Best Green Salad Recipe (2024)

ByEdyta

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I know it’s hard to get super enthusiastic about salad. But this is The Best Green Salad Recipe I’ve ever tried. It’s made from only 5 simple ingredientsand comes together in no time. It’s a perfect side dishfor any meal. It’s an easy option for parties, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

This simple green salad is extremely versatile. I often pair it with these Brown Sugar Pork Chops or these Oven Roasted Chicken Legsbecause these dishes are super simple to prepare and I enjoy being able to put together a healthy meal with not much fuss, especially during the busy weeknights (who doesn’t right?).

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Best Green Salad Recipe (1)

As mentioned, I often make this salad during our busy weeknights for a quick, healthy and delicious side dish. However, this can be a really great salad to serve for your Holidays too. The dishes on your Thanksgiving or Christmas table often tend to be a little heavy. Therefore I really like to brighten them up with this wonderful green salad. It’s super fresh and brightens up the whole meal.

Only 5 simple ingredientsare needed for the Best Green Salad Recipe

  • Romaine lettuce;
  • Red Onions;
  • Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese;
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil;
  • Lemon juice;

Best Green Salad Recipe (2)

How to make this simple green salad

This green salad couldn’t be easier to make.

  • If you’re buying lettuce that’s prewashed and pre-cut, just assemble it on a plate. If you’re buying the whole Romaine lettuce then, you should wash it, cut it, and use a lettuce dryer to remove excess water; Then place the lettuce on a serving platter;
  • Thinly slice your red onions in rounds or half moons and arrange the onions on top of the bed of lettuce;
  • Grate some fresh Parmigiano Reggiano over the lettuce and onions;
  • Add some freshly ground black pepper;
  • In a jar, combineextra virgin olive oil, and fresh lemon juice; Shake it, and pour over the lettuce;
  • Sprinklewith salt, to your liking.

Best Green Salad Recipe (3)

Best Green Salad Recipe (4)

What substitutions can I use for this green salad?

  • I love Romaine lettuce because of the crunch, but you can use whatever lettuce you like (for example butter, iceberg, mixed greens, arugula, spinach etc…)
  • For me, there’s nothing better sprinkled on top of lettuce than freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. But I know it can be pricey, so you could substitute it with pre-grated Parmesan cheese from the store, or even a sharp cheddar;
  • I used lemon juice as I really love how it brightens up this salad, but if you’d preferyou can use a vinegarof your choice;

What to serve with this salad?

In addition to the two easy dinner dishes that I’ve mentioned above, I can give you a couple of more suggestions on what to serve this green salad with:

  • Fall Harvest Turkey Breast;
  • Slow Cooker Turkey Breast;
  • Brown Sugar Pork Loin;
  • Mustered Chicken with Clementines;
  • Roasted Chicken Provencal;
  • Tuscan Chicken with Potatoes.

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Tools needed to make this green salad…

  • A cutting board – everyone needs a good one;
  • A Set of Knives – I got these for my birthday & they’re amazing!
  • Lettuce Dryer – I can’t live without one; I usually buy whole lettuce and need to dry it out;
  • Oval Platter – it is a very simple salad but the presentation can make it look really fancy, so try to serve it on an oval platter for the “Wow” factor.
  • Cheese Grater – this toolis pretty versatile, it can also be used to grate nutmeg, lemon zest or fresh ginger;
  • Pepper Mill – this gadget gets heavy use is the very important gadget in my kitchen;
  • Mason Jar – you can’t ever have too many of those.

Let me know how you liked this simple green salad! And don’t let its simplicity fool you, it really is the best green salad.

