A fresh, green garden salad is the simplest, most versatile way to add color and nutrients to any meal. One of my favorites, this salad combines lots of leafy greens with peppery radish, crunchy cucumber, sweet shallots, creamy avocado and a sprinkling of nuts and seeds.
For a more substantial salad, try an Israeli salad with lemon-garlic tahini dressing for extra freshness and protein from chickpeas, or a pasta salad with basil vinaigrette if you’d like something heartier.
Simple side salad
I eat a salad nearly every day because I crave the nutritional balance and the quick prep. A side salad is an easy way to get more plants into your meals and can be ready in just a few minutes.
Assembling a side salad is like playing a slot machine: start with leafy greens as your base, then pick three vegetables or additions—spring onions, bell peppers, olives, sweetcorn, celery, beetroot or even apple all work well. A trio of contrasting ingredients is often the most satisfying.
Varying the components not only boosts nutrients but is a great way to use up slightly wilted produce from the salad drawer. Finish the bowl with a dressing—simple olive oil and vinegar works perfectly, or choose something more distinctive like a poppyseed vinaigrette, a creamy yogurt-based dressing, or a dairy-free option.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Use two or three different salad leaves for depth of flavor—my favorites are arugula (rocket) for pepperiness, spinach for a robust taste, and romaine for crunch.
- Supermarkets often offer many lettuce varieties, so experiment to find the ones you like best.
- Avoid iceberg lettuce for this type of salad; it can be watery and underwhelming.
- For cucumber, choose Kirby or Persian cucumbers—the short, firm types used for pickling—because they have the best crunch and flavor.
- Thinly slicing cucumber, radish and shallot on a mandolin gives elegant, paper-thin pieces, but slice however you prefer.
- A handful of nuts and seeds added after dressing brings texture, nutrients and a pleasant crunch.
- Dress the salad just before serving to keep leaves crisp. Two tablespoons of dressing is usually enough—don’t drench the vegetables.
- Toss the salad by hand for the best, even coating—this is how professional kitchens do it.
- If your dressing is a touch sweet, a pinch of salt can restore balance.
- Homemade dressings are quick to make and avoid additives and excess sugar or salt found in many store-bought options.
- If you want inspiration for dressings, creamy dill, Green Goddess, lemon-yogurt, or a simple balsamic vinaigrette all complement this garden salad beautifully.
Serving suggestions
A fresh green salad pairs with almost anything. It complements not-too-saucy pasta dishes like quick crab pasta or spicy sausage pasta with ricotta, and it’s a natural accompaniment to grilled meats and barbecue fare such as mojito-grilled chicken thighs or a rib-eye steak.
It also stretches a lunchtime sandwich—hot options like croque madame or cold sandwiches like egg salad both benefit from a crisp side salad. Fish, tacos, eggs and baked potatoes are other great matches. There are few hard rules, but I generally avoid serving this salad with very saucy mains like beef stroganoff or a stew, where cooked vegetables are a better fit.
Storage and leftovers
Garden salad doesn’t keep well once assembled. Dressed leaves become limp and wet, cut radish and cucumber dry out, avocado browns, and sliced onion can impart an overpowering aroma to the rest. For best results, prepare the right amount for the meal and enjoy it fresh.
More salad recipes to try
- Tuscan Panzanella Salad
- Middle Eastern Salad Bowl
- Spinach Pesto Potato Salad with Bacon
- Walnut Beet Salad with Garlic Mayonnaise Dressing
Garden Salad
Ingredients
- 200g/4 cups salad greens (lettuce, spinach, arugula, etc)
- 2 radishes, sliced
- 1 baby cucumber, sliced
- 1/2 shallot, sliced
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 2 tbsp nut and seed mix (sunflower, pumpkin, poppy seeds, cashews, or your choice)
- 2 tbsp dressing of your choice
Instructions
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Place the salad greens in a large bowl and top with thinly sliced radishes, cucumber and shallot. Add sliced or cubed avocado and sprinkle the nuts and seeds over the top with a pinch of salt.
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Drizzle the dressing over the salad and gently toss to combine. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an approximation.
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