Garden Salad (Printable)
Crisp seasonal vegetables tossed in light vinaigrette. Perfect quick and healthy option.
# What you need:
→ Fresh Vegetables
01 - 4 cups mixed salad greens (romaine, arugula, spinach)
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cucumber, sliced
04 - 1 carrot, peeled and shredded
05 - 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
06 - 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
→ Dressing
07 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
08 - 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
09 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
10 - 1/2 teaspoon honey (optional)
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
→ Optional Additions
12 - 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
13 - 2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds
# Directions:
01 - Wash and dry all vegetables thoroughly using a salad spinner or clean kitchen towels. Ensure greens are completely dry to prevent dressing from sliding off.
02 - In a large salad bowl, combine salad greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, carrot, red onion, and bell pepper. Arrange evenly for uniform distribution.
03 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper until fully emulsified and thickened. Alternatively, shake vigorously in a sealed jar.
04 - Drizzle the dressing over the vegetables and toss gently with salad servers or clean hands until all components are evenly coated.
05 - Top with crumbled feta cheese and toasted pumpkin seeds if desired. Serve immediately while vegetables remain crisp and dressing is fresh.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It comes together in literally fifteen minutes, which means dinner is ready before anyone starts asking whats to eat
- You can customize it endlessly based on whatever looks good at the market or languishing in your crisper drawer
02 -
- Dress your salad right before serving or the greens will get sad and wilty, even if they start out perfectly crisp
- The trick to restaurant style salads is drying your greens thoroughly after washing, otherwise the dressing slides right off
03 -
- Invest in a salad spinner if you do not already own one, it makes the difference between soggy and spectacular salads
- Make a double batch of the dressing and keep it in a jar in the fridge for instant salads all week