Classic House Salad
User Reviews
4.8
18 reviews
Excellent
Classic House Salad
Report
🥗💚😋 An EASY side salad recipe to serve with your favorite entree or alongside the main course! Made with common ingredients that you likely have already, but it's flexible and adaptable so you can ADD anything else you have on hand! The simple vinaigrette is easy, light, and flavorful but your favorite salad dressing also works.See Notes below for other lettuce, vegetable, and vinaigrette options and substitutions.
Share:
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 head romaine lettuce washed and trimmed (or 12-ounce bag of Romaine)
- 1 large diced tomato heirloom or similar, 2 diced Roma tomatoes, or 3/4 to 1 cup halved or sliced cherry/grape tomatoes
- ½ medium cucumber or English cucumber sliced or diced small (I peel regular cucumbers but not English)
- ½ cup shredded carrots or about 1/2 cup small diced carrots peeled
- ⅓ cup thinly sliced red onions rinse under cold water to remove some of the 'bite'
- freshly grated Parmesan cheese for garnishing to taste
- croutons for garnishing to taste (homemade or store bought)
Vinaigrette
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 to 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 to 2 tablespoons honey maple syrup, or agave nectar, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder or to taste
- 1 teaspoon onion powder or to taste
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano or to taste
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste if desired
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more to taste if desired
Add to Shopping List
Instructions
- Salad - To a large bowl (or individual plates), add the lettuce, and top with the remaining ingredients, as desired.
- Vinaigrette - To a small glass jar with a lid (Mason jar or an old and well-washed mayo/jam/jelly jar, etc.) add all the ingredients. Seal, shake, and taste. Tweak the flavor, as desired. Flavoring/Seasoning Tips - If it tastes at all "boring" or lacks pizzazz or oomph, that's generally a sign it needs more salt. Don't be afraid to add it (and generously), as desired. Likewise, don't be afraid to add more sweetener (or a pinch of granulated sugar) if it's overly "bitey" or potent. It's normal to need to add something sweet to balance the acidity of the vinegar.
- Once dressed, salad should be served immediately. Extra vinaigrette will last airtight in the fridge for at least 7 days. Remove it from the fridge about 30 minutes before shaking and using as the cold air in the fridge will cause it to be overly thick and hard to shake but it will loosen up at room temp.
Notes
- Nutritional Information - Plain salads are extremely low in fat and calories. It's the vinaigrette (or salad dressings of any kind) that add calories and fat which is what is happening here. The less you add, the lower the stats will be. Nutritional info is computer generated and provided as a courtesy. Calculate on your own or by hand if desired.
- Lettuce - Romaine lettuce is the classic but a lettuce blend or mix with a variety of lettuces such spinach, endive, arugula, butter lettuce, iceberg, radicchio, and so forth all work. You can use a head of lettuce or use bagged lettuce that's already washed, chopped, and ready to go.
- Tomatoes - Heirloom, beefsteak, Roma, cherry, grape, heirloom, yellow or orange, etc.
- Vinegar - Instead of red wine vinegar, you can use rice vinegar/rice wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, champagne vinegar, balsamic vinegar, etc. but I am not a fan of basic white vinegar here. You can also use equal parts lemon juice + vinegar rather than solely vinegar if you want a lemony vinaigrette. In this recipe, use 2 tablespoons lemon juice + 2 tablespoons vinegar.
- Onions - Red onions, shallots, white or yellow onions are fine.
- Cheese - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese is great but another favorite shredded or grated cheese such as Pecorino, Romano, grated white cheddar, feta or blue cheese crumbles, or shredded blend/mix such as a “Mexican cheese blend” or “pizza cheese blend”, etc.
- Vinaigrette Options and Substitutions
- Basil Vinaigrette
- Another Basil Vinaigrette
- Strawberry Apple Cider Vinaigrette
- Cranberry Apple Cider Vinaigrette
- Warm German Potato Salad Vinaigrette
- Honey Apple Cider Vinaigrette
- Mexican Inspired Cumin Lime Vinaigrette
- Mediterranean Vinaigrette
- Homemade Tzatziki Sauce
- Homemade Chimichurri Sauce
- Balsamic Reduction and Glaze
- Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Serving
1
Calories
280kcal
(14%)
Carbohydrates
26g
(9%)
Protein
4g
(8%)
Fat
19g
(29%)
Saturated Fat
3g
(15%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
16g
Cholesterol
1mg
(0%)
Sodium
309mg
(13%)
Fiber
5g
(20%)
Sugar
17g
(34%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 6Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 280 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1 | |
| Calories | 280kcal | 14% |
| Carbohydrates | 26g | 9% |
| Protein | 4g | 8% |
| Fat | 19g | 29% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 16g | 94% |
| Cholesterol | 1mg | 0% |
| Sodium | 309mg | 13% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 17g | 34% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
18 reviews
Excellent
Other Recipes
You'll Also Love
