• by Teresa Buyikian , March 26, 2024

One nationwide fast-casual salad chain says it’s leveled up its spring menu.

Just Salad is now featuring a limited-edition "Chopped Mezze" salad created in collaboration with New York City chef Marc Forgione -- the youngest NYC chef/owner to receive a U.S. Michelin star.

The new Chopped Mezze salad contains a supergreens blend, chickpeas, cucumbers, pickled onions, grape tomatoes, kalamata olives, feta and hemp hearts and is topped with an Oregano Vinaigrette.

"Culinary partnerships are an essential ingredient in Just Salad's continued mission of offering healthy, sustainable options and enhanced flavor profiles for our customers," said Jhonny Castro, culinary director at Just Salad, in a release. "Chef Forgione was a natural fit, as he shares our passion for using ingredients to inspire innovation and developing recipes with flavor, quality and freshness in mind."

In addition to the Chopped Mezze salad, the chain also partnered with Fable Food Co, an Australian mushroom brand, to offer Fable BBQ Shiitake as a new menu option. Fable’s mushrooms, which tout being 100% carbon-neutral, are featured in Just Salad's BBQ Shroom Bowl along with a sesame edamame mix, sweet potatoes, miso kale slaw and a Miso Ginger Vinaigrette.

Additional spring limited-time menu items include the Protein Power Salad, with romaine and baby spinach, chicken, egg, avocado, black lentils, roasted corn, pickled onions, carrots, Tajin spiced pumpkin seeds, hemp hearts and Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette. The Peruvian Chicken Bowl contains brown rice and shredded kale, chicken, cotija, avocado, sweet potatoes, pickled onions, corn, furikake shake and Green Aji Sauce with Fresh Lime. The spring soup is Organic Kale and Sweet Potato.