Fresh Garden Salad

5 from 21 votes

Enjoy a delicious, simple, and fresh garden salad with a light vinaigrette dressing customized with your favorite veggies.

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Whether you call it a garden salad or a house salad, one thing is for sure – it’s simple, oh-so-delicious, and makes a great side or salad base! This fresh garden salad is a delicious combination of crunchy fresh vegetables and romaine lettuce tossed in a light, zesty citrus vinaigrette dressing – Yum! You can customize it to add any veggies you like or switch out the dressing based on your preference.

Everyday garden salad tossed with tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, and shredded carrots.

Table of Contents

  1. Why you’ll love this classic garden salad recipe
  2. Simple garden salad ingredients
  3. How to make A Garden Salad
  4. Tips for making the best vegetable garden salad
  5. Popular substitutions & additions
  6. What to pair with a fresh garden salad
  7. How to store your garden salad and dressing
  8. Frequently asked questions
  9. More salad recipes:
  10. Fresh Garden Salad Recipe

Having a go-to salad recipe with all your favorite additions is an easy way to add more nutritious vegetables to your meals and add some texture to your plate. Enjoy this fresh house salad recipe anytime and for any reason!

Why you’ll love this classic garden salad recipe

  • Quick and easy dish. Garden salads are the ultimate go-to meal for busy days. All you need to do is chop up your veggies, whip up a simple dressing, and toss everything together. You can add a protein like grilled chicken, salmon, or shrimp to make it a complete meal.
  • So fresh and full of good-for-you ingredients. Raw vegetables tossed in a light, refreshing dressing offers various textures and flavors in every bite while providing plenty of nutritional benefits. Leafy greens and vegetables are rich in vitamins, beta-carotene, fiber, and folate and are naturally low in calories.
  • An everyday salad. The name says it all! This side salad is enjoyable for any meal, whether as a quick lunch, as a starter for dinner, or as a side dish.

Simple garden salad ingredients

  • Romaine: Romaine lettuce adds crunch and a slightly bitter taste to garden salads. Look for heads that are firm and tightly packed with crisp green leaves.
  • Vegetables: For my garden salad, I went with cherry tomatoes, red onions, Persian cucumbers, and grated carrots, but feel free to mix and match your veggies depending on your preferences or what you have available.
  • Dressing: For a simple garden salad dressing, I chose light and tangy ingredients that consists of olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and black pepper. I like to make my own salad dressings, but you can use storebought if you prefer.
Ingredients for recipe before prepping: seasoning, dijon mustard, oil, honey, parsley, red onion, lemon, persian cucumbers, carrot, and romaine lettuce.

How to make A Garden Salad

  1. After chopping and slicing the vegetables, layer them in a bowl, or divide them into 4 individual serving bowls.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients.
  3. Pour the dressing over the salad.
  4. Toss to combine and serve immediately. If not serving right away, wait to add dressing.
4 image collage making recipe: 1- salad ingredients in bowl before tossing, 2- dressing ingredients being whisked, 3- dressing being poured over salad, 4- salad after tossed.

Tips for making the best vegetable garden salad

  1. Cut vegetables into similar sizes. Your fork should have a little bit of each veggie on it for the perfect bite. If you need some help with cutting the vegetables, check out my guides on how to cut carrots, onions, and tomatoes. They’re quick and easy to follow!
  2. Add dressing right before serving. Wait until the last step to toss the dressing with the salad to keep your veggies crisp. If you add it too early, your lettuce and some of the vegetables may become soggy or wilted.
  3. Use a salad spinner. After washing your vegetables, it’s a good idea to quickly spin them or pat them dry with paper towels to remove any excess water, making sure that the dressing sticks to the veggies and isn’t watered down.
  • Choose fresh and colorful vegetables. To make your salad, pop pick a variety of colorful veggies such as cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell peppers, and carrots.
  • Switch up your salad greens. While I love using romaine lettuce, there are so many options to choose from, and each has its own unique flavor and texture. Try one of these common types of greens for your fresh garden salad: arugula, bibb, butter, spinach, iceberg, or green leaf lettuce. Better yet, you can grab spring mix that has a handful of different varieties of salad greens all in one container.
  • Add toppings. This house salad is perfect as-is for a quick and easy recipe, but you can add whatever you like! Try some of these salad topping ideas:
  • Add a protein. For a more filling and satisfying meal, top your garden salad with chicken, tofu, chickpeas, boiled eggs, or steak.

What to pair with a fresh garden salad

How to store your garden salad and dressing

It’s best to keep the vegetables and dressing separate until ready to serve. Make sure your veggies are dry and stored in an air-tight container. A zip-top bag with all the excess air squeezed out will keep your veggies extra crisp. Store the dressing in a separate container or jar in the refrigerator.

How long will salad ingredients last in the fridge?

You can store your salad with vegetables for up to 2-3 days in the fridge. After that, they will likely become soggy and watery and should be tossed.

Frequently asked questions

What’s the best salad dressing for a garden salad?

A light and tangy vinaigrette or a simple oil and vinegar dressing are perfect choices to pair with your garden salad.

Can I make it ahead of time?

Sure! Prep your veggies and either store them separately in the crisper drawer or meal prep your salad in individual containers. Store the dressing on the side for best results.

What is in a garden salad?

A fresh garden salad typically consists of fresh, raw vegetables you would find in a garden, such as lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, bell peppers, and radishes.

Fully tossed garden salad in a serving bowl with cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, red onions, and shredded carrots.

This garden salad recipe is both simple and delicious, perfect for any day of the week. The light vinaigrette dressing complements any combination of fresh vegetables or protein you choose to add. With endless options, I hope this recipe inspires you to create your own unique version of an everyday garden salad!

More salad recipes:

If you try this feel good Garden Salad recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. We would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!

Fresh Garden Salad

Enjoy a delicious, simple, and fresh garden salad with a light vinaigrette dressing customized with your favorite veggies.
5 from 21 votes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 150
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 head romaine lettuce chopped
  • 1 cup grape tomatoes
  • 2 Persian cucumbers
  • 1 carrot peeled and grated
  • ½ small red onion sliced
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Dressing

Instructions

  • Place the salad ingredients in a large bowl or divided into 4 bowls.
  • Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl or jar. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Serve immediately after tossing.

Nutrition

Calories: 150kcal, Carbohydrates: 13g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Sodium: 331mg, Potassium: 603mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 16605IU, Vitamin C: 18mg, Calcium: 72mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

Cuisine American
Course: Salad, Side Dish

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