Simple Field Salad or Mache Salad

This simple field salad has only two ingredients, not including the dressing. The lettuce itself has a slightly nutty/neutral flavor and it pairs so well with the feta cheese and the balsamic dressing. It comes together fast and is a great addition to any meal. Did I mention that it’s also healthy for you? (Check out this page for more info: Mache Lettuce: Health Benefits and Nutrition Facts)

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What is field salad?

Field Salad (Feldsalat in German) has several names such as lamb’s salad, corn salad, Rapunzel lettuce and Mache salad. Corn salad and Mache salad seem to be the most popular in the US.

It’s a small, dark green to light green leafy plant that basically looks like several little spoon-shaped leaves put together into a small bouquet. It has a neutral, sweet and nutty flavor which pairs well with other more flavorful ingredients.

I have never heard of this salad before moving to Germany. But it’s very common here (since it’s native to Europe) and can be found in almost every grocery store. In the US, you should be able to find it at Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods. If you’re a gardener, you can get some Mache salad seeds and plant your own. Let me know if you’ve seen it at other places.

Preparing the salad leaves

Wash the salad in a bowl and transfer to a sieve to drip off excess water. Or use a salad spinner/dryer if you have one. After that, I usually scan individual bunches to see if any leaves need to be removed or the root portion cut off. Usually this is only needed if the salad has laid in the fridge for a while. Fresh salad doesn’t need any additional “work” for the most part.

Once the salad is sufficiently dry for your taste, transfer it to a salad bowl. Tip: Use a bigger salad bowl for this because it’s easier to mix later since the salad bunches stick out in all directions. Makes the process less messy:)

Cut the feta cheese or crumble it directly into the bowl on the top of the salad. I heard somewhere that when the cheese is crumbled it gives off more of a flavor versus when it’s cut. But the cut squares also look neat and tidy. So you can decide how you want to proceed here. And that’s it for the salad prep!

Making the dressing

This dressing is super easy to put together as well. In a small bowl combine the olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper and a pinch of dry minced garlic. Mix well with a spoon. Use a jar for this step if you like instead and shake well.

Note: The white balsamic vinegar has a milder taste than the dark vinegar. But if you don’t have any at the moment, use apple cider vinegar, or the dark balsamic vinegar.

Putting it all together

Now just pour the dressing on the salad, mix everything well together, and your simple salad is done. Did I mention that it’s simple? lol.

For a pop of color you can add a handful of halved cherry tomatoes, but this is totally optional.

Check out my other recipes for additional cooking ideas here. And here is the printable for the recipe.

Lastly, if you make this Simple Field Salad, please take a moment to comment below and leave a rating. It’s such a help for others who might want to try the recipe. And of course, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram if you make this recipe. I’d love to see the photos of the recipes you have made!