Simple Side Salad
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Your new go-to side salad! Pairs well with everything, rounding out any meal. Includes homemade croutons (yes, please!) and an easy dressing!
why you’ll love this easy, simple side salad
- Goes with everything. This is just one of those side salads that is so easy to whip up, packed with maximum flavor, and will go well with anything and everything (from chicken to pizzas to sandwiches to your favorite soups), balancing out protein-heavy mains with refreshing, crisp, veggie-loaded goodness.
- Recipe includes an all-purpose dressing. With just 5-ingredients, this simple all-purpose vinaigrette will be your go-to dressing for all your salads!
- Also works as an entree. Dress it up, dress it down! Add in your desired protein (ex. grilled chicken or baked salmon) to transform this into an easy main dish.
- Clean-out-the-fridge salad. This is a great time to add in any leftover vegetables and pantry staples such as avocado, olives, celery, bell peppers, banana peppers, fruits or anything else left in the fridge.
- The croutons are the best part. The homemade croutons are so crunchy, so garlicky and just so lovely. It’s truly the best part about this side salad – so good, it’ll outshine the main entree at dinnertime.
Key ingredients in a simple side salad
Croutons
Homemade garlic croutons can be made with ciabatta, sourdough, or baguette, baked until crisp and golden brown.
All-purpose vinaigrette
This 5-minute dressing requires just a handful of pantry staples – extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, dried oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
Greens
Use leafy, hearty greens such as romaine or pre-packaged spring mix.
Tomatoes
Cherry and grape tomatoes are best for salads as they are smaller and bite-sized. Always use tomatoes that are firm to the touch to avoid a mushy, soggy salad.
Cucumbers
Persian cucumbers have an extra crunch, and are small, sweet and firm with minimal seeds (and don’t require peeling). English cucumbers can also be used.
Carrot
Use a box grater or food processor to shred or grate carrots.
Onion
Raw red onions are ideal in salads for their crisp, mild flavors.
Nuts
Add a bit of crunch to your salad with almonds, pecans or walnuts. Toasted nuts will add even more robust flavors.
Parmesan cheese
This recipe utilizes freshly grated Parmesan cheese, but feta, gorgonzola, pecorino, cheddar, mozzarella or goat cheese are all great alternatives.
How to make a simple side salad
- Make the croutons. Using stale, sturdy, day-old leftover bread (such as ciabatta, baguette or sourdough), bake the bread cubes in olive oil-parsely-garlicky goodness until golden. Avoid overcrowding the sheet pan for a crispy finish.
- Make the dressing. Toss all the dressing ingredients together, storing in the fridge up to 1 week in advance. Always shake well before adding to the salad.
- Assemble the salad. Combine everything together, adding only half the dressing to start, and adding more, to taste, if needed.
- Serve. Serve immediately (preferably within 2 hours) with any main to elevate your dinner – chicken, shrimp, steak, pork, pasta – all of the things.
Variations
Protein
Turn a salad into a meal by adding protein such as chicken, shrimp, steak, eggs, or tofu.
Grains
Add grains (such as quinoa, farro, couscous, wheat berries or brown rice) for a heartier, more filling salad.
Fruit
Berries, citrus, stone fruits and apples can be added for sweetness and texture.
Candied pecans
Swap out the almonds for candied pecans.
what to serve with a simple side salad
- Weeknight Lemon Chicken Breasts
- How to Cook a Ribeye Steak
- Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo
- One Pot Garlic Butter Shrimp and Orzo
Tools For This Recipe
Baking sheet
Simple Side Salad: Frequently Asked Questions
Romaine lettuce is most preferred (it’s crisp, hearty and holds up well to various dressings), but iceberg and spring mix are also solid options here.
Extra virgin olive oil is a key ingredient in salad dressings over regular olive oil. It is the highest quality oil, unrefined and cold-pressed, and offers the most flavor. Regular olive oil is more processed and bland, ideal for high heat cooking.
Yes! The dressing can be made 1 week in advance and stored in an airtight container (such as a mason jar) and placed in the fridge, letting it come to room temperature for about 15 minutes and shaking well before using.
Wash and dry the greens thoroughly first, and add the dressing just before serving.
Homemade croutons can keep for at least 1 week, stored in an airtight container (to maintain their crunch) in a cool, dry place.
Simple Side Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
For the croutons
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 4 cups ciabatta, baguette or sourdough bread cubes
For the all-purpose dressing
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the salad
- 1 head romaine lettuce roughly chopped
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 2 Persian cucumbers sliced
- 1 carrot grated
- ¼ small onion thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup sliced toasted almonds
- ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
For the croutons
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, parsley and garlic powder; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Spread bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Stir in olive oil mixture and gently toss to combine. Place into oven and bake until crisp and golden, about 13-15 minutes; set aside.
For the all-purpose dressing
- In a medium bowl, whisk olive oil, vinegar, Dijon, oregano and garlic powder; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
For the salad
- To assemble the salad, place romaine in a large bowl; top with tomatoes, cucumbers, carrot, onion, almonds, Parmesan and croutons. Pour half the dressing on top of the salad and gently toss to combine. Serve with remaining dressing, if desired.
Video
Notes
- Romaine lettuce is best. Romaine is a hearty, crisp, durable green, holding up very well to dressings. If romaine lettuce is not available, use iceberg lettuce or spring mix.
- Homemade croutons go a long way. Homemade croutons are so much easier to make than you think, allowing you to repurpose stale, leftover bread, and tasting so much better than store-bought croutons. They can also keep for at least 1 week when stored properly!
- Use a good quality sheet pan. A durable sheet pan is ideal when making the homemade croutons – it will last for years with minimal wear and tear, and will help achieve even cooking and avoid warping at high temperatures.
- Prep ahead of time. Save time by making the dressing up to 1 week in advance, and prepping and dicing the vegetables 1-2 days prior and storing them in airtight containers in the fridge.
- A bag mix is a speedy shortcut. Bagged salad mix is pre-washed, pre-chopped greens, conveniently cutting down prep time even further.
- Cut in uniform size. Cut all of the salad ingredients in similar size pieces for a consistent bite.
- Use extra virgin olive oil. High quality extra virgin olive oil is ideal for salad dressings for maximum flavor.
- Toss everything just before serving. Prevent soggy greens! Toss in the dressing just before serving, within 5-10 minutes, to maintain a crisp texture, seasoning lightly with salt and pepper, to taste.
