Description
A crisp and vibrant lettuce salad packed with fresh greens, colorful vegetables, creamy avocado, and a zesty homemade vinaigrette. Perfect as a light summer meal or refreshing side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 head romaine lettuce, washed and chopped
- 1 cup baby spinach leaves
- ½ cup arugula
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 avocado, diced
- ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
- 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts or walnuts
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar or fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon honey
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Wash and thoroughly dry romaine, spinach, and arugula. Tear into bite-sized pieces if needed.
- Slice red onion, dice cucumber, halve cherry tomatoes, and dice avocado just before assembling.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar or lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic, honey, salt, and pepper until well emulsified.
- Place all greens in a large salad bowl and gently toss to combine.
- Add prepared vegetables and avocado on top of the greens.
- Sprinkle feta cheese and toasted nuts over the salad.
- Drizzle dressing evenly over the salad just before serving and toss gently to coat.
Notes
- Dry greens completely to prevent soggy salad.
- Add dressing immediately before serving for maximum crispness.
- For a vegan version, omit feta and replace honey with maple syrup or agave.
- Add grilled chicken, shrimp, tofu, or chickpeas to make it a complete meal.
- Store undressed salad in an airtight container with a paper towel for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (side)
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 260 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg