Garden Salad Recipe
Make the Garden Salad Recipe: toss crisp greens with a zesty red wine vinaigrette. Try the Garden Salad Recipe tonight.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) honey or pure maple syrup
- 1 small garlic clove, finely minced (about 1 teaspoon / 3 g)
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt (about 1.5 g), plus more to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (about 0.3 g), plus more to taste
- 6 cups (about 180 g) mixed salad greens, thoroughly washed and well dried (such as romaine, leaf lettuce, and baby spinach)
- 1 cup (about 130 g) cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeds scraped if watery, then thinly sliced into half-moons
- 1 cup (about 150 g) cherry or grape tomatoes, rinsed and halved
- 1/2 cup (about 60 g) carrot, peeled and shredded or cut into fine matchsticks
- 1/3 cup (about 40 g) radishes, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup (about 30 g) red onion, very thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup (about 75 g) red or yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced into 1/2-inch (1.25 cm) pieces
- 1 medium ripe but firm avocado, diced into 1/2-inch (1.25 cm) cubes (about 150 g), optional
- 2 tablespoons (about 8 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley or chives, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup (about 30 g) raw sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds
- 1/3 cup (about 40 g) crumbled feta cheese or goat cheese, optional
- 1 cup (about 40 g) crunchy croutons, store-bought or homemade
Instructions
Step 1: Toast and cool the seeds
Preheat the oven just for a quick toasting and spread the raw sunflower or pumpkin seeds in a single even layer on a small rimmed tray; bake until they are lightly golden and fragrant, then remove and let them cool completely so they stay crisp. Cooling on the tray prevents steam and keeps the seeds dry and crunchy — this is the small, golden-texture milestone that adds immediate visual and tactile contrast to the finished salad.
Step 2: Emulsify the red wine vinaigrette
In a small mixing bowl combine red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey (or maple syrup), finely minced garlic, a pinch of fine sea salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Whisk briskly until the mustard dissolves and the mixture looks uniform, then stream in the extra-virgin olive oil while whisking until the dressing becomes slightly thickened, glossy and emulsified with no visible oil pools. Taste and adjust seasoning; set the bright, glossy vinaigrette aside for dressing.
Step 3: Prepare and arrange the salad vegetables
Thoroughly wash and fully dry the mixed greens so they are crisp, then place them in a large serving bowl. Prepare the vegetables: halve and thinly slice cucumbers into half-moons, halve cherry tomatoes, shred or julienne carrots, thinly slice radishes, very thinly slice red onion, and dice bell pepper into small, even cubes. Arrange each prepared vegetable over the bed of greens in an even, colorful spread so each component remains visually distinct and texturally intact.
Step 4: Dress, toss gently, and fold in delicate elements
Give the vinaigrette a quick whisk to re-emulsify if needed, then drizzle about half of it around the inside rim of the salad bowl rather than in a single central pool. Using salad tongs or clean hands, lift from the bottom and turn the greens so the leaves become just lightly glossy — you want light sheen, not soggy. If using avocado and fresh herbs, add the diced avocado and chopped parsley or chives now and fold them through with a gentle lifting motion so cubes stay intact. Sprinkle most of the cooled toasted seeds and most of the crumbled cheese over the top and give the salad one last gentle toss to integrate the toppings without bruising the leaves.
Step 5: Plate, finish and serve immediately
Transfer the tossed salad to a large serving platter or divide among individual plates, scattering the reserved toasted seeds and the reserved cheese fragments on top for a contrast of color and crunch. Add the croutons only at the very end so they remain crisp. Taste a leaf and adjust with a tiny pinch of salt or a few grinds of pepper, or a teaspoon or two more vinaigrette if desired. Serve immediately at cool room temperature or slightly chilled.
Notes
- Toast seeds until just golden to avoid bitterness
- Dry greens thoroughly to prevent soggy salad
- Keep croutons separate until serving to preserve crunch
- Taste and adjust vinaigrette seasoning before dressing the salad