I Tried Jennifer Garner’s Favorite “Big Salad”
After a busy holiday season, my body is craving vegetables. So I figured it was time to give Jennifer Garner’s go-to salad a try. In an interview with Women’s Health, Garner shared that she eats the same meal for lunch every day: a “big, fat salad,” like Elaine from Seinfeld. When describing the salad, she says it has green beans, broccoli, a hearty veggie, half a sweet potato, cheese, and chopped nuts over a bed of arugula. While Garner didn’t share an exact recipe, we were able to find a riff by Sarah Cobacho from Plant Baes. Cobacho’s recipe has all the same “good stuff” as Garner’s, but with a few extra ingredients.
Get the recipe: Jennifer Garner’s Favorite “Big Salad”
How to Make Jennifer Garner’s Favorite “Big Salad”
Preheat the oven to 390°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Chop the sweet potatoes and cauliflower into bite-size pieces and transfer each to their own baking sheet. Toss with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast the sweet potatoes for about 35 minutes, and the cauliflower for about 25 minutes. The vegetables are done when they are fork-tender and caramelized. While the sweet potatoes and cauliflower are in the oven, boil the broccoli and green beans for two minutes. Transfer the broccoli and beans to an ice bath to prevent further cooking.
Next, make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and lemon juice until emulsified. When all of the components are done, it’s time to assemble the salad. In a large bowl, toss the cooked vegetables, arugula, nuts, lentils, dill, and dressing. Top with plant-based or traditional (that’s what I used) feta, and season with salt and pepper if needed.
My Honest Review of Jennifer Garner’s Favorite “Big Salad”
It’s rare that I get really excited about a salad; there are only a handful of salads that I can think of that have wowed me. Cobacho’s “big salad” recipe was delicious. I enjoyed that it was packed with tons of veggies and was filling from the addition of lentils and nuts. I also appreciated the use of dill, which brought a freshness that complemented the heartiness from the roasted vegetables.
I did, however, think the salad would have benefited from more arugula. The recipe called for over five cups of chopped vegetables to only three cups of arugula, which didn’t feel right. I also thought the salad was too heavy on lentils and did not have enough nuts. Lastly, I would have preferred a true vinaigrette with more olive oil.
Overall I enjoyed the salad, and I found it really easy to make. If you do find yourself with similar ingredients in your fridge, this is a great use for them. The salad is tasty and perfect for meal prepping.
Tips for Making Jennifer Garner’s Favorite “Big Salad”
Roast the broccoli and green beans. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of blanched broccoli or green beans and find roasting yields a better texture and flavor. So, I threw the chopped broccoli and green beans on the same sheet tray as the cauliflower. As a bonus, I didn’t have to clean another pot.
Make the lentils while the veggies are roasting. To minimize prep time, cook the lentils while the vegetables are in the oven. The recipe calls for one cup of cooked lentils, so you’ll need 1/2 cup of dry lentils. Make sure not to overcook the lentils; you want them to have a little bit of a bite to them.
Get creative. This recipe was delicious, but could easily be customized to your liking. For example, I would consider adding avocado, swapping out nuts for pepitas, using goat cheese, or skipping the string beans for Brussels sprouts. The options are endless!
Add more arugula. To balance out all of the roasted vegetables, I would add another couple of cups of arugula or whatever lettuce you’re using.
Get the recipe: Jennifer Garner’s Favorite “Big Salad”
Further Reading
The One Cookware Brand That Gordon Ramsay Can’t Stop Talking About
Reese’s Just Launched a Limited-Edition Peanut Butter Cup, and It Tastes 4x Better than the Original
