Garden Salad

By Lidey Heuck

Published Aug. 13, 2024

Garden Salad
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Simon Andrews.
Total Time
20 minutes
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
5 minutes
Rating
4(86)
Comments
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This simple salad works well as a side for almost any main dish and is an excellent way to use up whatever fresh vegetables you have on hand. You’ll end up with a delicious, well-balanced salad as long as you combine mild, crunchy items, like tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers, with more intensely flavored ones, like radishes and raw onion. Homemade balsamic, ranch or your favorite bottled dressing will all work well here, but do wait to dress the salad until right before serving for best results.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 1medium head of green or red lettuce, or ½ large head of iceberg lettuce (10 to 12 ounces)
  • 1cup cherry tomatoes, halved, or 1 medium tomato (5 to 6 ounces), cut into wedges
  • 1cup shredded or diced carrot (about 3 small to medium carrots)
  • 1cup thinly sliced cucumber, peeled if desired
  • ½cup thinly sliced radishes (about 4 radishes)
  • ½cup thinly sliced red onion (about ½ medium onion), optional
  • ⅓cup chopped fresh herbs (such as parsley, basil or mint), optional
  • 1small to medium avocado (optional), diced
  • Salad dressing, for serving
  • Salt and pepper
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

167 calories; 12 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 16 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 3 grams protein; 655 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Rinse and dry lettuce leaves and place in a large bowl, tearing larger leaves into smaller pieces.

  2. Step 2

    Add the tomatoes, carrots, cucumber and radishes, as well as the red onion, herbs and avocado, if using, and toss well. Drizzle ¼ cup dressing over the salad and toss again. Season with salt and pepper and more dressing to taste. Serve immediately.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
86 user ratings
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Comments

ScratchCook

A garden salad is a garden salad is a garden salad. I believe you should have give this a different name like Garden Salad Plus You. The You being the NYT food subscribers. The ingredients, even with The Avocado, are nice but pretty ordinary. Not that there’s anything wrong with that! I would add a scoop of a Tuna or Egg Salad. Also consider thin slices of thin sliced marinated strip steak, Ham, Italian cold cuts, French Charcuterie, Large Fresh Fruit Pieces, Cheeses, etc.

Ellie

3-4tbsp grated parmesan or crumbled feta

inMaine

Yes pretty boring but some parm or pecorino helped with Ume vinegar dressing with scallions

Ss

Adding avocado to a fattoush salad and call it whatever you like

S

May I ask about the salad dressing? There’s no clue how I can make it

La Gata Macha

Love this salad for its simplicity. Garden salads are intended to complement an entree, not be the star of the meal. What counts most for the garden salad to do its job is for each element to be fresh, at the peak of its growing season, especially the avocado. I don't care for carrots in my garden salad, so those are a no-go.

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