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Home Veg and Salad Sides

French Bistro Salad

By:Nagi
Published:5 Dec '20Updated:18 Dec '22
15 Comments
Recipe v Dozer v

This is a classic French Salad you find in bistros all across France. It is an excellent light and clean salad to serve alongside rich foods like roasts, stews and dishes with creamy sauces, which is exactly the intended purpose in France!

Big plate of French Bistro Salad

Welcome to Day 13 of the inaugural Holiday Salad Marathon, where I’m sharing 30 salads in a row through to Christmas Eve – just for something different to the usual sugar-loaded baking countdowns!!

Off the back of last weeks’ French(ish) Tomato Salad with Olive Tapenade, I have another French one for you:

French Bistro Salad

Hearty French bistro classics like steak frites, boeuf bourguignon, French Onion Soup, Quiche Lorraine and Coq au Vin need a light and clean salad on the side to cleanse and refresh the palate … so that you can eat more!

This classic leaf salad has handfuls of herbs for character and colour, while the pretty pink tangles of pickled eschalots bring sweet and tangy pops in every bite. A sprinkling of walnuts gives us a bit of texture as a finishing flourish, and we’re going with a classic lemon dressing to keep things clean and simple.

Drizzling lemon dressing over French Bistro Salad

What goes in French Bistro Salad

Here’s what I’ve put in this salad – but look at this recipe more as a guide rather than something to follow exactly.

Ingredients in French Bistro Salad

The main characteristics are the use of fresh herbs, some leafy greens, a plain lemon dressing and preferably something tangy like the pickled eschalots I’ve included (but you could easily throw in something pickled from a jar instead!).

Herbs – For the herbs I’ve used tarragon (highly recommended for real French), parsley, and chives here but you can use any combination of soft herbs you like. Dill, chervil, basil would all also work wonderfully. Try to keep the herb leaves whole or just roughly chopped or torn if required. Don’t get hung up on the quantities either. Just keep throwing in herbs until you can taste them in the salad!

Quick pickled eschalots for French Bistro Salad

What you need for Quick Pickled Eschalots

This brings welcome tang as well as pretty pops of colour into the salad. As mentioned above, you could easily switch this out for anything from a jar that’s got that tangy pickled flavour!

Here’s what you need:

Pickled Eschalots for French Bistro Salad

I’ve used red wine vinegar here but you can use white wine vinegar, cider vinegar, sherry or champagne vinegar. White wine vinegar will be a bit sharp but that’s easily fixed with a little splash of water.

To make the quick pickled eschalots, just stir the sugar until it dissolves in the vinegar, then pickle the eschalots for 30 minutes until they become floppy and bright pink.

Serving French Bistro Salad

What to serve with French Bistro Salad

This salad is of course a natural pairing with any French food. Perfect to make a meal out of a warm slice of Quiche Lorraine or bowl of French Onion Soup, or as a fresh salad alongside a rich Coq au Vin.

Similarly, it’s ideal to serve with any roast, stew like Beef Bourguigon or slow-cooked meats, or foods with rich creamy sauces like this reader favourite Creamy Chicken Pasta and Prawns/Shrimp in Creamy Garlic Sauce.

And just generally, I think the use of fresh herbs makes it really lovely and elegant, a nice salad to include at big festive gatherings as a palette cleanser, or as part of an elegant dinner party. Plus, you get to tell your friends – It’s French, darling! 😂 (I don’t get to play pretend posh very often, so I’ll take it when I can!) – Nagi x

What is the Holiday Salad Marathon?

This is my inaugural Christmas recipe countdown where I am sharing 30 salad recipes in a row until Christmas Eve – something completely different to people’s usual baking countdowns!

These salads are in addition to my regular 3 new recipes a week. Because aren’t you bored of the usual tomato-cucumber-lettuce garden salad routine??

Click here to see all the Holiday Salad Marathon recipes to date, or sign up for instant updates and you’ll receive a free email alert whenever I publish a new salad! 🙂

Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.

Drizzling lemon dressing over French Bistro Salad

French Bistro Salad

Author: Nagi
Prep: 10 minutes mins
Pickling time: 30 minutes mins
Side Salad
French, Western
5 from 7 votes
Servings4 – 6 people
Tap or hover to scale
Print
This is a classic French Leaf Salad you'll find in bistros all across France, known for the use of lots of fresh herbs with a simple dressing. Light and clean, intended to be served alongside rich foods like Quiche Lorraine, Beef bourguignon and Coq au Vin that French food is known for. Though French, it will suit any Western food – and beyond!
Use this recipe as more of a guide rather than exact recipe to be followed. Switch the leafy greens, use herbs you enjoy, crack open a jar of something pickled. Just make sure to use LOTS of fresh herbs!

