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! 😂
My everyday salad dressing 
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…
I love your salads and love even more your simple dressings full of flavour. Your garden salad is the same as what my Grandmother, my mother and of course myself make often. I also love to add boiled eggs and have beetroot on the side. I use this salad with cold left over roast meat and mashed potatoes. I have your Dinner book and I’m loving your recipes. All your hard work and amazing recipes are truly appreciated. Keep your recipes coming on your website. I look up something to make nearly everday while doing my grocery list.
What a lovely salad. I love it
Lovely simple salad to go with anything. Made with fresh vegetables from our garden.
This is my go to salad dressing. It’s so simple and delicious
Simple, versatile and delicious! The dressing (with a tiny bit of sugar added) was a hit even with the picky, ‘I don’t really like green salad’ people in the family!
Amzing Yummy great advise love it !!!
what about if we can add to this salad some healthy BBQ chicken without skin.
Why leave the skin out? That’s where all the flavor is, and NO, fat is not bad for you, it’s the carbs that kills you!!!
When I was a just turned young adult in the early seventies, wanting to see (and taste!) the world, I moved to Paris from Montreal, Canada. Having zero cooking skills, I was somehow hired as a dog and cook aupair for a busy executive couple. They taught me your exact same recipe for salad dressing which I still make to this day and that my children and grandchildren love!
Hi, What a comforting salad recipe” Garden Salad” it reminded me of the great support my dad gave me when as a teen I made a similar recipe. I forgot how this easy salad in a winner. Thanks, simplicity in busy times is a super comfort.
I couldn’t agree more!! N x
Re: salad competition. There will always be those narcissists who can’t abide losing. You took their comments with grace and style.
This is the best homemade salad I’ve ever eaten. At restaurants I always say, ‘wish salads I make at home tasted like restaurant ones.’ This one does!!!! Hits all the marks. And it’s a winner for me. 5 paws up
I loved this salad & dressing.I made this when my friends came over for lunch.
I grow cucumbers, however they all taste bitter. Any tips?
Usually bitterness in cucumbers is due to the skin, have you tried peeling them? 🙂 N x
I love iceberg lettuce no matter if it is old fashioned.
Love this garden salad & the dressing which really makes it so yummy.
Love all your receipes.
Thanks so much Marion 🙂 N x
Re. Garden Salad Competition
Your win not the slightest bit fraudulent – a simple case of clever campaigning,
All time favourite is definitely Garden Salad.
love your salad
Thanks so much Cinzia!! N x
Perhaps Dozer could assist with the ‘Garden Salad’ video … 😃
He would show no interest at all! N x
Love the garden salad looks delicious
I agree! Simplicity is comfort!
Thanks so much Elizabeth! N x
Green Salad for me too 🙂
Green salad it is for me
Me too Peter 😉 N x
I recently discovered that you can BUY that yummy dressing on Vietnamese salads .
So that’s my go to dressing for salads . Better than praise mayonnaise & healthier.
Or you can make it Bev! https://www.recipetineats.com/vietnamese-chicken-noodle-bowl/ N x