House Salad Recipe

Hard-boiled eggs

Place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan and cover with cold water by about 1 inch. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. When water reaches a rolling boil, cover, remove from heat, and let sit 9 minutes for fully set yolks. Transfer eggs to an ice bath for 5 minutes, peel, and cut each egg into halves or quarters. Keep refrigerated until assembly.

Bacon crumbles

If using raw bacon: cook strips in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 6–8 minutes, turning occasionally. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool, then chop or crumble. If using pre-cooked crumbles, measure and set aside.

Wash and dry romaine leaves thoroughly (use a salad spinner if available). Trim the core and chop leaves into bite-sized pieces to measure 6 cups. Place in a large mixing bowl.

Slice the tomato into wedges or 1/2-inch slices. Remove seeds if very watery. Place the sliced tomato in a bowl lined with paper towel briefly to absorb excess moisture if needed.

Slice the cucumber into thin rounds or half-moons. Drain any excess moisture.

Thinly slice the red onion. To mellow raw onion bite, soak slices in cold water for 5 minutes then drain and pat dry.

Slice the avocado just before assembly to avoid browning. Halve, pit, peel and slice, then toss gently with a few drops of lemon juice if desired.

Measure out 1/2 cup shredded cheddar and reserve.

In the large mixing bowl with chopped romaine, add the sliced tomato, cucumber, and drained red onion. Toss gently to distribute ingredients evenly.

Arrange the avocado slices on top along with the halved/quartered hard-boiled eggs.

Sprinkle the shredded cheddar evenly over the salad, then add the bacon crumbles and croutons.

Season lightly with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, or to taste.

Offer dressing on the side or drizzle about 1/4 cup of the chosen dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat. If serving multiple dressings, place individual dressing containers alongside.

Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and a lemon wedge if desired. Serve immediately so croutons remain crisp and avocado stays fresh.