The age of the boring salad is over. With so many different combinations available for fresh, crisp produce and zingy ingredients to use in salad dressings, there’s no need to feel like eating salad is a chore. Sake is just a bit sweet, with a fermented tang that stands up to the natural bitterness in salad greens and provides a clean, refreshing finish.

You can make a classic Japanese ponzu sauce, which is made with soy sauce, dried fish flakes, sake, mirin, and citrus for a tart dressing that packs a huge amount of flavor. You can also use sake to balance out the taste and acidity of a vinaigrette. Since there are so many different types of sake available, you want to choose one that suits your salad. Aged sake has a deeper umami flavor and stronger aroma that can add depth to lighter lettuce, while the clean, light taste of Ginjo sake can provide a nice contrast to slightly more bitter salad ingredients.