This is a no-cook assembly salad built around thinly sliced raw leeks, shredded cheddar, diced heirloom tomatoes, and toasted walnuts, all tossed in a sharp lemon-mustard dressing. It comes together in about 25 minutes and works as a light lunch or a side next to grilled meat or fish. The real reason to make it: you probably have most of these ingredients already, and the result is more interesting than it sounds.
Before you start
The single technique that makes or breaks this salad is cleaning the leeks properly. Thinly sliced leeks trap grit between their layers, and biting into sand ruins the whole bowl โ so soak the slices in cold water, swish them around, and let the dirt sink before you drain and dry them thoroughly. Wet leeks will water down your dressing, so pat them dry with a clean towel or spin them in a salad spinner if you have one. The other thing worth doing is toasting the walnuts even if youโre tempted to skip it โ three to five minutes in a dry pan wakes up their flavor considerably and keeps them from tasting flat against the sharp cheese.
Smart swaps
- Welsh cheddar: Any sharp or extra-sharp cheddar works fine here. The key is a cheese with enough bite to stand up to the lemon dressing โ a mild cheddar will get lost.
- Heirloom tomatoes: Regular vine tomatoes or even cherry tomatoes halved work just as well. Avoid watery beefsteak tomatoes; theyโll make the salad soggy.
- Walnuts: Pecans or sunflower seeds are good substitutes. Pepitas keep it nut-free and add a similar crunch.
- Leeks: If leeks arenโt available, the white and light green parts of green onions (scallions) can stand in โ use about six to eight scallions for two cups of sliced leeks.
- Lemon juice: White wine vinegar works in the dressing at roughly the same quantity if youโre out of lemons.
Troubleshooting
- Dressing slides off instead of coating: Make sure the leeks and tomatoes are fully dry before tossing. Excess moisture prevents the olive oil emulsion from clinging to anything.
- Salad tastes flat: The dressing needs salt added before you toss, not just sprinkled on top at the end. Taste the dressing on its own โ it should taste slightly too sharp and salty on a spoon, because the cheese and vegetables will mellow it out.
- Leeks taste too raw and sharp: Slice them as thin as you can โ a mandoline helps if you have one. Very thin slices soften slightly from the acid in the dressing within a few minutes of tossing.
- Walnuts go soft before serving: Dress it at the table โ a pre-dressed salad goes limp fast, and the walnuts are the first thing to suffer. Keep them separate until the moment you serve.
- Cheese clumps together: Shred the cheddar yourself rather than using pre-shredded. Bagged shredded cheese is coated with starch to prevent clumping in the bag, which ironically makes it clump more once it hits a wet dressing.
Leftovers and meal prep
If you want to get ahead, prep the components separately and store them in the fridge for up to two days: cleaned and dried leeks in one container, diced tomatoes in another, shredded cheese sealed tightly, and the dressing in a jar. The walnuts can sit at room temperature. Once dressed, this salad holds for about four hours before the leeks start to soften noticeably and the tomatoes release liquid into the bowl. Leftovers from a dressed salad are still edible the next day โ the leeks will be more pickle-like in texture โ but it wonโt be crisp. If youโre packing this for lunch, bring the dressing and walnuts in separate small containers and toss everything together when youโre ready to eat.
Welsh Leek and Cheddar Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups organic leeks white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
- 1 cup Welsh cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 cup fresh heirloom tomatoes diced
- ยผ cup olive oil high quality
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ยผ teaspoon sea salt to taste
- ยผ teaspoon ground black pepper freshly ground
- ยผ cup walnuts toasted and roughly chopped
Instructions
- Begin by thinly slicing the leeks and placing them in a bowl of cold water to remove any grit. Allow them to sit for a few minutes, then drain and pat dry.
- In a small pan over medium heat, toast the roughly chopped walnuts for about 3-5 minutes until fragrant. Be careful not to burn them. Set aside to cool.
- Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a large salad bowl. Whisk until the dressing is emulsified.
- Add the sliced leeks, dice tomatoes, and shredded cheddar to the bowl. Toss gently with the dressing until evenly coated.
- Top the salad with toasted walnuts just before serving for a delightful crunch.
Notes
Nutrition
Your questions, answered
Can I use the dark green tops of the leeks?
Stick to the white and light green parts only for this salad. The dark green tops are fibrous and tough when eaten raw, and they wonโt soften enough from the dressing alone.
Do I need to cook the leeks at all?
No โ raw leeks work here as long as theyโre sliced very thin. The lemon juice in the dressing softens them slightly and takes the edge off their sharpness within a few minutes of tossing.
Can I make this dairy-free?
The cheddar is central to the flavor balance of this recipe, so a straight omission leaves it flat. A firm dairy-free cheese that has some sharpness to it is your best bet if you need to avoid dairy.
My dressing separated by the time I served it โ what happened?
Emulsified dressings with mustard are stable for a while but will eventually break if left to sit. Give the jar or bowl a quick whisk or shake right before you dress the salad.
Can I stretch this into a more filling main meal?
Yes โ add a can of drained white beans or chickpeas to the bowl when you toss everything together. They add protein and bulk without changing the flavor profile, and theyโre usually already in the pantry.