Ingredients

  • 1/2 big head green oak or butter/bibb lettuce (about 8 big handfuls – but don’t crush the leaves to measure!)
  • 1 baby cos/romaine lettuce
  • 1/2 cup tarragon leaves
  • 1/2 cup chives , cut into 3cm / 1 1/2″ lengths
  • 3/4 cup parsley leaves
  • 1/2 cup walnuts , roughly chopped then toasted and cooled (optional, Note 1)

Quick Pickled Eschalots:

  • 2 eschalots (aka French onion, US: shallots), finely sliced
  • 2/3 cup red or white wine vinegar
  • 4 tbsp white sugar

Dressing:

  • 1.5 tbsp lemon juice
  • 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper

Instructions

  • Quick Pickled Eschalots: Stir sugar in vinegar until dissolved. Stir in eschalots, then leave for 30 minutes until it becomes floppy and turns pink. Drain.
  • Dressing: Shake Dressing in a jar.
  • Assemble: Pile lettuce on a platter (flatter better than deep bowl). Drizzle with about 1/2 the Dressing then toss gently with your hands. Scatter over fresh herbs, pickled eschalots and walnuts. Drizzle lightly with more Dressing. Serve immediately!

Recipe Notes:

. Walnuts – to toast, place in a dry skillet over medium heat and shake/stir for 2 minutes until it smells nutty. Remove from skillet immediately, cool, then use.
2. Salad ingredients:
Lettuce – typically, a French Bistro Salad will include a softer lettuce (Bibb/butter or green oak) plus a lessor amount of a crisper one (in this case baby cos lettuce/romaine).
Herbs – use any fresh soft herbs you want, the combination I’ve used is fairly common. The use of tarragon makes it particularly French. Dill, chervil and basil are especially excellent alternatives.
Eschalots – a scattering of something pickled is common. For a speedy option, just use something out of a jar, finely sliced if it’s big like a pickle, or scattering of capers.
Walnuts – optional here, or sub with another nut like almonds, macadamias, pistachios, cashews. Or pepitas or sunflower seeds. YUM.
Keywords: bibb lettuce salad, Butter lettuce salad, French salad, Fresh herb salad, green oak lettuce salad, Leaf salad
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @recipe_tin.

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15 Comments

  1. WesternWilson says

    November 7, 2023 at 3:31 am

    5 stars
    This salad was a knockout…simple, fresh, delicious. And it looks gorgeous on the plate! Served it with a linguine based dish.

    Reply
  2. Louise Neveu says

    June 30, 2023 at 2:22 pm

    5 stars
    This is an amazing salad. Simple and yet so flavourful.

    Reply
  3. Duncan says

    January 23, 2023 at 7:53 am

    5 stars
    Love it doing it a second time for a dinner party

    Reply
  4. Sharon Little says

    December 25, 2022 at 7:33 pm

    5 stars
    The salad is excellent. So glad I found it. Will definitely make again. A perfect choice for someone looking for a light, elevated salad. Thank you!

    Reply
  5. Grammasue says

    July 27, 2022 at 9:41 pm

    5 stars
    Hi, Nagi!! I’m back! This salad sounds absolutely perfect to go with my Beef Bourguignon that we are having for dinner on Friday with my daughter and SIL. They are not picky eaters (which I love–easy to cook for). I wanted something light to serve with it bc we are siding it with mashed potatoes and chives. This salad will be a winner. I have never pickled anything but I love the “pickled shallots” idea. This will be perfect and I hope they love it! Now I can serve a nice heavy chocolate dessert after! LoL (just joking!) Thanks for sharing your wonderful recipe and I love your directions…. no fuss…easy peasy! Cheers!!

    Reply
    • Grammasue says

      October 21, 2022 at 12:28 am

      5 stars
      Hi Nagi! We had to cancel the BD dinner bc our SIL had a heart attack, but I still made the Bistro Salad for my husband and I (minus the tarragon-personal taste) It was absolutely delicious and very simple to make. Thanks so much, again, and keep those wonderful recipes flowing! Cheers

      Reply
  6. mike says

    February 18, 2022 at 5:27 am

    I have visited a lot of these cookie cutter recipe sites. Many of them simply make copies of recipes from each other. Boring. This site actually has recipes I have never found! And very interesting recipes. I made one last night, the pulled beef for taco’s recipe. That was a good one! Keep up the good work!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      February 18, 2022 at 3:14 pm

      Thanks Mike! You made my week!! N x

      Reply
  7. Kate says

    February 12, 2022 at 7:29 pm

    Fantastic salad. I’m addicted!!! Had with Chicken Fricassée, and was a perfect match. Better than some fine dining restaurant salads I’ve eaten!

    Reply
  8. scott says

    March 29, 2021 at 5:15 pm

    hi ya nagi.im a chef with loads of experience,your recipes make me want to cook again,they so tasty ,inventive and yummy,thanks

    Reply
  9. Joan Bell says

    March 25, 2021 at 12:28 pm

    5 stars
    Dearest Nagi
    Thank You for sharing your Amazing gift of cooking and recipes with all of us 🌺
    You are truly a Beautiful Lady and a Delightful Blessing to those of us who need help with our cooking
    Love and Blessings to you and your Family 💖💖💖

    Reply
    • Anne says

      May 29, 2023 at 4:47 pm

      I completely agree! Thank you Nagi 😋

      Reply
  10. Sarah says

    February 15, 2021 at 7:03 am

    HI Nagi, can I make the pickled shallots ahead of time or will they become too tangy? thanks!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      February 15, 2021 at 7:09 pm

      You sure can Sarah, I store mine in the fridge in the pickling liquid and use when needed! N x

      Reply
      • Sarah says

        February 16, 2021 at 12:55 am

        The salad was the best part of our Valentine’s dinner ❤️ We are now wanting to have it every day!!

        Reply

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Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative! Read More

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