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Home » Recipes » Side Dishes

Easy Everyday Side Salad

By Laura Fuentes Updated Aug 13, 2024

5 from 35 votes

Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy here.

You're going to want to serve this easy side salad every night! It's packed with fresh veggies and yummy toppings in a tangy vinaigrette. 

Have a couple of minutes before dinner is ready? Make this easy side salad.

It’s so good and it goes with everything, that by the time you toss it together you’ll want to make it the main dish. It’s loaded with fresh veggies and crunchy toppings coated with tangy vinaigrette!

closeup of a large bowl of an side salad

Simple Side Salad

Simple doesn’t have to mean boring. Quite the opposite! This simple side salad is packed with fresh and juicy veggies, cheese, crunchiness, and a delicious balsamic dressing that will rock your tastebuds!

This is the kind of easy salad that I can always assemble with whatever I have around to serve with baked chicken pieces, salmon, pasta, or any other meal that asks for something fresh and tasty on the side.

Best Ingredients for Everyday Side Salad

Crisp lettuce and your favorite veggies are the best ingredients for an everyday side salad! Below is a list of everything I like to include in my recipe, but you can add ingredients to your heart’s content.

  • Green lettuce: has a crisper texture and sweeter flavor than Iceberg. You could also use Romaine or mixed salad greens.
  • Bell pepper: red peppers are sweet and high in vitamin C. Swap out the color for green, orange, or yellow peppers.
  • Cucumber: super refreshing and add more volume. Use regular or English cucumbers.
  • Tomatoes: juicy, grape tomatoes are a favorite, but chopped Roma or garden tomatoes work great.
  • Olives: if you like olives, they are a great salad addition. Make sure to use pitted olives.
  • Red onion: optional, but they add a nice sharp flavor.
  • Parmesan cheese: sprinkled right over the top.
  • Croutons: crunchy and coated in delicious vinaigrette flavors.
  • Roasted sunflower seeds: provide this salad with healthy fats and a salty-crunchy element.
  • Balsamic vinaigrette: my homemade recipe is tangy-sweet and comes together in 3 minutes.

Side Salad Recipe

In just a few minutes you’ll have a perfect side salad ready to serve with dinner. Here’s how to make it:

  1. Prep
    Wash and chop the lettuce, bell peppers, tomatoes, and onion. Layer the ingredients into a large serving bowl.
  2. Add the toppings
    Top the salad base with olives, Parmesan cheese, croutons, and sunflower seeds.
  3. Drizzle
    Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and toss to combine, now you’re ready to serve.

Watch this video to see how the salad comes together.

You could also prep this recipe a couple of days ahead. Just assemble the lettuce and toppings, but leave out the croutons and dressing. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

When you’re ready to eat, add the croutons and dressing, and toss to combine.

overhead photo of large side salad

Customization Ideas for Side Salads

Salads are easy to customize and these combination ideas will have you excited to make a new one every night.

  • Italian: grape tomatoes, black olives, shaved Parmesan cheese, and Italian vinaigrette.
  • Asian: steamed edamame pods, shredded red cabbage, shredded carrots, mandarin oranges (rinsed and drained), Asian vinaigrette.
  • Mediterranean: Kalamata olives, sliced cucumber, green bell pepper, feta cheese, and Greek vinaigrette.
  • Farmer’s Market Salad: diced tomatoes, homemade bacon bits, steamed corn, cucumber, shredded cheddar cheese, and Ranch Dressing.

Homemade Dressings for Side Salads

Looking for a yummy homemade dressing to drizzle over your salad? Whether you’re craving ranch or a zippy vinaigrette, I’ve got plenty of delicious recipes that are easy to whip up and beat the bottled version any day.

  • Homemade Ranch
  • Balsamic Vinaigrette
  • Avocado Lime Ranch Dressing
  • Citrus Vinaigrette
  • Maple Dijon Vinaigrette
  • Thai Peanut Dressing

Easy Side Salad

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 7 minutes mins
Total Time: 7 minutes mins
You’re going to want to serve this easy side salad every night! It’s packed with fresh veggies and yummy toppings in a tangy vinaigrette. 
5 from 35 votes
Print Pin

Ingredients

  • ½ head green lettuce, chopped
  • 1 bell pepper, sliced
  • ½ English cucumber, sliced and halved
  • 1 cup grape tomatoes
  • ½ cup olives
  • ¼ red onion, sliced
  • ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • ½ cup croutons
  • 2 tablespoons dry-roasted sunflower seeds
  • ¼ cup Balsamic vinaigrette

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, layer the salad ingredients.
  • Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and toss to combine. 

Equipment

Salad Spinner
printed papers of weekly family meal plan
Ad Free Weekly Meal Plan $1
Dressing Bottle
Salad Dressing Twist Jar
avocado keeper
lettuce keeper

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 168kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 572mg | Potassium: 281mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1408IU | Vitamin C: 45mg | Calcium: 122mg | Iron: 1mg

More Side Dishes

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    Roasted Cabbage Quarters
  • one small bowl of seasoned baby carrots after they've been air fried
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  • round loaf of homemade bread on parchment paper
    No Knead Dutch Oven Bread

Comments

    5 from 35 votes (30 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Gianne says

    April 30, 2024 at 7:01 pm

    5 stars
    It’s so simple to make and the flavors are fresh and delicious. It’s the perfect addition to any meal and I find myself making it all the time!

    Reply
  2. Angela says

    April 30, 2024 at 6:46 pm

    5 stars
    This is the perfect salad for lunch – I paired some grilled chicken with it and everything tasted so good together. Love your topping suggestions as well. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  3. Kim says

    April 30, 2024 at 6:36 pm

    5 stars
    Perfect side salad, and makes a lovely lunch, too!

    Reply
  4. Chenee says

    April 30, 2024 at 6:26 pm

    5 stars
    That salad looks absolutely phenomenal the way it is, but I love all the customization options.

    Reply
  5. Charah says

    April 30, 2024 at 5:23 pm

    5 stars
    Great recipe, it was delicious. Thanks for sharing

    Reply

Hi! I'm Laura.
Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, mom of three, and the woman behind the world’s best pancakes—here to help you ditch the mealtime drama with recipes your family will actually eat.

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