Desert Salad is a consumable item in Fallout: New Vegas.
Characteristics
Desert Salad provides a very high amount of health over a short period of time, healing 105 HP at the Survival skill necessary of 55 needed to craft it. It is also one of a minority of food items which provide significant restoration to both the player's Dehydration and Starvation levels while in Hardcore mode. Though it is not the most filling item in the game, its weight to health ratio make it one of the most efficient foods available. Accordingly, it is also one of the more difficult items to make, due to the rarity of pinyon nuts.
Desert Salad is not sold by any merchants, nor does it appear anywhere in the game. The only way to obtain this item is through the use of a campfire.
Ingredients
Desert salad can be crafted at a campfire once the player has a Survival skill of 55. It requires the following ingredients:
- Brahmin steak (1)
- Barrel cactus fruit (1)
- Pinyon nuts (1)
Notes
- Prior to patch 1.2 this item required two barrel cactus fruit and two pinyon nuts in order to be crafted.
- Based on the in-game item it seems desert salad also contains common salad greens and tomatoes.
"for vegetarians only
Behind the scenes
Desert salad is a direct reference to the real-world recipe featured in the Fallout game manual, alongside the Mushroom Cloud recipe. The instruction manual recipe for desert salad, described below:
(Increase or reduce ingredient portions to taste)
- 1 lb. extra lean ground beef (turkey may be substituted)
- 6 oz. tortilla chips
- 1 firm tomato
- 1/2 head of iceberg lettuce, cut
- 1 16oz. bottle of Catalina
- 3 oz. pinto beans
- 6 oz. sliced olives
- 1 avocado (optional)
- 4 oz. cheddar cheese
- dressing
Brown the meat, drain.
In large bowl, mix lettuce, beans, and olives. Crush chips and add. Cut tomato into small chunks and add to bowl. Shred cheese and add. Slice avocado and add. Add meat. Toss with dressing. Serve.
Makes 4-6 portions.