My backyard garden is in full-bloom so it’s time to harvest all those veggies for a serious summer salad.

With crunchy veggies and a divine red wine oregano vinaigrette; you can make this recipe in a snap with whatever veggies you have on-hand.

What is there not to love about a summer salad!? There’s ample opportunity to use your very favourite veggies because the dressing that goes with this salad is very versatile. It’s always a good idea to have some go-to green salad recipes in your back pocket for each season.

What I love about a summer salad like this one and this one is they satisfy many cravings. And, it doesn’t take a ton of time to make!

This versatile salad recipe takes you beyond the classic greek salad or caesar salad recipes because it uses veggies that you may not think of putting together. But, once you try it out I think it may become a new favourite!

Why you’ll love this summer green salad

• Easy to make during the summer months!
• Uses simple, fresh ingredients.
• It’s quick to whip up on summer day.

Ingredients needed to make this summer salad

Greens: Crispy, fresh greens are the best base; I’m using mixed greens from my garden but you could also use arugula, romaine lettuce or baby kale.

Radishes: Bringing a crunchy, sometimes mildly ‘spicy’ taste to this salad, radishes can be slices or if smaller, cut into quarters for a lovely presentation.

Beets: A delicious way to enjoy earthy beets is by shredding them for this salad because it’s a quick and efficient way to add this ingredient to the mix.

Cucumber: Crisp, fresh curls of cucumber go so well with all of the other ingredients.

Tomatoes: Fresh from the garden, tomatoes are so in-season right now and I love baby or cherry tomatoes sliced in half for an easy topping to this salad.

Feta: Bringing a bit of saltiness to the mix, feta cheese goes with all of these fresh ingredients really well.

Toasted Nuts: To add some crunch, try toasting chopped or sliced almonds as a salad topper.

Salad dressing: We can’t forget, a summer salad needs a divine vinaigrette dressing to bring this entire dish together. Tangy red wine vinegar is added to this dressing along with oregano, olive oil and a pinch of salt and black pepper.

How to make this simple salad

Step 1: Prepare all of the fresh veggies ingredients: wash the fresh salad greens; slice radishes; shred beets; peel cucumbers into ribbons or slice; slice tomatoes; crumble feta.

Step 2: Prepare the toasted almonds: chop almonds and toast in a pan on medium-low heat for about 4-5 minutes until starting to brown. Remove the toasted almonds from pan and set aside.

Step 3: In a mason jar or container with a lid, add all of the dressing ingredients and shake until combined.

Step 4: To assemble the salad, start with the lettuce and then add all of the toppings – dividing everything between two bowls. Then drizzle and mix with dressing. OR, if you’re making side salads, mix all salad ingredients in one bowl and serve at the table for 4 people.

Expert tips

• Looking to pack this for lunch? Pack the salad in an airtight container and make sure to keep the dressing on the side until you’re ready to eat.
• If you want to make this a main course, add a protein option like baked or grilled chicken, salmon or chickpeas. Or, serve this quick summer green salad recipe as a perfect side salad to your favourite chicken dish.
• You can make the dressing and prep the salad ingredients ahead of time and store separately in airtight containers in the fridge. When you’re ready to serve, add to a large salad bowl, add the dressing, toss and serve.
• A good substitute for the almonds is toasted walnuts instead.
• If you’re in a rush and don’t have time to make a dressing, use a store-bought Greek dressing / vinaigrette instead.

More seasonal produce and other toppings to add to this simple green salad

This green salad is just so versatile! You can mix and match your favourite toppings and greens to make your our salad recipes.

• Chopped or shredded carrots
• Avocado
• Bell pepper
• Parmesan cheese
• Pumpkin Seeds
• Chopped kale
• Arugula
• Mozzarella cheese
• Walnuts
• Sunflower seeds
• Chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
• Red onion

Common questions

Can I substitute the feta cheese?
If feta cheese isn’t your favourite, try replacing with creamy goat cheese. Otherwise, you could omit it altogether.

​What if I can’t find golden beets?
In a pinch you could use red beets instead of golden in this delicious salad.

Is there another type of salad greens I could use?
The base of this salad calls for a fresh, crisp mixed greens but you could easily substitute with romaine lettuce. baby kale or even spinach or arugula.

What can I use instead of almonds if I have a nut allergy?
A tasty alternative to nuts in this salad recipe is toasted sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds.

How to store this green salad

I recommend enjoying this salad as soon as it’s made.  If you’re looking to meal prep this for lunch, pack the salad in an airtight container and make sure to keep the dressing on the side until you’re ready to eat.

More easy summer salad recipes to love from the blog

Blueberry Basil Summer Green Salad with Goat Cheese

Easy Green Summer Chopped Salad (with meal prep tips)

The Best Strawberry Summer Salad Recipe with Feta

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Quick and Refreshing Summer Green Salad Recipe

This Summer Green Salad is quick and easy to make. Packed with delicious, seasonal veggies, it will be your go-to summer salad!

