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Fresh Cheap Garden Salad Recipe with Easy Homemade Vinaigrette Dressing

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A quick, affordable, and delicious garden salad featuring fresh mixed greens and a tangy homemade vinaigrette. Perfect for light meals and easy to customize with seasonal produce.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 5 cups mixed salad greens (romaine, spinach, radicchio)
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 medium cucumber, thinly sliced (peeled if preferred)
  • 1 medium carrot, shredded
  • 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced (soaked in cold water for 5 minutes to mellow flavor)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh herbs (parsley or basil), chopped (optional)
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon honey (or maple syrup/agave nectar for vegan)
  • 1 small clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Rinse all fresh produce under cold water and pat dry or use a salad spinner to remove excess moisture.
  2. Halve the cherry tomatoes, thinly slice the cucumber and red onion, and shred the carrot. Soak red onion slices in cold water for 5 minutes if desired.
  3. Chop fresh parsley or basil roughly if using.
  4. In a large salad bowl, combine mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumber, carrot, red onion, and herbs. Toss gently to mix evenly.
  5. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until emulsified and slightly thickened. Adjust seasoning to taste.
  6. Drizzle vinaigrette over the salad gradually, tossing gently to coat evenly. Start with half the dressing and add more if needed.
  7. Serve immediately for best freshness and crispness.

Notes

To keep salad fresh, store greens and vinaigrette separately and toss just before serving. Soaking red onion in cold water mellows its sharpness. For vegan version, replace honey with maple syrup or agave nectar. Avoid overdressing to prevent sogginess. Fresh garlic should be minced finely for best flavor distribution.

Nutrition

Keywords: garden salad, homemade vinaigrette, fresh salad, easy salad recipe, healthy salad, quick salad, affordable salad

Find it online: https://gleefulfork.com/fresh-cheap-garden-salad-recipe-with-easy-homemade-vinaigrette-dressing/