Traditional House Salad Recipe

Wash and prep greens

Rinse romaine, baby greens, and iceberg lettuce under cold water. Shake off excess water or spin in a salad spinner until mostly dry. Tear romaine and iceberg into bite-sized pieces and place in a large mixing bowl. Add mixed baby greens on top.

Prepare cucumber: halve lengthwise and slice thinly into half-moons to yield about 1/2 cup. Halve cherry tomatoes. Thinly slice red onion into half-rings and separate. Shred the carrot using a grater. Add cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, and shredded carrot to the bowl with the greens.

Add croutons and shredded cheddar: sprinkle 1/2 cup croutons and 1/4 cup shredded cheddar over the salad, reserving a small pinch of cheese and croutons for garnish if desired.

Make the vinaigrette

In a small bowl or jar, combine 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon honey, 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Whisk or shake to combine. Slowly drizzle in 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil while whisking (or add to jar, cap tightly and shake) until the dressing emulsifies and thickens slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning: add a pinch more salt or a squeeze of lemon if desired.

If you prefer a lighter dressing, whisk together with 1 tablespoon water to thin.

Dress the salad: pour the vinaigrette over the mixed salad ingredients — start with about 3/4 of the dressing and toss gently with salad tongs until evenly coated. Add more dressing as needed to taste (the total recipe yields enough for light-to-moderate coating for 4 servings).

Plate and garnish: divide the dressed salad among 4 plates or bowls. Top each portion with the reserved pinch of shredded cheddar and croutons. Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the salads and serve with a lemon wedge on the side for optional brightening.

Serve immediately so croutons remain crisp.