Step-by-Step Green Salad Recipe

This green salad recipe is straightforward, but it's still crammed with delectable textures and flavors. It's an ideal side dish - you can serve it with almost anything!

We all need a decent green salad recipe in our back pocket…which is why I can’t believe that in almost 10(!) years of blogging, I haven’t shared a straightforward green salad until today. That’s not to say that there’s a paucity of salad recipes on the site (broccoli salad, pasta salad, or avocado salad, anyone?). But it has been lacking a fast, revitalizing salad that you can mix together at the last minute and serve with almost anything.

Well, let me introduce you to my favorite green salad recipe. It’s straightforward, but it doesn’t scrimp at all on texture or flavor. I add in avocado for velvety richness, Parmesan cheese for hazelnut, salted flavor, and tamari toasted almonds for texture. To blend it all together, I drizzle on my go-to lemon vinaigrette. It makes this salad zingy, vibrant, and oh-so-versatile. It pairs just as beautifully with pasta as it does with a vegetarian burger, and it tastes fantastic with classic brunch fare too. If you need a last-minute side dish to round out your Easter menu this weekend, this green salad would be ideal.

How To Prepare A Simple Green Salad

wonderful green salad recipes commence with wonderful greens. Though I enjoy a nice kale salad or mixed greens salad as much as the next person, when I’m creating a basic, refreshing side salad, I like to use lettuce as the base.

Look for lettuces that have tender leaves and fresh stems with no discoloration. I especially like the flavor and texture of Butter lettuces like Boston and Bibb, but tender leaf or romaine lettuce would work well here too. Use whatever appears finest. The more varieties, the merrier!

When you’re ready to make the salad, peel the lettuce leaves apart, and wash and dry them well. To prevent injuring or shredding the leaves, I recommend using a salad spinner for this phase (I have this one). With it, you’ll be able to get the leaves almost flawlessly dry in no time!

If you don’t have a salad spinner, arrange the rinsed lettuce on a kitchen towel to dry while you prepare the other salad components.

Toppings And Variations

After I prep my greens, I complete this recipe with thinly sliced cucumbers, avocado, shaved Parmesan, and savory roasted almonds. My fundamental lemon vinaigrette links it all together.

It’s a fantastic combination – the cucumbers are crisp and refreshing, the avocado is rich and velvety, the Parmesan is salted, and the toasted almonds and pumpkin seeds add a delectable texture. That being said, this recipe is flexible. Feel free to experiment with various garnishes or another salad vinaigrette. Here are a few methods I like to vary it up:

• Switch the cheese. Swap the Parmesan for briny feta or goat cheese. Or omit the cheese to make this recipe vegan.

• Add something sugary. A sprinkle of dried cranberries or cherries would be wonderful here.

• Or added grit. Toss in homemade croutons or crusty roasted chickpeas.

• Go nut-free. Replace the almonds with more pepitas, or use a combination of pepitas and sunflower seeds.

• Try another condiment. The sky’s the limit! Drizzle on green goddess, tahini dressing, honey mustard dressing, homemade Italian dressing, vegan ranch dressing, Greek salad dressing, etc. If there’s a vinaigrette you adore, you can use it on this salad.

• Pile on additional vegetables, like crisp radishes, luscious cherries tomatoes, or julienned carrots. In the spring, blanched asparagus would be a wonderful choice too.

Read Also: Delicious Sweet Potato Casserole

Green Salad Serving Suggestions

Because you’re working with tender lettuces and avocado, which has a propensity to discolor, this salad is ideal if you compose it right before you consume. If you want to get ahead, you can wash and rinse the lettuce a day in advance and preserve it, well-wrapped, in the refrigerated. You can also roast the almonds ahead of time and preserve them, loosely covered, at room temperature. The vinaigrette is prepare ahead-friendly, too! Store it in a secure container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

What Else Can I Add To A Green Salad?

Looking for more salad ideas? Try adding one or more of these salad ingredients to this salad recipe.

• More Veggies: So many possibilities here! Try radishes, minced bell peppers, sliced mushrooms, sugar snap peas, corn, thinly sliced red onion or chopped green scallions.

• Apple or Pear: Their flavor is a pleasant contrast to the remainder of the salad. Slice apple or pear thinly or chop into bite-size pieces.

• Berries: Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries are delicious salad additions that also contribute bursts of color.

• Beans: Chickpeas are my go-to for salads, or use white beans.

• Protein: Air Fryer Chicken Breast, Air Fryer Shrimp or Bacon can make a salad more satisfying.

• Eggs: If you prepare a quantity of hard boiled eggs ahead of time and store them in the fridge, they’ll be available to add to salads throughout the week. Soft Boiled Eggs are also excellent on salads.

• Nuts or Seeds: Try sliced almonds, toasted walnuts, Candied Pecans, sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds.

• Fresh Herbs: If you have some in your larder leftover from other recipes, put them on your salads instead of allowing them go to waste. Fresh parsley, dill, cilantro, basil and chives can all enhance the flavor of your salad.

• Olives: Especially kalamata olives, known for their robust, fragrant flavor.

• Pepperoncini Peppers: I add these to my beloved Italian Salad.

• Croutons: These Homemade Croutons are especially delicious.

• Quinoa: Quinoa in a verdant salad? Trust me on this one. I add it to my beloved Spinach Salad and it’s a delectable way to add plant-based protein to a salad.

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