As I browsed the pages and recipes in "The Salad Lab", I couldn't help but imagine myself as a kitchen chemist. Working with my California farmer's market summer produce, I could dream big in imagining new combinations and riffs on the already delicious recipes in Darlene Schrijver's new cookbook.

She starts with the basics, and builds solid Niçoise, Greek and Caesar salads. There are always options for the ingredients, but the recipes are classic. As we take off into travel inspired salads, the ingredients become less common but still delicious and adaptable to what is available to the cook. Lots of dressing and add in options round out the recipes. I could have done without the "celebrity" salads, but I'm old-fashioned like that!

This is a great book to have on the shelf when you're tired of your same old standards and are looking for some ideas to mix-it-up.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If you love salads, you'll want to pick up The Salad Lab: Whisk, Toss, Enjoy!: Recipes for Making Fabulous Salads Every Day, by Darlene Schrijver.

The first chapters cover essential ingredients, both from the pantry and perishable, as well as equipment needed to make proper salads, and the “Fun” damentals of making salads. Following these chapters, there are several basic salads to start with, which not only include lettuce types, but also grain salads, potato, pasta, cabbage, and classic salads. The recipes are written in the traditional manner with the ingredients listed first, followed by step-by-step instructions that make it easy to turn out picture perfect salads. The salads are also presented with beautiful, professional photographs of the salads, which is very helpful since most of us want to know just how our dishes should look.

The author has made comments at the beginning of each recipe that give background, helpful hints, and vignettes to make the recipes more personable. There are delicious recipes for salads that will appeal to everyone, from classics and everyday salads, to unique and innovative salads that everyone will want to make.

All told, this is the only salad book anyone may ever need. It has everything, and has something for everyone, from side salads to main dish salads. This cookbook is absolutely awesome and perfect for gifts and also perfect for adding to a good cookbook collection. This cookbook is awesome.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

Beautiful pictures and so many great ideas for salads and dressings! For those of us who tend to be really boring with our salads this book is a joy to explore. And i love seeing what a finished product should look like.

The Salad Lab is awesome absolutely highly recommend! Fun, creative and filled with unique flavors and new twists. No biting salads here. I loved it and I hope you enjoy it as well.

Absolutely loved this. I've followed the Salad Lab on socials for ages and I adore their recipes. This book was just perfect, I tried so many of these recipes, and even took some creative liberties with many. It's become a staple cookbook in my kitchen, it makes me look forward to making work lunches especially.

Wonderful pictures and delicious looking recipes! One of my favorite new cookbooks this summer! Thank you to the publisher for providing this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was very fun! Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC. It goes through all sorts of salads and gave me some inspiration to try out a few new mixes for lunches during the week.

The Salad Lab is an interesting take on a Salad Cookbook that uses a unique way of looking at experimenting with your salads and using science to create new and exciting salads in your own kitchen “salad lab”. The book included shopping lists, and tips and tricks to get your started. The photos were great and the variety of salad recipes was astonishing.

Calling all salad lovers! I’m a longtime fan of Darlene Schrijver’s Instagram account so The Salad Lab book was a must read for me. Each page is filled with photos and recipes of cool, crunchy, and crisp salads that will make you want to prepare a salad for all of your meals. An excellent book to have and to gift.

Thank you to Simon Element and NetGalley for this ARC.

Thank you NetGalley, Simon Element and Darlene Schrijver for this digital copy of The Salad Lab: Whisk, Toss, Enjoy! This is a beautiful book full of salads, dressings and toppings. The photographs show how beautiful salads can be. There are so many salad recipes to follow, but the author encourages you to experiment with flavors and textures to create even more!

I love The Salad Lab and follow her TikToks. It's wonderful to have this companion book. To know that she created her recipes for her child to make healthy meals is endearing. Summer is salad season so I will crack open this gorgeous book and make salads often while ingredients are fresh and accessible. If nothing else, just look at the visually delicious pictures.

A Fun and Flavorful Salad Adventure: "The Salad Lab: Whisk, Toss, Enjoy!" by Darlene Schrijver

Darlene Schrijver’s "The Salad Lab: Whisk, Toss, Enjoy!" is not just a cookbook; it’s a delightful journey into the world of salads, where creativity meets practicality in the kitchen.

Initially conceived as a collection of recipes for her college-bound daughter, Darlene’s venture into salad-making took an unexpected turn when she began sharing her creations on TikTok under the moniker "The Salad Lab." What started as a personal project soon blossomed into a popular platform for exploring everything from classic salads to celebrity-inspired creations, all presented with a quirky twist—think measuring ingredients with test tubes and beakers, a nod to her daughter’s scientific pursuits.