Best Green Salad Recipe (6)

Best Green Salad Recipe (7)

The Best Green Salad Recipe

The Best Green Salad Recipe- It's made from only 5 simple ingredientsand comes together in no time. It's a perfect side dishfor any meal. It's an easy option for parties, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

5 from 9 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: European

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 133kcal

Author: Edyta

Ingredients

  • 1 head Romaine Lettuce cut
  • 1/2 small Red Onion sliced thinly in half moons or rounds
  • 1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese freshly grated
  • 4 tbsp Olive Oil Extra Virgin
  • 1-2 tbsp Lemon Juice Freshly squeezed from one lemon
  • Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Cut up your Romaine lettuce in about 2 inches pieces, wash it and dry it;

  • Arrange lettuce on an oval platter;

  • Top the lettuce with rounds or half moons of thin red onions;

  • Add grated cheese on top of the lettuce and onions;

  • In a mason jar, combine lemon juice with olive oil and shake well;

  • Pour over lemon juice with olive oil all over the lettuce;

  • Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 133kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 142mg | Potassium: 265mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 9150IU | Vitamin C: 5.1mg | Calcium: 133mg | Iron: 1.1mg

Tried this recipe?Show me @eatingeuropean or tag #eatingeuropean!

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Best Green Salad Recipe (8)

Edyta

Recipe developer, photographer and the writer behind the Eating European food blog of European and Mediterranean healthy and delicious recipes

Best Green Salad Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the most popular salad green? ›

The most popular of this type, and perhaps most popular of all the greens on this list, is iceberg lettuce. It was created in the 1940s as a sturdy head of lettuce that would hold up well to shipping. Though it's not the best source of nutrients, it does have a terrific crunch that's hard to beat.

How do restaurants make salads so crisp? ›

The Keys to Crisp Lettuce

Lettuce actually needs a good amount of airflow, in addition to a bit of moisture (but not too much!), in order to stay crisp. That's why restaurants store their lettuce in special perforated bins that allow for air circulation while it's held in the fridge.

What is a good base for a salad? ›

Start with a base

The good carbs listed below provide you with energy, fibre, vitamins and minerals – and they serve as excellent salad bases: leafy greens such as romaine, arugula, kale and spinach. whole grains such as quinoa, brown rice and bulgur.

What is the healthiest salad to eat? ›

Some options for healthy salads include: Mixed greens salad with a variety of vegetables, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, and carrots, and a source of protein, such as grilled chicken or tofu. You can add a dressing made with olive oil and vinegar or lemon juice for flavor.

What salad green lasts the longest? ›

Arugula and baby lettuces

Keep the bags of greens in the fridge in the crisper drawer or towards the front of the shelf. The cut-ends of baby lettuces tend to brown faster and this variety doesn't last as long as arugula or chicories.

Is it OK to eat salad every day? ›

While salads can be a healthy addition to a diet—even daily—it is possible to eat too much of it. "Excessive bloating may mean that you are having too many raw foods in your diet, which can be common to find in a salad," Redfield explains.

What is the least healthy vegetable? ›

Veggie: Celery

In fact, this vegetable doesn't contribute much to your body at all. The long, green stalks lacks many of the nutrients often found in other green vegetables, like vitamins C and A. Your body relies on vitamin C to help grow and repair cells, and vitamin A to promote eye, skin and bone health.

What greens should you eat everyday? ›

Healthy eating means consuming more dark green vegetables, such as broccoli, spinach, and other dark leafy greens. Include more red or orange vegetables, such as carrots, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and legumes, in your diet (dry beans and peas).

Should you wash bagged salad? ›

Leafy green salads in sealed bags labeled "washed," "triple washed," or "ready-to-eat" that are produced in a facility inspected by a regulatory authority and operated under "Good Manufacturing Practices" (GMP): Do not need additional washing at the time of use unless specially directed on the label.

Why do restaurant salads taste better than homemade? ›

Restaurants salt their salads.

This resulted in every bite tasting vibrant and flavorful. "Season your salad just like you would anything else," Simpson said. "Salt is a big difference between salads at home and salads in a restaurant." This doesn't mean you have to make your salads salty!

What are the 5 types of salads? ›

salad, any of a wide variety of dishes that fall into the following principal categories: green salads; vegetable salads; salads of pasta, legumes, or grains; mixed salads incorporating meat, poultry, or seafood; and fruit salads.

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