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House or Garden Salad

Crisp romaine and iceberg make a familiar base for cucumber, tomato, carrot, and radish, all lightly dressed at the last moment.

A crisp house salad of romaine, iceberg, cucumber, tomato, carrot, and radish is lightly dressed.

This everyday side salad keeps its appeal in the contrast between cool, crisp lettuce and juicy, crunchy vegetables. A straightforward red-wine vinaigrette brings the bowl together just before it reaches the table.

Start with dry, cold greens

Rinsing removes grit from the leaf ribs, while a salad spinner and clean towel remove the water left behind. Dry lettuce holds a thin coating of dressing instead of letting it run to the bottom of the bowl.

Cut for easy bites

Bite-sized lettuce and thinly sliced radish make the salad easy to eat without losing the vegetables' individual textures. Keeping the cucumber, tomato, carrot, and radish in visible clusters also makes the simple bowl look inviting.

Dry lettuce and separately cut cucumber, tomato, carrot, and radish are ready for salad assembly. — Dry chopped lettuce and the fresh vegetables are ready to be arranged separately.

Whisk a balanced vinaigrette

Red wine vinegar supplies the bright base, and Dijon helps the olive oil and vinegar stay together briefly. A little honey rounds the sharpness while shallot and oregano add savory notes without overwhelming the fresh vegetables.

Dress at the last moment

Arrange the vegetables over the greens and add dressing only when everyone is ready to eat. Starting with half the vinaigrette keeps the leaves lightly coated, and any extra can be served at the table.

Light vinaigrette clings to crisp lettuce beside distinct cucumber, tomato, carrot, and radish. — A close view shows the light vinaigrette coating crisp lettuce and distinct vegetable pieces.

Keep the salad lively

If the lettuce looks wet after spinning, blot the folds before assembling; even a little surface water can thin the dressing. If the vinaigrette separates while waiting, whisk it again just before drizzling.

House or Garden Salad

6 side servings

30 minutes total

Ingredients

• 1 small head romaine lettuce, cored and chopped (about 6 packed cups)
• 1/2 small head iceberg lettuce, cored and chopped (about 4 packed cups)
• 1 medium English cucumber, quartered lengthwise and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 2 medium ripe-firm tomatoes, cored and cut into 3/4 inch pieces
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks
• 4 medium radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tbsp finely minced shallot
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano, crumbled
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Method

Wash the produce
Separate the romaine and iceberg leaves, rinse them under cool running water, and rinse the cucumber, tomatoes, carrot, and radishes; shake off excess water before drying.
Look for: No grit remains where the lettuce ribs meet the leaves.
Dry the greens thoroughly
Spin the lettuce in batches until no water beads remain, then spread it on a clean towel and blot any damp folds; dry the other vegetables with a towel as well.
Look for: The leaves feel crisp and dry rather than slick, so vinaigrette can cling.
Cut the vegetables
Chop the romaine and iceberg into easy-to-eat pieces, then cut the cucumber, tomatoes, carrot, and radishes as described so each vegetable keeps its own shape and crunch.
Look for: The lettuce pieces are bite-sized and the cucumber and tomato pieces are large enough to stay distinct.
Whisk the vinaigrette
In a small bowl, whisk the red wine vinegar, Dijon, honey, shallot, oregano, kosher salt, and black pepper; slowly whisk in the olive oil until the dressing looks lightly thickened.
Look for: The oil is suspended in the vinegar and the shallot is evenly distributed.
Let the dressing settle
Set the vinaigrette aside for 5 minutes so the shallot and oregano season the oil, then whisk again; taste a lettuce leaf with a drop of dressing and adjust only if needed.
Look for: The dressing tastes balanced on a leaf, not overly sharp or oily.
Arrange the salad
Place the dry romaine and iceberg in a wide serving bowl, then distribute the cucumber, tomatoes, carrot, and radishes across the greens in separate, visible clusters.
Look for: The vegetables are easy to see and reach without crushing the tender tomato pieces.
Dress just before serving
Whisk the vinaigrette once more and drizzle about half over the salad just before serving; toss gently from the bottom with salad servers, adding more dressing only until the leaves are lightly coated.
Look for: The greens glisten lightly and no dressing pools at the bottom of the bowl.
Serve while crisp
Bring the salad to the table immediately with any remaining vinaigrette alongside, and serve before the tomatoes release enough juice to soften the greens.
Look for: The lettuce still snaps and the cut vegetables remain distinct.