Everyone needs a quick go-to Garden Salad that will pair with just about anything — and this is that recipe! Toss Romaine lettuce and fresh veggies with a simple vinaigrette that takes mere minutes to whip together.
This post shares how you can customize this salad based on personal preferences or what you’re serving it alongside.
A Garden Salad Recipe Should Be Simple!
A salad is typically my go-to as a side dish for just about anything — from grilled chicken to ground beef stroganoff to a flat iron steak — a big bowl of greens and veggies with a light dressing rounds things out nicely. And it especially rounds out heartier meat-heavy dishes well.
Since a Garden Salad is usually served with the main dish, we think the salad should be easy and quick to make. This recipe is just that—it’s quick and simple, with little preparation needed. The light and mild vinaigrette dressing goes well with the other ingredients and the main dish.
What’s in it?
When making a quick Garden Salad, here are some of my favorite ingredients to use. You don’t need to use all of these, and you can add more if you like. The point of this salad is to be fast and simple, so even if you just add a few veggies, that’s perfect!“
- Tomatoes: Nothing beats garden-fresh, but any tomato will work here! If tomatoes aren’t in season, try using cherry tomatoes, which grow well in greenhouses even in the depths of cold weather! Because of their size, they have less water so you’ll have a more concentrated tomato flavor.
- Cucumbers: Nothing beats the crispness and flavor of English or Persian (sometimes called “salad cucumbers”) cucumbers.
- Carrot: We like to quickly grate a big carrot on the large holes of a cheese grater. Alternatively, you could thinly slice (using a sharp chef’s knife or a slicer) or peel into ribbons using a vegetable peeler. And you can pick up pre-shredded carrots at most grocery stores, as well.
- Avocado: A perfectly ripe avocado adds an amazing creaminess to the salad!
- Red onion: If the taste of raw red onion is too strong for you, soak the chopped onions in salted ice water for 10 minutes. Make sure to drain them well before you add them to the salad.
- Croutons: If you like a crunchy texture, croutons are a great choice! If you’re up for it, you can even make your own ahead of time—homemade croutons are really delicious!
How To Make Garden Salad
- Make Dressing: Shake all the dressing ingredients in a jar until mixed.
- Prepare Lettuce: Chop, wash, and dry Romaine lettuce well.
- Chop Vegetables: Cut cucumbers into half moons, cherry tomatoes in half, red onion into thin slices, and grate a carrot.
- Assemble Salad: Put lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, and carrot in a big bowl.
- Add Extras (Optional): Add sliced avocado, croutons, and cheese if you like.
- Dress & Toss: Pour the dressing over the salad and mix everything together.
- Serve: Eat right away for the freshest taste.
Variations
Garden Salad Variations
There are practically endless ways to make a Garden Salad; here are ideas for ways to make your salad your own:
- Add raw veggies: Add fresh, sweet corn cut off the cob, thinly sliced baby Bella mushrooms, sugar snap peas, diced bell peppers, thinly sliced radishes, snow peas, fully thawed frozen sweet peas.
- Or add roasted vegetables: We love adding leftover or freshly roasted (and cooled) veggies to Garden Salads too (it might sound strange, but it’s delicious!) — cubed roasted beets, cubed roasted butternut squash, roasted green beans (give ‘em a coarse chop first), roasted broccoli (again, coarse chop here), roasted sweet potatoes, and roasted carrots.
- Add fresh herbs: Adding a handful of fresh herbs adds such a nice flavor to a simple Garden Salad. Here are some of our favorites: thinly sliced green onions, basil, fresh mint, fresh dill.
- Add protein: Hard-boiled eggs, diced ham, leftover grilled chicken or rotisserie chicken, thinly sliced cooked steak, cooked fish, shrimp can turn a salad into an entree.
- Switch up the dressing: This dressing is a very simple, all-purpose, mild dressing. If you are looking for a different option, try one of these recipes: balsamic dressing, citrus vinaigrette, lemon dressing, poppy seed dressing, or honey mustard salad dressing.
- Cheese is a nice finishing touch: Small cubes or grated sharp Cheddar, feta cheese, goat cheese, freshly grated Parmesan cheese — whatever you like best with veggies and greens!
Storage
Garden Salad Storage
Like most salads, Garden Salads don’t last long after you add the dressing. It’s best to eat the salad soon after making it; otherwise, the dressing makes the greens soggy and the ingredients get soft. You can cut this recipe in half to avoid leftovers.
To make ahead: Prepare everything, but store ingredients separately in the fridge. You can make the dressing up to a week in advance. Simply store in a glass jar and thoroughly whisk (or shake) to recombine before adding to the salad. Assemble and toss everything together right before eating.
Don’t worry if the dressing separates or gets lumpy. That happens because the olive oil hardens when it’s cold. Just take the dressing out of the fridge about 20-30 minutes before you need it, let it warm up, and then shake it well to mix it again.
More simple salad recipes
- Applebee’s Chicken Salad with crispy chicken
- Summer Couscous Salad with a white balsamic dressing
- Readers favorite Quinoa Salad
- Caesar Salad with a creamy Caesar salad dressing
- High protein Cobb Salad
Garden Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 7 cups chopped Romaine lettuce Note 1
- 1 cup cucumbers, cut in half moons Note 2
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion optional
- 1/2 cup grated carrot Note 3
- Optional: 1 large ripe avocado, 1 cup croutons, Cheese to taste (like feta, goat, sharp Cheddar, or Parmesan)
Dressing
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1-1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar (or use apple cider vinegar)
- 2-1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic (~1 clove)
- 2 teaspoons finely minced shallot, optional
- Fine sea salt and cracked pepper
Instructions
- DRESSING: Combine all the dressing ingredients in a small jar with a lid. Add salt and pepper to taste. (I add 1/4 teaspoon each.) Cover and shake the jar until ingredients are well combined. Use a spoon if needed to stir up settling honey.
- SALAD ASSEMBLY: Add completely dried chopped lettuce to a large bowl (Note 1). Top with cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and grated carrot. If enjoying immediately (Read instruction #3 first) also add in the avocado, croutons, and cheese (if using). Drizzle dressing over salad. (We like it all, but you may want less depending on how dressed you like your salads.) Toss, season salad to taste with salt and pepper if needed, and enjoy immediately!
- STORAGE: This salad doesn’t sit very well with the dressing, croutons, and avocado mixed into it. If you aren’t planning to eat the entire salad at one sitting, toss and add dressing, avocado, and croutons only to the lettuce you’ll be eating right now. The salad dressing can be made in advance and will stay fresh for 3-6 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Be sure to thoroughly mix/shake the dressing again before using. If the dressing separates or forms clumps, it’s just the olive oil solidifying, which it does at cold temps. Take the vinaigrette out of the fridge about 20-30 minutes or so before you need it and bring it back up to temperature. Then shake it up to remix.
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
As your dad I am so happy with this delicious but easy salad to make that has amazing taste!
Thanks so much Scott! 🙂