Description
A classic and customizable house salad with fresh greens, colorful vegetables, and your favorite dressing. Perfect as a starter, side, or light meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 5 ounces mixed greens (spring mix, romaine, or your favorite blend)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup cucumber, peeled and diced
- 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup carrots, shredded
- 1/2 cup bell pepper (any color), diced
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
- 1/4 cup croutons (optional)
- Your favorite salad dressing (about 1/4 cup)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Wash the Greens: Wash mixed greens in cold water, removing dirt and grit. Drain well, using a salad spinner if desired.
- Prep the Tomatoes: Halve cherry tomatoes (or dice larger tomatoes).
- Cucumber: Peel cucumber and dice into small pieces.
- Onion: Thinly slice red onion. Soak in cold water for 10 minutes to mellow the flavor, if desired.
- Carrots: Shred carrots using a box grater or vegetable peeler.
- Bell Pepper: Remove seeds and membrane from bell pepper, then dice into small pieces.
- Combine: In a large bowl, combine mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, carrots, and bell pepper. Toss gently.
- Add Cheese (Optional): Crumble feta cheese over the salad, if using.
- Add Croutons (Optional): Sprinkle croutons over the salad just before serving, if using.
- Dress: Pour salad dressing over the salad (about 1/4 cup, or to taste).
- Toss: Gently toss to coat.
- Season: Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve: Serve immediately. If not serving right away, store undressed salad in the refrigerator and add dressing just before serving.
Notes
- Variations: Add grilled chicken, shrimp, or tofu for protein. Experiment with different greens like spinach or arugula. Add nuts, seeds, avocado, mushrooms, or broccoli.
- Homemade Vinaigrette: Whisk together 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon vinegar (balsamic, red wine, or apple cider), 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, and 1/2 teaspoon honey or maple syrup (optional). Season with salt and pepper.
- Other Dressing Ideas: Ranch, Blue Cheese, Italian, Caesar, Thousand Island, Honey Mustard.
- Make it a Meal: Add protein like grilled chicken, shrimp, tofu, hard-boiled eggs, or beans. Serve with crusty bread.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve as a starter, side, or main course.
- Storage Tips: Store leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Store dressing separately.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes