Even if you’re no longer quarantine cooking these days, comfort food might still be topping the menu with salads taking a back seat. But, since we all need to eat our greens, why not pair comfort food, wine AND salad together. You may not be able to find toilet paper at the stores, but the shelves are stocked on lettuce making it a pretty easy item to add to your weekly menu. Salad leaves, which form the base of many salads, offer a variety of flavors and textures that can be enhanced by thoughtful wine pairings. To help, I’ve pulled together a few salad wine pairing ideas that have become staples on my family’s dinner menu.
Salad may not sound like it’s something that can be paired with wine, but it can… The secret to a successful salad wine pairing is in the dressing.
The Rule of Thumb for Salad Wine Pairing
Acidity likes acidity.
Pair vinaigrette dressings like Italian and Balsamic Vinaigrette with higher acidity wines, as these vinaigrettes are made with various types of vinegar that contribute significant acidity to the dish.
Wine Suggestions: Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Vermentino and Alabarino. Wines with citrus notes, such as Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio, complement the acidity and flavors of vinaigrettes, creating a balanced pairing with the vinegar-based dressings.
Creamy dressings like lower acidity wines.
Pair creamy dressings, usually high in fat (aka no/limited acidity) with lower acidity wines. Wine Suggestions: Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Pinot Noir are usually easy go to’s.
Steak Salad
Grilled steak on top of a mix of red lettuce along with slices of hard boiled egg, diced tomatoes, sauteed onion and blue cheese crumbles. (Another option I love – that my kids don’t – is to use arugula instead of the red lettuce. It adds another layer of flavor to the salad.
Dressing: Ranch or Blue Cheese dressing are what the kids and The Husband prefer, but I love using a little olive oil and salt. Simple yet delish. Either of the dressing options calls for a red wine with good tannin.
Suggested Wine: Merlot, Barbaresco, Cabernet Franc
The taste of these wines complements the rich flavors of the steak, the tangy blue cheese, and the fresh greens, enhancing the overall flavor and texture of the salad.
Caprese Salad
Sliced tomato and fresh mozzarella cheese with basil, olive oil and a little balsamic dressing. Add a little Romaine lettuce and prosciutto to make it more of a full meal.
Dressing: Olive oil and balsamic dressing
Suggested Wine: White wine with high acidity and citrus. An Italian Verdicchio would pair well, as would a dry rose.
Hamburger Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing
This salad is literally taking your favorite hamburger, sans the bun for a bed of lettuce. It’s become a staple at our house with a sauteed bison (or beef) patty atop a bed of red lettuce and Romaine, diced tomatoes, shredded cheddar cheese, diced pickles, sauteed onions and either crispy red potatoes or tater tots. (The kids love the tots!)
Dressing: Honey Mustard Dressing
Suggested Wine Pairing: Look for a wine with soft acid to compliment the sweetness in the honey mustard dressing. Pinot Noir or Sangiovese are great options.
BBQ Chicken Salad
Another salad wine pairing that has become a go-to for my family… Grilled chicken that had been seasoned with BBQ powder, garlic powder and fresh parsley. After it’s cooked, the chicken is chopped and mixed with a honey BBQ sauce and placed on a bed of red lettuce and/or Romaine. Black beans, corn, blue cheese crumbles and a slice of bacon (crumbles) are then added.
Dressing: Ranch to cool the heat from the BBQ, or you can add more BBQ and skip the Ranch.
Suggested Wine Pairing: A dry rose will always work, but this salad can standup to bigger wines as well. If you’re feeling bold, this salad wine pairing can go with a Malbec or Merlot. (Keep in mind, the chicken has been marinated in a spicy BBQ and honey BBQ sauce. If it wasn’t seasoned, the dry rose or Chardonnay would pair best.)
Iceberg Wedge Salad
This is my kids ultimate, favorite salad. I’m not exactly sure why, but I can ALWAYS get them to devour every, single bite of the crunchy iceberg lettuce, blue cheese crumbles, diced tomatoes, bacon and red onion.
Dressing: Blue Cheese or Ranch
Suggested Wine Pairing: Riesling
Chicken Caesar Salad
While Caesar dressing is a creamy dressing, it has a kick of acidity so it kinda breaks the rule of thumb for salad wine pairing.
Dressing: Caesar dressing
Suggested Wine Pairing: A Sauvignon Blanc, Pinto Grigio or Alabarino would pair nicely with this. A dry rose would be equally as good.
Which of these salad wine pairings are you going to try next?
Common Mistakes When Pairing Wine with Salad
Pairing wine with salad can feel a bit intimidating, but with a few simple tips, you can avoid the most common pitfalls and make every bite—and sip—sing. Here are some of the top mistakes people make when pairing wine with salads, and how to sidestep them for the perfect match every time.
1. Ignoring the Dressing: The dressing is the secret sauce of any salad wine pairing. A creamy ranch or blue cheese dressing is rich and full of fat, which can easily overpower a light white wine like Pinot Grigio. Instead, reach for a California Chardonnay with buttery notes or even a Pinot Noir, which can stand up to the creamy texture. On the flip side, a zesty vinaigrette with high acidity calls for a crisp, citrusy Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio to keep things balanced.
2. Overlooking the Ingredients: Not all salads are created equal! A spinach salad tossed with sweet cherries and tangy feta needs a wine that can handle both sweetness and acidity. A dry Riesling or a light-bodied red wine like Pinot Noir is a great pairing wine for this type of salad. If your salad is loaded with bacon, egg, or steak, don’t be afraid to bring in a red wine with a bit more body and tannins, like a Merlot or even a Syrah, to cut through the richness.
3. Forgetting the Salad’s Style: The style of your salad matters just as much as the ingredients. A light seafood salad with delicate flavors is best paired with a crisp white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio, which won’t overpower the seafood. For a hearty steak salad, a bold red wine with high tannins—think Cabernet Sauvignon or Malbec—will match the big flavors and stand up to the fat in the meat.
4. Assuming One Wine Fits All: It’s tempting to grab your favorite bottle and call it a day, but the best wine pairings come from matching the wine to the specific salad. A citrus-based vinaigrette needs a wine with high acidity, while a salad with a creamy dressing benefits from a wine with a bit of sweetness or fat to balance things out. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different wines for different salads—there’s no one-size-fits-all solution.
5. Overpowering the Salad: Remember, the goal of pairing wine with salad is to enhance the flavors, not drown them out. A good wine pairing should complement the salad’s ingredients, letting both the food and the wine shine. If you’re ever in doubt, start with a wine that’s light and crisp, and work your way up to bolder styles as the salad gets heartier.
With a little attention to the dressing, ingredients, and overall style, you’ll find that pairing wine with salad is not only easy, but also a delicious way to elevate your greens. Whether you love a classic Caesar, a sweet and tangy spinach salad, or a big, bold steak salad, there’s a perfect wine out there waiting to bring your salad to life. So grab your favorite bottle, get creative, and enjoy the adventure of salad wine pairings!
Elaine Schoch is an award-winning travel writer, wine judge, American Wine Specialist and certified by the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET II). At Carpe Travel she shares wine travel destination guides for ALL WINE LOVERS – from novices to experienced pros – to help them plan their wine adventures, arming them with insider tips, must-visit spots, and things to see and do beyond the vines.