The book is a testament to Darlene’s passion for experimentation and her knack for turning ordinary salads into extraordinary culinary experiences. Each recipe in "The Salad Lab" is not just a list of ingredients and instructions; it’s a journey into flavor combinations that surprise and delight. From Bella Hadid’s favorite salad to inventive, never-before-seen creations, Darlene offers a wide array of options that cater to both adventurous eaters and those looking to elevate their lunchtime staples.

What sets this cookbook apart are Darlene’s thoughtful touches: each recipe is accompanied by beautiful photography that showcases the vibrant colors and textures of the salads, making them as visually appealing as they are delicious. She doesn’t stop at just salads; there are also recommendations for beverage pairings that complement each dish perfectly, adding to the overall dining experience.

"The Salad Lab" isn’t just about salads—it’s about making cooking fun and accessible. Darlene’s smart salad-making tips and staple recipes for dressings and toppings, like Honey-Roasted Sliced Almonds and Green Goddess Dressing, provide a foundation for endless culinary creativity in the kitchen. Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned cook, this book encourages you to think outside the bowl and experiment with flavors and textures that will transform your daily salads into gourmet delights.

Personally, I found "The Salad Lab" to be a joy to explore. The recipes are easy to follow, and the results are consistently delicious. I’ve enjoyed trying out different combinations and discovering new favorites. It’s a refreshing take on classic lunchtime fare, offering a modern twist that keeps mealtime exciting and nutritious.

In conclusion, "The Salad Lab: Whisk, Toss, Enjoy!" is more than just a cookbook—it’s an invitation to embrace creativity in the kitchen and reimagine salads as vibrant, flavorful dishes that everyone will love. Whether you’re looking for a quick weekday meal or planning a special occasion spread, Darlene Schrijver’s cookbook is sure to inspire and satisfy your salad cravings.

This book is full of different recipes for preparing great salads. The color photographs are beautiful, I enjoy seeing what the salads look like when they are completed.

This book starts out with an inspiring introduction about the author and her love of salads. Then there are chapters on shopping tips, equipment needed and salad making fundamentals that are really helpful.

The book has a table of contents with page numbers - so you can go straight to the salad you want to prepare. You could also just decide what you are going to prepare by looking at the photographs. The recipes are organized into the following sections - basics, celebrity favorites, destination inspired, holiday favorites, unusual salads, and dressings & croutons.

A delicious smash! I’ve been dying to try new salads as I’ve been working on eating healthier and this book had so many options to choose from!!

What is there bad to say about this? You can't! The book is beautifully done and the pictures made me want food even after I had just eaten dinner. I've actually followed the author on tiktok for well over a year now and have used so many of her recipes. Getting this book was so exciting having had been familiar with her recipes on tiktok! Can't recommend it enough!

Just in time for the seaonal vegetables as well as farmer markets. This comprehensible book provides the basics and shopping lists. This book encourages experimental as well as step by step guide and a list of alternatives. The photos and recipes are great to expand the salad variety to try or embrace a different spin on an old favorite. There are some goto's from celebrities and global varieties to try.. The photos are vibrant and the steps to take clearly stated. This book will expand your salads and your taste buds. Thanks to the publisher, author and Netgalley for the opportunity.

What fun! I am always looking for ways to do a better salad and this book has so many ideas! I love being able to enjoy veg (being someone who is so picky about meat) and this gave me some really great ideas!

Salad Lab by Darlene Schrijver started as a way for her to share her favorite salad recipes with her daughter who was newly away at school, and quickly became a Tick Tock sensation. I love the idea of salad as a meal, but all too often, I find that I can't think of what to put in it to make it feel like a satisfying meal, as opposed to an appetizer. This book was filled with many different categories of main dish salads. I particularly appreciated the tips in each recipe, as well as suggested swaps/substitutions, etc.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my honest review in exchange for this ARC.

Salads were not our first go to for dinner, but this book has changed all that. There are so many varied recipes and loads of pictures to ensure yours looks right. The ingredients are not hard to find and the recipes are well written. We are having so many salads now and keeping it interesting as well. This could make a salad lover out of anyone.

Is there ever the possibility of too much of a good thing? I am blown away by the number and variety of salads and salad accoutrements in "The Salad Lab". The author truly is a scientific authority on the everyday salad, the celebrity salad, and the holiday salad, and from the accompanying pictures (of most salads) the recipes make my mouth water in anticipation. Notes for ease of preparation or substitutions are sprinkled throughout, and Darlene obviously wants us to feel free to make each dish our own and use what we have. I have to say that the later sections on Salad Lab Elements and her Periodic Table of Salad are my personal favorites. Enjoy!

I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.