Easy Tossed Salad

This simple, quick, healthy, super Easy Tossed Salad goes well with almost any dish or by itself. You can easily customize it to your liking by using your favorite veggies and dressing.

Easy Tossed Salad

I don’t think there’s anything easier or more classic than a tossed green salad. It’s a great side dish that I serve with just about any meal, mostly because it’s quick and also healthy. You can use your favorite dressing whether it’s a simple olive oil and vinegar, or one like my Greek dressing that includes red wine vinegar.

I think the key to a great salad is to choose the freshest ingredients possible as it really does makes a difference. Also, if you haven’t used a salad spinner, you don’t know what you’re missing. I usually just wash and tear lettuce in bite size pieces and then place them in the spinner. It literally will remove a lot of the water from washing, and then all you have to do is refrigerate it. The next day, your lettuce will be the crispest you’ve EVER tried. Any leftover lettuce will stay fresh for a few days so you could have salad all week if you wanted.

• Lettuce – I like to use a couple of different types of lettuce. Both iceberg and romaine but I’ve made this with butter lettuce many times which is my favorite lettuce.
• Vegetables – I used a few standard veggies. A small carrot that I cut into matchstick sizes. Other veggies I used here are English cucumber, cherry tomatoes, a couple of radishes and some red onion. Feel free to add other veggies, this salad is good for cleaning out your veggie drawer in your fridge.
• Cheese – Although optional and not necessary, I love a bit shredded cheese for some protein.

How To Make Tossed Salad

1. Add all the salad ingredients to a bowl. Plate all the vegetables, shredded cheese if using, and toss to mix everything.
2. Finish and serve: Top the salad with extra grated cheese, chopped nuts, or your favorite fresh herbs. Pour your favorite salad dressing over the top, toss again and serve immediately.

What’s The Best Salad Dressing For A Tossed Salad?

I’ll be honest with you. I usually don’t even make a special salad dressing for my tossed salad. I just drizzle some extra virgin olive oil, a bit of vinegar or sometimes freshly squeezed lemon juice, salt and pepper then toss everything together.

Besides my Italian salad dressing or Greek salad dressing which I think are perfect for a tossed salad, here’s a simple dressing that’s incredibly delicious. Combine 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil, with 2 tablespoons of vinegar, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon honey, salt and pepper and whisk. It’s easy to make and will turn your tossed salad into a star.

What Other Ingredients Can I Use?

You can add many ingredients to your salad based on what you like. Try celery, bell peppers, sunflower seeds, homemade croutons, walnuts, almonds, olives, fresh herbs, or mushrooms. I also like to use a couple of different types of lettuce. Baby spinach, spring mix, butter, or arugula are all options besides romaine and the traditional iceberg.

How Do You Keep Lettuce From Turning Brown?

Rip the lettuce rather than cutting it. Ripping the romaine leaves will often damage and bruise the lettuce less than cutting it with a knife. Rip the lettuce into large chunks if you wish to store it for a longer period of time. This will cause less damage to the lettuce, preventing it from browning as quickly.

Is Tossed Salad Healthy For You?

Salad greens contain Vitamin A, Vitamin C, beta-carotene, calcium, folate, fiber, and phytonutrients. Leafy vegetables are a good choice for a healthful diet because they do not contain cholesterol and are naturally low in calories and sodium. However, keep in mind that if you overdo it with high-fat dressings or high-sugar add-ins, then it’s not as healthy.

Leftovers

Store leftover salad separate from dressing if you’re keeping for later use. The salad will keep in the fridge without dressing for 2-3 days. Store the leftover dressing for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. 

To store only the lettuce, a salad spinner container works fantastic. Alternatively, store your clean, dry salad in an airtight plastic container lined with paper towel. The paper towel will absorb any excess water, and the airtight container will keep the salad from wilting.

More Great Salad Recipes To Try

• Waldorf Salad
• Greek Salad
• Caesar Salad
• Chef Salad
• Cobb Salad
• Tabbouleh Salad
• Fattoush Salad