Description
A light, refreshing, and crunchy salad perfect for potlucks or family dinners, made with simple fresh ingredients and a tangy homemade dressing.
Ingredients
- 1 large head romaine lettuce (about 6 cups chopped)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 medium cucumber, diced
- 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 medium bell pepper (red or yellow), diced
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved (optional)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- Dressing:
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Wash and dry romaine lettuce, then chop into bite-sized pieces. Halve cherry tomatoes, dice cucumber and bell pepper, thinly slice red onion, shred carrots, and chop parsley. Keep ingredients separate.
- In a small bowl or mason jar, combine olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, honey, salt (about 1/2 teaspoon), and pepper to taste. Whisk or shake vigorously until smooth and slightly thickened.
- In a large salad bowl, add chopped romaine first. Layer cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, shredded carrots, feta cheese, olives (if using), and fresh parsley.
- Pour about half the dressing over the salad and gently toss using salad tongs or two large spoons. Taste and add more dressing if needed, coating lightly but not drowning the salad.
- Serve immediately or chill briefly. For make-ahead, keep veggies and dressing separate and combine just before serving to maintain crispness.
Notes
[‘Use fresh, organic veggies if possible for best flavor.’, ‘Dry lettuce thoroughly to avoid sogginess.’, ‘Soak red onion slices in cold water for 10 minutes if sensitive to raw onion taste.’, ‘Make dressing in advance and refrigerate for better flavor.’, ‘Add crunchy toppings like nuts or seeds just before serving to maintain texture.’, ‘Customize with proteins like grilled chicken or chickpeas, or swap veggies and cheese as desired.’, ‘For vegan version, omit feta and replace honey with maple syrup or agave.’]
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 1.5 cups
- Calories: 150
- Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 10
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 5
Keywords: fresh salad, potluck salad, easy salad recipe, romaine salad, healthy salad, feta cheese salad, Mediterranean salad, quick salad