Farmer's Salad Recipe

Prepare Greens

Rinse all leafy greens thoroughly in cold water to remove grit. Spin or pat dry with a clean kitchen towel or salad spinner until leaves are dry. Chop larger leaves (romaine, green leaf) into bite-sized pieces and gently tear delicate leaves (arugula, spinach) by hand. Place greens in a large salad bowl and set aside.

Prep Vegetables

Wash and trim cucumber, radishes, snap peas/green beans, carrot, and corn. Slice cucumber into thin rounds or half-moons; thinly slice radishes; cut snap peas or blanched green beans into 1-inch pieces; julienne or use a peeler to ribbon the carrot; remove kernels from corn cob if using fresh. If using green beans and you prefer them tender-crisp, blanch for 60–90 seconds in boiling salted water, then shock in ice water and drain.

Add the prepared vegetables to the bowl with the greens, distributing them evenly so the salad has a mix of textures and colors.

Add Accents

Halve cherry tomatoes (or slice seasonal tomatoes) and thinly slice any fruit (peach, nectarine, apple, or pear). Add fruit and tomatoes to the salad bowl. Sprinkle the chopped fresh herbs over the top for an aromatic lift.

Prepare Crunch & Cheese

If nuts or seeds are raw, toast them briefly in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3–5 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant and lightly browned. Let cool slightly, then roughly chop larger nuts if desired. Sprinkle the toasted nuts/seeds and crumbled cheese over the assembled salad.

Make Vinaigrette

In a small bowl or jar combine the lemon juice or vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey (if using), minced garlic (if using), salt, and pepper. Whisk or shake to combine. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking continuously, or add olive oil to the jar and shake vigorously until the dressing emulsifies. Taste and adjust acidity, sweetness, or seasoning as needed.

Dress & Toss

Just before serving, drizzle about half of the vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to coat. Taste and add more dressing if needed (you may not need all the dressing). Sprinkle the toasted nuts/seeds and cheese again if some were added earlier to keep texture. Serve immediately so greens remain crisp.