Easy Everyday Salad Recipe

My everyday salad recipe is perfect for serving as a side salad or main dish. 

Do you have a favorite go-to everyday salad recipe that you love?

This beauty right here is mine – I hope you love it!

It’s the real deal, no-frills, easy-breezy, nice-and-healthy, fresh-and-flavorful, green salad recipe that I make at home at for lunch least 3 times a week…and love. Truly. I think I’ve now made a version of this salad at least a million times, and still somehow never grow tired of it. In fact, I look forward to it.  It’s one of those go-to standards I can count on.  It’s made with simple, healthy ingredients that are easy to always keep on hand.  And it somehow magically goes with just about everything.

So if you’re looking for a quick and easy new salad recipe for your rotation, bookmark this guy. 

Everyday Salad Ingredients

Like I said, part of the reason this salad is on such regular rotation in our house is because the ingredients are genuinely easy to keep stocked in your kitchen.  When you go grocery shopping for the week, just be sure to pick up a new bag of kale, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, an apple, red pepper and lemon.  Then the rest of the ingredients can be easily stored in your pantry/fridge for weeks or months at a time.  Here’s what you’ll need:

Fresh greens: I tend to usually go with a bag of kale, spring mix or bag of baby spinach for this salad, but any greens you have on hand will do.

Cucumber: Whichever kind of cucumber that you prefer will do.

Red Pepper: I love red peppers in my salads, but feel free to leave these out if you prefer.

Cherry Tomatoes: Theses are one of my favourite ingredients in the salad. They give such a burst and pop of flavour. You can also sub in normal tomatoes if you prefer.  

Apple: Giving the salad the crisp crunch. I love Red Delicious, but any type you will work.

Goats Cheese: Because what’s a salad without some cheesy goodness. If you are vegan or lactose intolerant you can certainly leave this one out.

Nuts: Cashews, are our go-to lately with this salad, which I love because they are perfectly crunchy, flavorful and inexpensive.  But you can certainly sub in your favourite.

Dressing: See below!

Everyday Salad Dressing Recipe

Lemon is my best friend, always has been and always will be. If you don’t happen to have fresh lemon juice on hand, you can turn it into a vinaigrette by subbing in your favorite kind of vinegar.  Also, you might note that this recipe yields a pretty small amount of dressing.  I tend to prefer more lightly-dressed salads, both for the taste and for a healthier meal.  But feel free to double the recipe if you would like the option of adding more dressing.

Lemon juice: Freshly-squeezed makes all the difference (but you can use the bottled kind)

Dijon mustard: Even if you’re iffy about mustard, trust me — it’s not overpowering here and instead really just rounds the flavors out.

Honey: 1 Tsp of honey gives a little overall sweetness to everything.

Sea salt: Definitely give the dressing a taste and add more if you’d like.

Freshly-cracked black pepper: I’m a pepper nut, and like plenty in my dressing and also lots cracked on top.

How to Make This Salad Recipe

To make this salad, simply:

Prepare the salad dressing: To make the salad dressing recipe, just whisk all of the ingredients together in a bowl (or shake them up in a mason jar) until combined.

Toss all of your salad ingredients together: Combine them in a large bowl, drizzle evenly with the dressing, then toss lightly until combined.

Serve and enjoy

Optional Add Ons

Some other ingredients I like to toss in from time to time include:

Extra Fresh veggies: radishes, carrot, and/or avocado are all awesome add ins

Jarred veggies or olives: roasted red peppers, marinated artichokes and/or olives are also delicious, and perfect for grabbing from the pantry.

Beans: chickpeas or white beans are a great way to increase the protein

Proteins: cooked chicken, steak, pork, shrimp, tuna, salmon, or tofu would all be great added to this salad.

Do you have a favorite go-to everyday salad recipe that you love? Comment below if you give this one a try, I would love to hear what you think.