Garden Salad Fresh Vegetables (Printable Version)
Fresh seasonal vegetables with light vinaigrette dressing. 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
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 Make It:
01 - Wash and dry all vegetables thoroughly under cold water. Pat dry with clean towels or use a salad spinner to remove excess moisture.
02 - In a large salad bowl, combine the salad greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, carrot, red onion, and bell pepper. Arrange evenly for professional presentation.
03 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper until fully emulsified and smooth.
04 - Drizzle the vinaigrette over the vegetables. Toss gently with salad servers to coat evenly without bruising the greens. Top with feta cheese and pumpkin seeds if desired. Serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- You can throw it together in 15 minutes flat, which is how I feed myself on busy weeknights
- The homemade vinaigrette transforms even basic grocery store greens into something worth savoring
02 -
- Dressing the salad too early makes it wilt and sad, so wait until the moment you serve
- A wet salad is a ruined salad, and this is the hill I will die on
03 -
- Massaging the greens with a little oil first helps the dressing cling better
- Room temperature vegetables absorb dressing more readily than cold ones