I picked up two prepared side salads at the store the other day, thinking they'd help round out the meal I was planning. They looked beautiful in the case and beautiful when I transferred them to serving dishes, but after one bland and disappointing spoonful, I was done. Should you find yourself in a similar situation, I have a few easy tricks for turning a boring side salad into something tasty with none the wiser.
What a lot of prepared side salads lack — and not a few recipes, unfortunately — are the supporting ingredients that make the main ingredients sing. Spinach needs a squeeze of lemon. Beets like a good strong cheese to balance their earthy flavor. Beans come alive with an extra drizzle of olive oil.
A little of almost any of these ingredients will perk up your boring salad. Happily, you should be able to find at least one or two of them no matter where you are: raiding a friend's kitchen before a potluck or faced with the condiment table at a picnic. Start with a little, stir, and taste. Add a little more and stop when things start tasting good to you.
1. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Adds richness and a "fullness" to a lusterless, dry salad.
2. Salt: Subdues bitter flavors and perks up the rest of them.
3. Lemon Juice and Zest: Brightens murky flavors, especially with dark vegetables.
4. Vinegar: Same supporting role as lemon juice, but with more flavor options.
5. Cheese: Because a little cheese will keep mouths happy when all else is boring.
6. Cured Olives: Their saltiness and meaty texture add savory depth.
7. Fresh Herbs: Think basil, dill, tarragon, and marjoram. Mince them fine and toss them in.
What are your tips for bringing a boring side salad back to life?
Related: Eight Ways to Perk Up Steamed Vegetables
(Image: Emma Christensen)
10 Picnic-Ready Salads to Eat Outside
Recipe: Thai Ginger Chicken Stir-Fry
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Red-and-Pink-Stripe...
Things Fall Apart: Living Alone in a Space After a Breakup
TVG LA's Massive Creative Hub
Nuts, like sunflower seeds or almonds. It adds a different texture.
I find a dash of Tabasco will bring the flavors together nicely but I agree with your seven suggestions. I also would add lime juice and zest to the list.
Chopped boiled egg!
I don't even taste a salad from Whole Foods without adding salt first! The thing is, if I am picking up a salad, I usually don't have time for extra add ins like olives or cheese or nuts, or I am taking it to eat somewhere outside of my kitchen. Otherwise, I would have saved the money and bought the ingredients to make the salad myself. Salt is the easy one, you can usually pick it up right in the store next to the fork you need to eat the salad with.
sunflower seeds or chopped walnuts!
Depending on the type of salad, sometimes I add a tiny bit of sesame oil. I also like green onion, or a spoonful of Greek yogurt.
A little mustard helps a store-bought salad--I'll usually mix it with a little vinegar to help it blend better.
For homemade salads, I think toasting nuts makes a world of difference.
For me, a mix of texture is big. Adding avocado can provide a nice contract to crunchier vegetables, and a few nuts can add an even bigger crunch. Also, If I'm having a salad as a meal, I like to include one protein.
My favorite is toasted walnuts & Goat cheese (or feta)
also, cranberries
capers and whole grain mustard!
Black sesame seeds.... from an Asian market or whole foods.