Presenting my old-school Garden Salad! Yep, the one I can make any day because I always have these vegetables on hand. Sometimes, I even get real fancy and add a sprinkle of parsley. 😳
There really are no rules when it comes to a Garden Salad. Any greens and any vegetables will do, all tied together with a classic and simple salad dressing. Make this your own!
My Garden Salad
Ordinarily I write an introduction about the recipe I’m sharing. But I find myself stuck to come up with something witty or some back story about Garden Salad.
I wish I could say this salad is made with crisp organic vegetables fresh from my garden. I want to be able to tell you that this was the only salad my hardworking mother knew how to make when I was growing up and thus has a special place carved in my heart.
I want to at least be able tell you that this version is the definitive, the classic, the original, the real-deal garden salad.
But I have nothing. No authority on this matter, and no sentimental backstory. This is just my basic everyday salad that I make “all the time”, for no other reason than it’s made with the most pedestrian of veggies that always seem to find their way into my shopping basket, week after week!
No doubt you make a similar salad, as does the majority of households in the country. Garden Salad: the great leveller! 😂
What goes in my Garden Salad
So, that said and done, here are the typical things that I put in my Garden Salad.
Well, I won’t lie. Iceberg lettuce doesn’t always make my shopping trolley these days because it just seems so, well, eighties! 😂 It is quite regular when in season though because it’s crunchy, sweet and frankly pretty damned delicious even if it’s about as fashionable as a giant, hair sprayed perm. If not iceberg lettuce, I’ll always have some form of leafy greens in my fridge.
Garden Salad Dressing
The dressing I use is my basic salad dressing: 1 part vinegar to 3 parts olive oil, thickened with Dijon Mustard so it emulsifies and clings to the salad better, simply seasoned with salt and pepper.
There’s all sorts of extra flavouring options available to you if you want to upgrade your Garden Salad, including garlic, lemon zest, dried or fresh herbs. And I’ve listed some suggestions in the recipe notes.
But at its core, this is the basic salad dressing that I use “all the time”.
And that, my friends, is all I have to say about my Garden Salad.
Gee, I wish all recipes I shared could be this short and to the point! 😂 – Nagi x
PS. No video for the 3 simple side salads I’m sharing today! (This Garden Salad, a Blood Orange Salad and Panzanella – Italian bread salad). But if you really want a Garden Salad recipe video, shout out below!
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Garden Salad
Ingredients
Salad:
- 1 small head iceberg lettuce or other lettuce or leafy greens , chopped into big bite size pieces (5 to 6 big handfuls)
- 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved (~125g/4oz), or 2 tomatoes cut into wedges or chunks
- 1 cucumber , sliced (medium Lebanese / Persian cucumber, or 1/2 long Telegraph/English cucumber)
- 1 carrot , peeled and grated using a box grater
- 1 tsp parsley or chives , very finely chopped (if you’re feeling fancy!)
Dressing:
- 1 tbsp cider vinegar (or any vinegar or lemon juice) (Note 1)
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (or other neutral oil)
- 1/2 tsp Dijon Mustard (or other non spicy smooth mustard)
- 1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt (or 1/4 tsp table salt)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Dressing: Shake Dressing in a jar. Taste and adjust – more oil for creamier/less tang, vinegar for more tang, sugar if you want touch of sweet.
- Toss: Place all Salad ingredients in a big bowl. Pour over Dressing. Toss well.
- Serve: Transfer to serving bowl and serve immediately!
Recipe Notes:
- Apple cider vinegar (my most used)
- White wine vinegar (2nd most used, use a touch more as it’s milder)
- Balsamic
- Red wine vinegar, sherry vinegar, champagne vinegar
- Plain white vinegar (most sharp, so you may need touch more oil)
- Rice wine vinegar
- 1 small garlic clove, finely minced
- Sugar or honey can take the sharp edge off dressings without using more oil. Don’t use BOTH, use one!
