Sofia’s House Salad Recipe

Mince Shallot

Peel and mince 1 tablespoon of shallot finely so it blends smoothly into the dressing.

In a small bowl or jar, combine 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 2 tbsp fresh orange juice, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp honey (or maple syrup), and 1 tsp white wine vinegar. Whisk or shake to emulsify.

Add the minced shallot, 0.5 tsp fine sea salt, and 0.25 tsp freshly ground black pepper to the acid mixture. Whisk briefly.

Slowly stream in 0.5 cup extra-virgin olive oil while whisking continuously (or secure jar lid and shake vigorously) until dressing is well emulsified and slightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or a squeeze of lemon if needed.

Let the vinaigrette sit 5–10 minutes at room temperature to allow flavors to meld before dressing the salad.

Wash and dry the mixed baby greens thoroughly using a salad spinner or paper towels. Excess water will dilute the dressing and make croutons soggy.

Prepare the spring herbs: if using small-leaf herbs (chives, dill, mint, basil), stack leaves where appropriate and coarsely chiffonade or roughly chop to yield about 1 cup combined. Remove any tough stems.

Place 4 cups of mixed baby greens in a large mixing bowl. Add the chopped spring herbs and toss gently to combine.

Add 1 cup of crushed croutons to the bowl and gently toss again so the croutons are distributed but not pulverized.

Drizzle about half of the prepared citrus vinaigrette over the greens (start with roughly 3 tablespoons). Toss gently with salad tongs to coat leaves evenly. Add more dressing, a tablespoon at a time, until leaves are lightly but evenly coated to your taste. Avoid overdressing.

Sprinkle 1 cup grated Parmesan over the dressed salad and toss once more gently to combine so cheese is evenly distributed.

Season to taste with the remaining 0.5 tsp sea salt and 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper, if needed. If desired, grate 1 tsp fresh lemon zest over the top for brightness.

Transfer salad to a serving bowl or divide among plates. Serve immediately so croutons remain crisp.