There are days when all I crave is a great big salad made with crunchy lettuce. I love the freshness and guilt-free feeling of eating until I feel satisfied without having to worry about calories.
The Best Tossed Salad
This is a simple and basic salad recipe to satisfy those cravings.
Lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and carrots are always on hand, and when I want to make it extra special, I add roasted corn and chopped avocado.
I think salads are a great side dish, but can also make a filling and satisfying main dish if you add some chopped cooked chicken breast or maybe some water-packed canned tuna.
With salads, your imagination is the limit. There are endless possibilities, but this simple recipe is always a winner.
TOSSED SALAD INGREDIENTS:
- Romaine lettuce: this is my favorite lettuce. it has a crunchy heart, but it is also “leafy”. Best of both worlds.
- Plum tomatoes: no need for fancy tomatoes, you’ll chop them anyway.
- Cucumber: use your favorite cucumber. I like European seedless cucumbers, but any will do.
- Onion: red onions are for me, the best onions for salads, but you can use yellow onions too.
- Carrots: shredded carrots not only give the salad great color but also a bit of sweetness.
- Grilled corn: this is not a must, but I just love the taste of grilled corn. You can also use whole kernel corn. I love the sweetness it contributes to the salad.
- Avocado: everything tastes better with avocado! They are delicious and creamy.
- Olive oil: Extra virgin is a must.
- Red wine vinegar: is my go-to for easy and fast salad recipes, but you can also use apple cider vinegar or the vinegar of your choice.
- Sugar: I think sugar balances out the acidity of the vinegar and just makes the dressing taste so much better, but if you are cutting calories, you can skip it.
- Salt and pepper: add them to taste.
HOW TO MAKE EASY TOSSED SALAD?
- Wash and cut your veggies. Arrange lettuce on the bottom of a salad bowl, add the chopped veggies on top
- Prepare the dressing by mixing the olive oil, red wine vinegar, and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Add to the salad and toss until well combined.
HOW LONG DOES TOSSED SALAD LAST?
I am a true believer in making just enough salad so that it can be consumed right away.
I think the dressing makes the lettuce wilt and all the other veggies become soggy.
So I chop my veggies and dress them right before serving.
If you have any leftovers, make sure to drain any excess dressing, cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. You can always add a bit more dressing if it needs it.
VARIATION AND RECIPE SUBSTITUTIONS
- For me, a great variation is using fruit in salads. I love to add sliced oranges, strawberries, or blueberries to my salads. I think it adds an extra sweetness that balances out the vinegar in the dressing.
- Nuts are a great addition to salads. Love the crunch and nutty taste they provide.
- Shredded Parmesan is a great addition to Italian-style salads if you also add some herbs like fresh basil. Sometimes I even add goat cheese.
- Croutons: missing some crunch? Add croutons for a delicious crunchy bite.
- Protein: grilled or cooked chicken breast is always a favorite if you want to make a complete meal out of your salad. Grilled steak or even tuna are great choices too.
If you don’t have one of the ingredients listed for this salad, don’t worry. Any veggie is a good one for salads. That’s the beauty of them. Your imagination is the limit. You can also use the vinegar of your choice or even lemon juice.
RECIPE TIPS:
- I like to take the seeds out of the tomatoes before chopping them. I think they add too much moisture to the salad and make it soggy faster. I give the same treatment to cucumbers if I can’t find seedless ones.
- I love to use a salad spinner to dry the lettuce leaves. Too much water sticking to the leaves waters down the dressing.
- Don’t add the dressing too early. Add it just before serving to keep your veggies fresh and crunchy.
- I like to refrigerate the tossed salad for a few minutes before serving it. There is just something about cold and crispy lettuce that I love.
More Easy Salad Recipes
The Best Tossed Salad
Ingredients
- 2 hearts romaine lettuce
- 1 avocado, diced
- 2 small plum tomatoes, diced
- 1 cup grilled corn (or whole kernel corn)
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 2-3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 small red onion, chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled and shredded
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Wash and cut your veggies. Arrange lettuce on the bottom of a salad bowl, add the chopped veggies on top
- Prepare the dressing by mixing the olive oil, red wine vinegar, and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Add to the salad and toss until well combined.
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