- Dried or fresh herbs
- Lemon zest
Life of Dozer
His big head always pops over with interest whenever he hears the rustle of a paper bag in the front seat…
Nagi,
I’m allergic to cucumbers and so many recipes call for them. What May I substitute for them?
Sometimes peeling the cucumbers or using an English one makes a big difference in the taste. Or you could substitute peppers, celery both are crunchy. Yellow crook necked squash is also delish raw, steamed beets, fresh baby peas. Your world is unlimited for what you can add or substitute with something you like.
Zucchini! Similar look, great texture, neutral flavor.
Apple instead of cucumber sounds divine as I don’t particularly like cucumber, I will try this next time I make a garden salad.
How about raw zucchini? Maybe a little thin-sliced celery for crunch? Even apple would probably work.
So happy I found your site…I am 75 and so over cooking f9r myself…I tried supermarket packaged food…no taste…I have tried 3/4 of your recipes and enjoyed eating again…I would love you to do some recipes for singles…after eating the same thing for three days I get over it…and I hate food from the freezer…
I love seeing your gorgeous dog…I lost my little girl a month ago and miss her terribly…thanks for listening…
Hi Lorraine.. I’m sending you a huge hug on the loss of your little friend. ♥️ I’m so glad you have found Nagi as well.. she is awesome and her recipes and humour are a
Big part of our household harmony! Re the cooking for one. You can hover over the bit where it says how many it will serve and adjust it by sliding sideways to change the number. If you put it to “one” it will automatically adjust the amounts you need to make the recipe just for you! Or you could keep it at two and ask a friend over! Lots of hugs and keep your chin up. 🥰 Pink
Nothing wrong with the basics! It’s good to have a classic that we can always count on 👌🏼😊 I love your no nonsense approach to cooking, it is so motivating and inspiring to browse your website weekly for meal ideas. “Thank you Nagi” is a commonly heard phrase in our house! ❤️😊
I chose the wrong one Nagi. Went for the Blood Orange, because I love citrus, but yours wins outright. Too much mucking around with the the former. I always like the KIS approach. 😷
*laugh* Of course you will win with this ! Each and every one of us has a favourite version of it and we make it most often . . . BUT there always has to be one who laughingly differs !!! Panzanella has been my favourite most of my life – a glorious meal . . . and if I see blood oranges I’ll buy up the shop . . . lots of love after that 🙂 !!!
I LOVE a fresh garden salad anyday!
Nagi for the win
Nagi. You’re are the bees 🐝 knees! Made my day and has gone straight to my recipe tin. 🌈⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Big love, Pink.
Always my go to salad so simple and even picky eaters enjoy it but mine has red onion too 😋👍x
Always my go to salad don’t have to worry as most people will eat it even picky ones 😁👍x
No way would I ever vote for a salad with bread in it. Garden salad is #1 and on high rotation here.
A definite win!!! But what, no red onions? I need them in a garden salad pronto.
Studiously avoiding looking at the other two, only garden salad for me 🙂
Nagi, Just wondering what is your preferred brand of (readily available) Dijon mustard? Cheers and good luck.
I love salads – garden or not! May not be the best salad, but it is THE BEST garden salad…
Simple is always the best, in my book! Garden salad wins.
Garden salad is a winner! No matter how much I try other salads I always return to much loved humble garden salad.
How do you make a garden salad look so good? Only you Nagi! I love a plain old garden salad. And iceberg lettuce is yum even if it’s unfashionable! 😜
It’s 1:45 a.m. in Arizona, USA, and I should be in bed but alas…I just had to view your Garden Salad! Thanks for another easy, tasty recipe!
Can I review daily so you do?????
Looks great!!! And a winner of the 3!!!
But sorry, best salad is Ceasar 😜
I have to agree!!! This isn’t the BEST salad – I just need it to be the MOST VIEWED so I can win! 😂
A good standard and easy to make nightly
I looooove your Caesar salad recipe but also appreciate this recipe and hope you win!