Simple Side Salad
Your new go-to side salad! Pairs well with everything, rounding out any meal. Includes homemade croutons (yes, please!) and an easy dressing!
Ingredients
For the croutons
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 4 cups ciabatta, baguette or sourdough bread cubes
For the all-purpose dressing
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the salad
- 1 head romaine lettuce, roughly chopped
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 2 Persian cucumbers, sliced
- 1 carrot, grated
- ¼ small onion, thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup sliced toasted almonds
- ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Equipment
Instructions
For the croutons
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, parsley and garlic powder; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Spread bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Stir in olive oil mixture and gently toss to combine. Place into oven and bake until crisp and golden, about 13-15 minutes; set aside.
For the all-purpose dressing
- In a medium bowl, whisk olive oil, vinegar, Dijon, oregano and garlic powder; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
For the salad
- To assemble the salad, place romaine in a large bowl; top with tomatoes, cucumbers, carrot, onion, almonds, Parmesan and croutons. Pour half the dressing on top of the salad and gently toss to combine. Serve with remaining dressing, if desired.
Notes
- Romaine lettuce is best. Romaine is a hearty, crisp, durable green, holding up very well to dressings. If romaine lettuce is not available, use iceberg lettuce or spring mix.
- Homemade croutons go a long way. Homemade croutons are so much easier to make than you think, allowing you to repurpose stale, leftover bread, and tasting so much better than store-bought croutons. They can also keep for at least 1 week when stored properly!
- Use a good quality sheet pan. A durable sheet pan is ideal when making the homemade croutons – it will last for years with minimal wear and tear, and will help achieve even cooking and avoid warping at high temperatures.
- Prep ahead of time. Save time by making the dressing up to 1 week in advance, and prepping and dicing the vegetables 1-2 days prior and storing them in airtight containers in the fridge.
- A bag mix is a speedy shortcut. Bagged salad mix is pre-washed, pre-chopped greens, conveniently cutting down prep time even further.
- Cut in uniform size. Cut all of the salad ingredients in similar size pieces for a consistent bite.
- Use extra virgin olive oil. High quality extra virgin olive oil is ideal for salad dressings for maximum flavor.
- Toss everything just before serving. Prevent soggy greens! Toss in the dressing just before serving, within 5-10 minutes, to maintain a crisp texture, seasoning lightly with salt and pepper, to taste.