A global celebration of 35 inventive salads, Layered and Leafy invites home cooks to explore bold combinations of texture and flavor—drawing inspiration from Burma’s iconic tea leaf salad.
Inspired by Burma’s iconic tea leaf salad, Elizabeth Raynor’s Layered and Leafy reimagines the salad as a global, endlessly versatile dish. This collection of 35 inventive recipes includes everything from lemongrass- and miso-infused creations to bold combinations featuring steak, salmon, kale, and kimchi—each one balancing flavor and texture to surprising effect.

These salads are more than side dishes—they’re vibrant, satisfying meals packed with sweet, salty, sour, bitter, umami, and even astringent notes. Whether tossing sweet potato noodles with lime and coconut or plating grilled peaches with corn and lemongrass-shallot vinaigrette, each dish is built on a foundation of playful contrast. Also included are 14 pantry basics—like pickled ginger, toasted chickpea flour, and crispy shallots—that form the flavorful building blocks behind these bold bowls.

With recipes grouped by main ingredients and styled with 48 vibrant photographs, Layered and Leafy is a joyful invitation to rethink what a salad can be—and a passport to a world of fresh, craveable food.