House Salad Recipe

Prepare greens

Wash all lettuces and baby greens thoroughly. Spin or pat dry until leaves are mostly dry to help dressing adhere. Tear romaine and iceberg into bite-sized pieces if needed and place in a large salad bowl.

Prepare vegetables

Thinly slice the cucumber, halve the cherry tomatoes, very thinly slice the red onion, shred or julienne the carrot, and thinly slice the radishes. Add all prepared vegetables to the bowl with the greens.

Add crunchy elements

Add croutons and toasted sunflower seeds or chopped walnuts to the salad bowl. If using nuts and you prefer them warm, toast in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until fragrant; cool briefly before adding.

Sprinkle crumbled feta or shaved Parmesan over the salad just before tossing or leave on top for presentation if serving individually.

Emulsify dressing

In a small bowl or jar combine lemon juice, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Whisk while slowly streaming in the olive oil until the dressing is fully emulsified and slightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or a little more honey if too tart.

Dress the salad

Just before serving, drizzle about half the vinaigrette over the salad (start with ~2 tbsp) and toss gently to coat. Add more dressing to taste, tossing lightly to distribute evenly. If serving family-style, serve remaining dressing on the side.

Transfer tossed salad to a serving bowl or individual plates. Garnish with a few additional croutons, a light sprinkle of cheese, and a crack of black pepper. Serve immediately so croutons remain crisp.