Jul 14 2026
RestaurantsThe Refuge Restaurant & LoungeHouse Side Salad Recipe

House Side Salad Recipe

Time15m
Serves2

Fresh greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, cheddar cheese, and croutons

Was this page helpful?

Help improve this recipe for others.

Send this recipe to your inbox.

We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.

Ingredients

Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Salad

Method

Salad

  1. 1

    Prepare produce

    Wash and thoroughly dry the mixed salad greens using a salad spinner or clean kitchen towels. Rinse the tomatoes and cucumbers. Halve the tomatoes and slice the cucumber into 1/8–1/4-inch rounds. Pit and halve the olives if needed.

  2. 2

    Assemble salad

    Place the dried salad greens into a large mixing bowl or individual serving bowl. Scatter the halved tomatoes and sliced cucumber evenly over the greens. Add the halved olives on top.

  3. 3

    Add cheese and croutons

    Sprinkle the shredded sharp cheddar cheese evenly over the salad, then top with croutons. Gently toss if serving family-style or leave arranged for a composed side salad.

Dressing (optional)

  1. 4

    Make dressing

    In a small bowl or jar, combine the red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and honey. Whisk or shake to blend. Slowly stream in the olive oil while whisking until the dressing emulsifies. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, taste, and adjust seasoning as desired.

  2. 5

    Dress and serve

    If serving immediately, drizzle about 1–2 tablespoons of dressing over the assembled salad per serving and toss gently to coat. For a composed side salad, serve the dressing on the side. Garnish with an extra few whole olives or a light sprinkle of cheddar if desired.

More from The Refuge Restaurant & Lounge