This simple House Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette comes together with a few basic ingredients for a light side dish you can thow together in just 10 minutes that is neutral enough to pair with any meal.
This classic House Salad recipe is my favorite go-to everyday salad. I always have the ingredients on hand making it easy to throw together in a moment's notice when I need an extra side dish to round out a meal. This combination of crisp romaine, crunchy cucumbers, juicy tomatoes and red onion tossed in my easy Red Wine Vinaigrette salad dressing is both nutritous and delicious. For more nutritional information, check out this article on the variety of health benefits in romaine lettuce. Since this basic salad recipe is gluten-free, vegan, grain-free, dairy-free, keto, low-carb as well as Paleo and Whole30 compliant it is a great choice to serve to a variety of eaters.
For an unexpected twist, add some small Baked Cheese Chips to this salad for extra texture.
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Ingredients
Here's what you need to make a House Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette:
House Salad Ingredients
- romaine lettuce
- English cucumber
- grape tomatoes
- red onion
Red Wine Vinaigrette Ingredients
- extra virgin olive oil
- red wine vinegar
- Dijon mustard
- salt
- black pepper
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Here's how to make a House Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette:
To make the dressing, add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper to a jar.
Screw a top on the jar and shake well to mix the dressing. (Alternatively, the ingredients can be added to a bowl and whisked to combine.)
Wash and chop the romaine lettuce. Dice the cucumber, halve the grape tomatoes and slice the red onion into thin half-moons.
Arrange the lettuce in the bottom of a large serving bowl and layer the diced cucumber, halved tomatoes and thinly sliced red onion over top. Sprinkle with the desired amount of dressing, toss together and serve.
Hint: I recommend washing all of your vegetables prior to preparing this salad. Check out this article for tips on how to properly wash romaine lettuce. After washing, dry your vegetables using a kitchen towel prior to chopping, or you can use a salad spinner to quickly dry the lettuce. To make things super easy, use a bag of already washed and chopped romaine lettuce for this salad.
Substitutions
Want to substitute an ingredient in this American House Salad? Here's how:
- Romaine lettuce - use an equal amount of arugula, iceberg lettuce, kale or other lettuce in place of the romaine.
- English cucumber - use a regular cucumber in place of the English cucumber, but peel it first if the skin is thick and waxy.
- Grape tomatoes - use an equal amount of cherry or roma tomatoes in place of the grape tomatoes.
- Red onion - use a sliced yellow onion or sliced green onions in place of the red onion.
- Olive oil - use a different neutral oil such as canola or avocado oil.
- Red wine vinegar - use an equal amount of a different vinegar such as balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar in place of the red wine vinegar.
Variations
Try one of these variations of House Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette:
- Deluxe - add shredded or crumbled cheese such as cheddar cheese, feta, goat or parmesan cheese. Also, add croutons, sliced olives and/or diced avocado to add extra flavor and texture to the salad.
- Meal salad - add some diced cooked chicken to make this salad a light meal.
Or try my Chopped Greek Salad or Chopped Italian Salad.
Equipment
This equipment comes in handy when making a House Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette:
Storage
This prepared House Salad can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 when not yet mixed with the dressing. Add a paper towel or two to the container with the salad to absorb any excess moisture. The Red Wine Vinaigrette can be store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 1-2 weeks.
To meal prep this salad, mix the salad ingredients together and divide it into individual containers. Then, mix the dressing together, pouring it into individual cups to store with the salad. Store this in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Toss the dressing with the salad just before serving.
Top tip
Since the Red Wine Vinaigrette can last up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator, make a double batch at the beginning of the week to enjoy on salads all week long.
FAQ
A house salad typically contains just a few very basic ingredients including lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes and onion. Some establishments may add a little something extra such as cheese, nuts, sliced olives or croutons to their house salad.
A house salad is usually the most basic salad on the menu at any restaurant.
Related
Looking for other easy salad recipes? Try these:
Pairing
Serve this House Salad with one of these main dish recipes:
Recipe
House Salad
Equipment
- 1 knife
Ingredients
Red Wine Vinaigrette
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
House Salad
- 2 heads romaine lettuce
- 1 English cucumber
- 8 oz grape tomatoes
- ½ red onion
Instructions
- To make the dressing, add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper to a jar. Screw a top on the jar and shake well to mix the dressing. (Alternatively, the ingredients can be added to a bowl and whisked to combine.)
- Wash and chop the romaine lettuce. Dice the cucumber, halve the grape tomatoes and slice the red onion into thin half-moons.
- Arrange the lettuce in the bottom of a large serving bowl and layer the diced cucumber, halved tomatoes and thinly sliced red onion over top. Sprinkle with the desired amount of dressing, toss together and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Food safety
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
Shannon
Such a good classic!