The biggest issue with a chopped salad is that it can become a waterlogged mess, but you can avoid that by measuring your wet ingredients and using less watery alternatives.

When making a chopped salad, swap watery ingredients (like tomatoes or stone fruits) with those that are less watery but still full of flavor, like cherry tomatoes and dried fruit.

Be sure to properly dry all washed produce to further cut down on excess moisture. Most of your salad’s moisture should come from the dressing, not the ingredients themselves.

Some good dry ingredients for your salad include legumes, nuts, diced cucumbers, crumbled cheese, and drier proteins like hard-boiled eggs or roasted chicken.