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 2 large salads (or 4 side salads)

Author Jess

Ingredients

• 8 cups mixed greens or other lettuce of choice
• 4 radishes, thinly sliced
• 2 small golden and/or red beets, shredded or 1 large beet
• 2 baby cucumbers, peeled into ribbons or sliced
• 1 cup baby or cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped almonds, toasted

Red Wine Oregano Vinaigrette Dressing

• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/2 tsp dijon or grainy mustard
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano or 1 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
• 1/4 tsp coarse salt
• ground pepper a couple of turns from a pepper grinder

Instructions

• Prepare all of the produce ingredients: wash the salad greens; slice radishes; shred beets; peel cucumbers into ribbons or slice; slice tomatoes; crumble feta.
• Prepare the toasted almonds: chop almonds and toast in a pan on medium-low heat for about 4-5 minutes until starting to brown. Remove from pan and set aside.
• In a mason jar or container with a lid, add all of the dressing ingredients and shake until combined.
• To assemble the salad, start with the lettuce and then add all of the toppings - dividing everything between two bowls. Then drizzle and mix with dressing. OR, if you're making side salads, mix all salad ingredients in one bowl and serve at the table for 4 people.

The post Quick and Refreshing Summer Green Salad Recipe appeared first on Cooking in my Genes.

And this Fall Harvest Salad hits all the right notes as it’s packed with tons of seasonal flavours.

So, let’s dive into all the deliciousness with this new salad recipe!  I always look for heartier vegetables to use for Fall & Winter salads because they stand up better to dressing and are excellent for meal prep too.

Plus salad recipes like this one are extremely VERSATILE! Scroll down to the end of the post for some of my favourite substitutions that you can mix and match when making this fall harvest salad.

What’s in a fall harvest salad

Greens: Chopped, hearty greens of kale & brussels sprouts are everything you need for the base of this salad. They are heartier greens, perfect for this time of year and hold up so well with the other ingredients.

Sweet Potatoes: Roasted sweet potatoes bring a bright spot of colour and of course their delicious, slightly sweet roasted flavour!

Apples: Because of the sweetness of the sweet potatoes, a tart apple like granny smith goes perfectly with the rest of the ingredients.

Walnuts: Adding crunch to the salad, walnuts are a great choice but you could also try pecans or almonds.

Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette: All salad recipes need a dressing to bring it together and this is exactly what this does. The maple balsamic vinaigrette combines maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic and salt & pepper.

What makes this salad so great is the prep time it takes to make is really just chopping while you wait for the sweet potatoes to bake. So, make this recipe for an easy weeknight dinner or prep the night before to take for lunch the next day!

To make this salad a full meal, try adding your favourite protein like cooked chicken, turkey or something plant-based like falafel or chickpeas.

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Fall Harvest Salad

If you are looking for fall dinner ideas, try this fall harvest salad with maple balsamic dressing. Packed with veggies, this is an easy side or main dish this season.

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword chopped salad

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Author Jess

Ingredients

• 3-4 cups chopped sweet potatoes (1/2 inch cubes) about 2 medium sweet potatoes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 cups packed, chopped kale about 1 bunch kale
• 4 cups thinly sliced brussels sprouts about 12 brussels sprouts
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 1 granny smith apple, chopped

Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 tsp coarse salt
• pinch pepper

Instructions

• Pre-heat the oven to 415F. Place parchment paper on a large baking sheet. Add cubed sweet potatoes to the pan and mix with 2 tbsp olive oil, generous pinches of salt and pepper. Roast for 30-35 minutes, turning halfway through, until starting to turn golden.
• While the sweet potatoes are cooking, prep the salad dressing and remaining salad ingredients. Salad dressing: shake all ingredients together in a mason jar or container, set aside. Vegetables: chop kale, slice brussels sprouts, chop walnuts, measure out parmesan cheese.
• Once sweet potatoes are done, remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
• Chop the apple and then in a large bowl mix in with chopped kale, sliced brussels sprouts, chopped walnuts and parmesan cheese. Give salad dressing one more good shake to combine then pour over salad. Toss the salad well and then add in cooked sweet potatoes. Mix gently once more and then serve.

Salad recipes like this Fall Harvest Salad are perfect for making to your own tastes. So, if you’re looking to make easy substitutions in this salad recipe, try the following:

• Cheese: Try goat cheese or feta instead of parmesan cheese; just cut back to 1/2 to 3/4 cup if doing so because those are stronger flavoured cheeses.
• Nuts: Pecan or almonds would make a tasty addition instead of walnuts; I’m a huge believer in using what you have OR what your favourite is! You could even try pumpkin seeds too.
• Butternut Squash: This salad calls for sweet potatoes, however, cubed butternut squash would be a delicious substitute also.
• Extras: If you want to add even more to this salad, try dried cranberries or pomegranate seeds for an extra pop of flavour!

Whether you make this salad exactly like the recipe or make a few substitutes, it will be extremely delicious.

Love chopped salads like this one? Check out my Winter Citrus Chopped Salad too!

Until the next cooking adventure,
Jess

The post Fall Harvest Salad with Maple Balsamic Dressing appeared first on Cooking in my Genes.