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This fresh garden salad recipe is made with crisp lettuce, tomatoes, carrot ribbons, cucumbers, cheddar and mozzarella cheeses, homemade croutons, all tossed with a honey mustard or ranch dressing.
I just shared a brand new recipe for Honey Mustard Dressing and it all was inspired by my love for the Garden Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing at my local pizzeria growing up and I just had to figure out how they made it.
I love the simplicity of this salad without any crazy ingredients and perfect to eat just the way it is or even add grilled chicken to it for some extra protein.
Don’t sleep on two things — homemade salad and dressing and homemade croutons. Those two items make a salad!
Oh, and my Grandma always taught me to wash the lettuce ahead of time and allow it time to dry out (or just put it in a salad spinner) and then place it in a Ziploc bag lined with paper towels to soak up extra moisture. This helps to keep it nice, fresh, and crisp.
Ingredients:
- Lettuce: I suggest using romaine or iceberg lettuce for the most crisp lettuce.
- Tomatoes: Cherry or grape tomatoes are ideal for salads because of their sweetness and firm texture. For cherry or grape tomatoes, simply slice them in half.
- Cucumbers: English cucumbers are a great choice because they have thin skins and fewer seeds, making them less bitter.
- Carrots: Use a vegetable peeler to shave thin ribbons by peeling the carrot lengthwise. For shaved carrots, continue to peel the carrot until you reach the core, creating long, thin strips.
- Cheese: Choose your favorite type of cheese. I like to use a mix of freshly grated cheddar and mozzarella.
- Croutons: Use homemade or storebought croutons. It is so easy to make homemade croutons and I will share how below and in the recipe card.
DRESSING CHOICES: Homemade Honey Mustard Dressing or Homemade Ranch Dressing.
How to make Homemade Croutons:
Cut day-old bread into cubes. Toss with olive oil, salt, and any preferred seasonings (such as garlic powder or herbs). Bake at 350° for 10-15 minutes until golden and crisp.
How much lettuce do you need?
- For a side salad: Plan for about 1-1.5 cups of chopped lettuce per person.
- For a main course salad: Plan for about 2-3 cups of chopped lettuce per person.
- An average head of Romaine lettuce yields about 5-6 cups of chopped lettuce.
How to assemble the Garden Salad:
- In a large salad bowl, combine the lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, and carrots.
- Sprinkle the cheese over the top.
- Add the croutons just before serving to keep them crunchy.
Storing Salad:
To keep your garden salad fresh:
- Store the salad ingredients separately, if possible, in airtight containers in the refrigerator.
- Keep the lettuce in a container lined with paper towels to absorb excess moisture.
- Add the cheese, croutons, and dressing just before serving.
More Salad Recipes:
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Garden Salad
Ingredients
- 6 cups Romaine or Iceberg Lettuce (chopped, about 1 1/2 heads)
- 10 ounces Grape Tomatoes (or 2 large tomatoes, chopped)
- 2 Carrots (peeled and sliced into ribbons)
- 1 large English or Hot House Cucumber (sliced)
- 1 cup Cheddar and Mozzarella Cheese Mix
- 1 1/2 cups Croutons
- Honey Mustard or Ranch Dressing
Instructions
- In a large salad bowl, combine the lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, and carrots. Use a vegetable peeler to shave thin ribbons by peeling the carrot lengthwise. For shaved carrots, continue to peel the carrot until you reach the core, creating long, thin strips.
- Sprinkle the cheese over the top. Add the croutons just before serving to keep them crunchy.
- Serve with honey mustard or ranch dressing.
How to make Homemade Croutons:
- Cut day-old bread into cubes. Toss with olive oil, salt, and any preferred seasonings (such as garlic powder or herbs). Bake at 350° for 10-15 minutes until golden and crisp.
Notes
-
- Store the salad ingredients separately, if possible, in airtight containers in the refrigerator.
-
- Keep the lettuce in a container lined with paper towels to absorb excess moisture.
-
- Add the cheese, croutons, and dressing just before serving.
How much lettuce do you need?
- For a side salad: Plan for about 1-1.5 cups of chopped lettuce per person.
- For a main course salad: Plan for about 2-3 cups of chopped lettuce per person.
- An average head of Romaine lettuce yields about 5-6 cups of chopped lettuce.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Such a yummy salad!!
I Love a Great Salad in the Summertime. I take them for lunch at work, and est them for a lot of my meals at night. It’s just too hot to eat or cook here where I live in California…