minutes until they become floppy and bright pink.
What to serve with French Bistro Salad
This salad is of course a natural pairing with any French food. Perfect to make a meal out of a warm slice of Quiche Lorraine or bowl of French Onion Soup, or as a fresh salad alongside a rich Coq au Vin.
Similarly, it’s ideal to serve with any roast, stew like Beef Bourguigon or slow-cooked meats, or foods with rich creamy sauces like this reader favourite Creamy Chicken Pasta and Prawns/Shrimp in Creamy Garlic Sauce.
And just generally, I think the use of fresh herbs makes it really lovely and elegant, a nice salad to include at big festive gatherings as a palette cleanser, or as part of an elegant dinner party. Plus, you get to tell your friends – It’s French, darling! 😂 (I don’t get to play pretend posh very often, so I’ll take it when I can!) – Nagi x
What is the Holiday Salad Marathon?
This is my inaugural Christmas recipe countdown where I am sharing 30 salad recipes in a row until Christmas Eve – something completely different to people’s usual baking countdowns!
These salads are in addition to my regular 3 new recipes a week. Because aren’t you bored of the usual tomato-cucumber-lettuce garden salad routine??
Click here to see all the Holiday Salad Marathon recipes to date, or sign up for instant updates and you’ll receive a free email alert whenever I publish a new salad! 🙂
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French Bistro Salad
Ingredients
- 1/2 big head green oak or butter/bibb lettuce (about 8 big handfuls – but don’t crush the leaves to measure!)
- 1 baby cos/romaine lettuce
- 1/2 cup tarragon leaves
- 1/2 cup chives , cut into 3cm / 1 1/2″ lengths
- 3/4 cup parsley leaves
- 1/2 cup walnuts , roughly chopped then toasted and cooled (optional, Note 1)
Quick Pickled Eschalots:
- 2 eschalots (aka French onion, US: shallots), finely sliced
- 2/3 cup red or white wine vinegar
- 4 tbsp white sugar
Dressing:
- 1.5 tbsp lemon juice
- 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
Instructions
- Quick Pickled Eschalots: Stir sugar in vinegar until dissolved. Stir in eschalots, then leave for 30 minutes until it becomes floppy and turns pink. Drain.
- Dressing: Shake Dressing in a jar.
- Assemble: Pile lettuce on a platter (flatter better than deep bowl). Drizzle with about 1/2 the Dressing then toss gently with your hands. Scatter over fresh herbs, pickled eschalots and walnuts. Drizzle lightly with more Dressing. Serve immediately!
Recipe Notes:
Lettuce – typically, a French Bistro Salad will include a softer lettuce (Bibb/butter or green oak) plus a lessor amount of a crisper one (in this case baby cos lettuce/romaine).
Herbs – use any fresh soft herbs you want, the combination I’ve used is fairly common. The use of tarragon makes it particularly French. Dill, chervil and basil are especially excellent alternatives.
Eschalots – a scattering of something pickled is common. For a speedy option, just use something out of a jar, finely sliced if it’s big like a pickle, or scattering of capers.
Walnuts – optional here, or sub with another nut like almonds, macadamias, pistachios, cashews. Or pepitas or sunflower seeds. YUM.
Life of Dozer
Sometimes I wonder why I bother bathing this dog 🤷🏻♀️
Delightful salad and dressing! Despite my having lived in Europe for several years and loving the cuisine, I could never discern what the French used in their delightful, light salads. Any attempts I ever tried to veer away from the standard American salad of lettuce, tomato, cucumber and celery always seemed bland and boring! This salad (and lemon vinaigrette) is light and refreshing without the additions of tomato, cucumber etc.!! So glad I found your site!!
This salad was a knockout…simple, fresh, delicious. And it looks gorgeous on the plate! Served it with a linguine based dish.
This is an amazing salad. Simple and yet so flavourful.
Love it doing it a second time for a dinner party
The salad is excellent. So glad I found it. Will definitely make again. A perfect choice for someone looking for a light, elevated salad. Thank you!
Hi, Nagi!! I’m back! This salad sounds absolutely perfect to go with my Beef Bourguignon that we are having for dinner on Friday with my daughter and SIL. They are not picky eaters (which I love–easy to cook for). I wanted something light to serve with it bc we are siding it with mashed potatoes and chives. This salad will be a winner. I have never pickled anything but I love the “pickled shallots” idea. This will be perfect and I hope they love it! Now I can serve a nice heavy chocolate dessert after! LoL (just joking!) Thanks for sharing your wonderful recipe and I love your directions…. no fuss…easy peasy! Cheers!!
Hi Nagi! We had to cancel the BD dinner bc our SIL had a heart attack, but I still made the Bistro Salad for my husband and I (minus the tarragon-personal taste) It was absolutely delicious and very simple to make. Thanks so much, again, and keep those wonderful recipes flowing! Cheers
I have visited a lot of these cookie cutter recipe sites. Many of them simply make copies of recipes from each other. Boring. This site actually has recipes I have never found! And very interesting recipes. I made one last night, the pulled beef for taco’s recipe. That was a good one! Keep up the good work!
Thanks Mike! You made my week!! N x
Fantastic salad. I’m addicted!!! Had with Chicken Fricassée, and was a perfect match. Better than some fine dining restaurant salads I’ve eaten!
hi ya nagi.im a chef with loads of experience,your recipes make me want to cook again,they so tasty ,inventive and yummy,thanks
Dearest Nagi
Thank You for sharing your Amazing gift of cooking and recipes with all of us 🌺
You are truly a Beautiful Lady and a Delightful Blessing to those of us who need help with our cooking
Love and Blessings to you and your Family 💖💖💖
I completely agree! Thank you Nagi 😋
HI Nagi, can I make the pickled shallots ahead of time or will they become too tangy? thanks!
You sure can Sarah, I store mine in the fridge in the pickling liquid and use when needed! N x
The salad was the best part of our Valentine’s dinner ❤️ We are now wanting to have it every day!!