Garden Salad Fresh Vibrant (Print View)

Crisp seasonal vegetables with light vinaigrette, ready in 15 minutes

# 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 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
08 - 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
09 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
10 - 1/2 tsp honey (optional)
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Optional Additions

12 - 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
13 - 2 tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds

# How-To Steps:

01 - Wash and dry all vegetables thoroughly in a salad spinner or with clean kitchen towels.
02 - In a large salad bowl, combine the salad greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, carrot, red onion, and bell pepper.
03 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper until emulsified and smooth.
04 - Drizzle the dressing over the vegetables. Toss gently with salad servers to coat evenly without damaging the greens.
05 - Top with crumbled feta cheese and toasted pumpkin seeds if desired. Serve immediately while vegetables remain crisp.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It comes together in literally fifteen minutes, perfect for those weeknight evenings when you want something fresh but don't have the energy to cook
  • The dressing emulsifies beautifully and keeps in the fridge for days, so you can make extra and have instant salads all week
  • You can swap out whatever vegetables look best at the market, making it completely failproof and never boring
02 -
  • I learned the hard way that dressing your salad too early makes it wilt into a sad, soggy mess, so always wait until the moment you're ready to eat
  • The dressing recipe makes more than you'll need for one salad, but it keeps beautifully in the fridge for up to a week
  • Room temperature vegetables actually absorb dressing better than cold ones straight from the fridge, so let everything sit out for ten minutes before tossing
03 -
  • Dry your greens thoroughly using a salad spinner or clean towels, because water is the number one reason restaurant salads taste better than homemade ones
  • Season your vegetables with a pinch of salt before adding the dressing, it wakes up their natural flavors
  • Invest in a good olive oil because this recipe doesn't hide behind heavy flavors, so quality really shines through

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