Looking for a fresh and delicious way to start your meal? Look no further than this crunchy homemade Easy House Salad…customize it to your own tastes!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
I love a little green salad before a meal. There’s something special about it, and reminds me of steakhouse dinners where a classic house salad was served with thick blue cheese dressing and buttery house-made garlic croutons.
Here’s a few good reasons to make this one at home:
- You can use the freshest ingredients available, straight from the grocery store or farmer’s market.
- This is a very good salad that can be made exactly to your preferences. Add more of this and less of that to make it your own.
- You control these simple ingredients, so add a protein like chicken, fish or tofu to make it a complete meal.
Let’s dive in to this easy house salad recipe, made just like your favorite restaurant!
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the full recipe and list of ingredients and instructions, please scroll down to the recipe card below.
- Greens: A mixture of soft lettuces and romaine is a favorite.
- Cherry Tomatoes: A standard house salad ingredient, use larger tomatoes if you’d like.
- Cucumber: Crunchy and fresh, this adds bulk too.
- Carrots: A good carrot ribbon provides color and crunch.
- Onion: Use very thin-sliced shallot or red onion.
- Croutons: Homemade is best, but a good quality store bought version is fine too.
- Cheese: Parmesan cheese is a good place to start, and tastes amazing.
Step-By Step Instructions
Making a great House Salad at home is easy! Here’s how to do it:
- Trim the lettuces, if needed. Add them to a large bowl.
- Remove the outside skin of the carrot, peel it into long strips then add to the greens.
- Slice the shallot very thin and add it to the greens too.
- Divide this mixture to four small bowls.
- Next, divide the sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, cheese, croutons, then drizzle with salad dressing and serve!
Tips and Possible Variations
- Go for any mixed greens you like in this healthy side salad. Any combination will be good, but try half romaine lettuce and half soft lettuces (such as a spring mix) to start.
- Shallots are great in this recipe as they have a mild flavor. But! Use thin sliced red or green onion instead if that’s what you have.
- Use your own favorite dressing, or make one for superior flavor. Here’s a very good one to try.
- Homemade crunchy croutons are super easy, and really make this or any salad (or soup!) special. Here’s a great recipe.
Serving Ideas
- A simple salad is nice before almost any kind of meal. It’s practically illegal to serve hot and cheesy skillet meatballs without a small salad, for example. 🙂
- It’s also very good before a meal of Chicken Marsala, or these very good Pan Seared Citrus Chicken Thighs.
- This fun and very tasty recipe for Teriyaki Chicken on a Stick would be awesome with a little salad, or with this popular Baked Pasta with Chicken Sausage.
- Try it too with a veggie-packed frittata.
- Don’t stop there! Make an easy dessert too like an apple cake or warm fruit crisp, whip up a bowl of this fudgey, amazing dessert hummus with your favorite cookies, some of these outstanding Strawberry Cheesecakes in a Jar or make these easy fresh fruit crepes, this all-time favorite (with special tips!) the best ever Rice Krispie Treats, or some Cantaloupe and Ice Cream with caramel sauce!
Frequently Asked Questions
Sure can! Add or subtract whatever you’d like! Next time, try toasted walnuts, crispy bacon crumbles, bell pepper and cheddar cheese. Also try butter lettuce and other fresh vegetables, whatever you like.
Homemade dressings like this are my favorite. But also try ranch, blue cheese, french, or honey mustard for this simple house salad.
You can easily make this a main dish salad by adding shredded, cubed or grilled chicken, steak, grilled shrimp, hard boiled egg, tofu, quinoa, nuts, sunflower seeds or dried fruit like cranberries.
More Recipes to Try
- Lemon Shrimp Salad: This refreshing salad is a real favorite.
- Vegan Chickpea Salad: An easy, fresh tasting salad.
- Italian Green Bean Salad: A delicious, easy salad.
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Carrots: A sheet pan classic.
- Fresh Favorites: A round-up of greatest hits. Take a look!
- Broccoli Salad Recipe: A fantastic, fresh version with no bacon.
- Banana Bread: A moist and very flavorful version of everyone’s favorite quick bread.
- Taco Pie with Crescent Rolls: A very tasty and easy dinner idea.
If you’ve tried this Easy House Salad, or any other recipe on Studio Delicious, please rate the recipe 5 stars and tell me how you liked it in comments below!
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Easy House Salad
Ingredients
- 6 cups Mixed Greens See notes
- 1 Carrot, shaved thinly
- ¼ cup Shallot, sliced very thin See notes
- 1½ cups English Cucumber, sliced
- 1½ cups Cherry Tomatoes, sliced
- ⅓ cup Parmesan Cheese, shaved or grated
- 1 cup Croutons See notes
- ½ cup Salad Dressing See notes
Instructions
- On a cutting board, trim any brown or rough edges of the lettuces, then add them to a large bowl.
- Shave the outside rough edge of the carrot off and discard. Then shave the rest into long strips (the middle of the carrot has a tough texture, just throw it away). Add the carrot strips to the bowl with the greens. Chop the shallots very fine and add them to the bowl. Toss this together, and divide on four plates. Trim the outside of the English Cucumber with a vegetable peeler, and slice enough for one and a half cups. Divide between the four salad plates. Wash the cherry tomatoes, slice them in half, and divide between the four salad plates. Next, divide the Parmesan cheese between the bowls, then sprinkle with croutons and serve with your favorite salad dressing. Alternatively, toss all the ingredients in a large bowl with a drizzle of the dressing to taste and portion into individual bowls for serving.
Notes
- Go for any mixed greens you like for this recipe. Almost any combination will be good, but try half romaine lettuce, half soft lettuces (such as a spring mix) to start.
- Shallots are great in this recipe as they have a mild flavor. But! Use thin sliced red or green onion instead.
- Make your own salad dressing for superior flavor. Here’s a very good one to try.
- Homemade croutons are super easy, and really make this or any salad special. Here’s a great recipe for them.
Nutrition
- Super important to read the whole recipe before you begin
- Pay attention to the ingredient list and photos for the recipe
- If possible, prep your ingredients a little before you start
- Always use a sharp knife for safety
- Use the size of pan called for in the recipe
- For savory recipes, taste and season as you go
- Buy fresh, organic ingredients, locally sourced whenever possible
Please rate this recipe and thanks for leaving a comment!