Don't Even Think About Adding Dried Fruit To Your Salad Without Doing This First

Fresh fruit is a delight when your preferred varieties are in season, but dried fruit can provide a similar sweetness and satisfaction any time of year. When Tasting Table took an exclusive survey to determine people's favorite dried fruit, raisins came out as the clear winner for their versatility and great taste. You can add your choice of dried fruit to a number of different dishes, including baked goods, stews, salads, and more. Before you do, though, you should rehydrate them just slightly.

Soaking dried fruits like cranberries, cherries, or raisins in a bath of boiling water for about 10 to 15 minutes will allow them to plump before being added to your favorite salad recipes. This will give the fruits a more tender texture that will help enhance the overall flavor of your meal. Additionally, reconstituting these dried fruits creates more moisture, keeping them from soaking up other liquids in your salad.

Making a thoughtful and cohesive dish using your favorite salad ingredients and a batch of rehydrated dried fruits is easy and effective. While a beet, apple, and cranberry salad recipe calls for both dried and fresh fruits, it's vital to soak the dried cranberries first before topping off your salad with them. Even your favorite deli salads can benefit from the inclusion of plumped-up dried fruit.

If you're planning to use dried cherries for an unforgettable chicken salad, remembering to soak them in boiling water first is paramount. Make sure you're using just enough water to soak your dried fruits and keep the dish covered while they plump before draining and adding them to any salad recipe. This will promote the ideal texture without making your recipes runny or soggy.

It's prudent to plump your dried fruit for a deli salad, such as chicken salad, tuna salad, and others, but this also goes for a green salad. Try using a salad spinner both to dry your greens and soaked fruits to ensure a crisp and fresh consistency. For example, plump up a portion of dried apricots before chopping them to add to a salad with cooked quinoa, arugula, and a robust vinaigrette. This would also work well for preparing dried cranberries to add to a Persian-style jeweled rice salad.

Any salad recipe for which you choose to use dried fruit will be made all the sweeter and more fulfilling when you soak the fruit first. Letting the different fruits can inspire you to get creative and try new flavors and textures in your salads. Rather than suffer chewy fruits with an overly gummy mouthfeel, this trick will amp up your salad with the right balanced bite.