A classic house salad is the ultimate side dish for so many different meals. Loaded with fresh vegetables, croutons, and of course a delicious dressing, an American house salad adds colorful, fresh flavor to any table.

 

A house salad doesn’t have to be enjoyed just at your favorite restaurant like Olive Garden, Outback, Wendy’s, and more. Making one at home is very easy and also gives you the opportunity to add all of your favorite ingredients.

Why we love this basic salad recipe

• Fresh: A simple salad recipe with fresh vegetables and lettuce that pairs well with just about anything.
• Quick: Can be made in minutes, especially if you have the vegetables pre-chopped.
• Versatile: A wonderful base salad recipe for you to add your favorite toppings and dressing.

What goes in a house salad

This is a great base recipe for a classic house salad. It’s made with just a few simple ingredients and it’s easy to customize.

• Lettuce – Romaine lettuce and green leaf lettuce are great choices. You could also use iceberg lettuce, or a spring mix if you prefer.
• Cucumbers – I prefer using an English cucumber or mini cucumbers because they don’t have many seeds.
• Tomatoes – Cherry tomatoes and grape tomatoes work well in this salad because they are firm and hold together well. If you would like to use a larger, diced tomato, make sure to remove some of the seeds so that they don’t wet the salad.
• Onions – Red onion adds nice color to the salad.
• Carrots – Shredded carrots.
• Black olives – Olives are an optional ingredient but can be found in many restaurant house salads.
• Croutons – Croutons add a nice crunch to the salad.
• Optional – Shredded cheese, bacon bits, pepperoncini peppers, sun flower seeds
• Dressing – Choose your favorite dressing to top this salad.

How to make a house salad

Scroll down for the full, printable recipe.

1. Prepare your ingredients by cleaning and chopping the crispy lettuce, cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, and carrots.
2. Place the ingredients in a large bowl and toss to distribute the ingredients through the salad.
3. Serve with your favorite dressing.

Variations

There are so many ways to make this house salad your own. From toppings to dressings, protein and more. Here are a few great options:

Protein – Try topping your salad with bacon bits, grilled chicken, shrimp, shredded pork, or steak.

Cheese – Shredded cheddar cheese, mozzarella, and colby jack are delicious on a salad. Grated parmesan, crumbled blue cheese, crumbled feta cheese, and crumbled goat cheese are also delicious additions.

Other toppings – Sunflower seeds, diced bell peppers, pepperoncinis, shredded cabbage, chopped pecans, chickpeas, and more.

Best house salad dressings

Many restaurants will have their own special house salad dressing. They wonderful thing about cooking at home is you can choose your favorite homemade dressing or bottled dressing. A few favorites include:

• Ranch dressing
• Blue cheese dressing
• Buffalo ranch
• Avocado lime ranch

Serving suggestions

The great thing about this salad is that it can be a simple side dish or made into a main meal.

Try serving alongside hamburgers, hot dogs, pork, chicken, steak, lasagna, pizza, and so much more.

Make this salad a main meal by topping with slices of chicken, steak,

Tips for success

• Slice onions into thin pieces and cut the other vegetables into smaller, bite-sized pieces.
• Make sure to clean and dry lettuce so that it will last longer. I like using a salad spinner to really get the leaves dry. You can also buy pre-cleaned lettuce.
• If you would like to make this salad ahead of time, chop all of the vegetables, clean the lettuce, and prepare the dressing. Store in separate containers in the refrigerator and then assemble when ready to eat.

How to store

Store: It’s best to store the salad without dressing. Keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Common questions

More salad recipes

• Pea salad is made with tender crisp peas, cheese, and bacon.
• Corn salad is a colorful, fresh salad that makes a great side dish.
• Salmon salad is creamy and delicious. Serve on a bed of greens or bread.