Crunchy Garden Salad with Lemon Dressing

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By Healthy Food House
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This colorful garden salad brings together crisp romaine, shredded cabbage and a generous mix of fresh vegetables, all coated in a simple lemon dressing. Serve it beside a warm dinner, add a few extras for lunch, or put the bowl in the middle of the table for everyone to share.

Prep: 15 minutes · Cook: 0 minutes · Servings: 4

Fresh colorful garden salad

Why You’ll Love This Salad

  • A mix of crisp, juicy vegetables gives every forkful a little variety.
  • The dressing comes todewdwedwegether in a small jar, with no special equipment needed.
  • You can swap vegetables or addwqsdwd toppings to suit the rest of your meal.

Ingredients

For the Salad

  • 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
  • 1 cup finely shredded red cabbage
  • 1 medium cucumber, diced
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 large carrot, grated
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

For the Lemon Dressing

  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup, optional
  • ¼ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

How to Make It

  1. Prepare the greens. Rinse the lettuce, cabbage and remaining vegetables under running water. Dry the lettuce thoroughly with a salad spinner or clean kitchen towel so the dressing coats the leaves without becoming watery.
  2. Chop the vegetables. Cut the lettuce into bite-size pieces, shred the cabbage and prepare the cucumber, tomatoes, pepper and carrot. Aim for pieces that are easy to pick up together on a fork.
  3. Mix the dressing. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, optional maple syrup, salt and pepper to a small jar. Close the lid and shake well, or whisk everything together in a bowl.
  4. Toss the salad. Place the prepared vegetables in a large serving bowl. Pour over about three quarters of the dressing and toss gently, lifting the vegetables from the bottom to distribute it.
  5. Finish and serve. Sprinkle with parsley, taste a forkful and add the remaining dressing or another pinch of salt if needed. Serve immediately while the vegetables are crisp.

Serving Tips

Make it more substantial: Add drained chickpeas, white beans or a handful of crumbled feta. Toasted sunflower seeds also bring another layer of crunch.

Prepare ahead: Keep the chopped vegetables and dressing separate until you are ready to eat. Give the dressing another shake, then toss everything together just before serving.