Everyday Lettuce Salad
If there is one salad recipe that everyone needs, then it has to be a simple lettuce salad. Toss crisp lettuce in a creamy tangy dressing made with cream francie (substitute in recipe), red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, Extra virgin Olive oil, salt, and pepper. Easy to make and goes well with just about any main dish, also as a filling in sandwiches, wraps, etc.
I have no idea why it took me so long to share this simple everyday lettuce salad recipe here. I make this salad so much so that, the recipe is etched in the back of my mind and I just whip up the dressing by eyeballing the quantity. The dressing is creamy, tangy and clings to the lettuce.
My secret to the best salad with crispy lettuce is to do an ice bath i.e. to submerge chopped lettuce in ice cold water for 15 minutes. (more on this below in step by step)
This recipe is pretty versatile with lots of substitute options. You can serve this with just about any main dish, or as a filling to wraps, sandwiches. It’s the best way to get your daily dose of leafy greens without making a lot of effort.
Ingredients
- Lettuce- I have used butterhead lettuce and romaine lettuce. You can use spring mix too. Iceberg lettuce doesn’t have much of a taste, so I personally don’t like.
- Chive- You can also use green onion.
- Cream francie – you can substitute with Mayo, sour cream, or yogurt.
- Red wine vinegar- It adds a subtle fruitiness to the dressing. Fresh lemon juice is the next best substitute.
- Dijon mustard– a must in a salad dressing.
- Olive oil – Good quality Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper– to taste.
You can add parmesan shavings of granish with grated parmesan. Add a clove of garlic, finely minced to the dressing.
This lettuce salad has the crispiest lettuce
This particular step might feel extra, but a quick ice bath brings life to lettuce and makes it extra crispy. Unless you have directly plucked lettuce from your backyard and put into your salad, lettuce turns limp. A quick ice bath rehydrates, bringing back life and making it crispy again. (Note- if the lettuce are really old and has completely wilted, ice bath might not be helpful).
Soak in ice bath and put in a salad spinner to drain it well. Whisk together the dressing. Toss in lettuce and serve.
Recipe Tips
- Avoid using lettuce that’s not fresh. As I have mentioned above, any lettuce or spring mix that has a good crunch to it is best in this salad.
- Make sure you drain the lettuce well, otherwise the water will dilute the dressing.
- Toss lettuce in the dressing just before serving to retain the crispness. Lettuce will start losing water and turn soggy when it comes in contact with salt.
- If planning to make ahead, make the salad dressing 2-3 days in advance and refrigerate. Prep lettuce, drain it well(very important), line an airtight container with kitchen towel, store lettuce for up to 3-4 days.
Serve Lettuce Salad With
This salad goes with just about any main dish, from pastas to Pork, as a light leafy side dish. Cripsy parmesan crusted chicken, Baked Paprika chicken, Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese, Baked Chicken legs and vegetable , One pot ground beef pasta and many more.
Add it as a filling to wraps like my Buffalo Chicken Wrap or grilled chicken wraps or sandwiches.
More Salad Recipes
Lettuce salad
Ingredients
- 6 cups Lettuce (Romanian, butterhead such as Boston and Bibb)
- 3 tablespoon Cream fraiche (ref note 1)
- 2 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons Red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper
- ⅓ cup Chives
Instructions
- Clean lettuce well to get rid of any dirt or Chop lettuce and rinse under running water.
- In a large bowl filled with Ice-cold water, add lettuce, press gently to submerge it fully. Drain it well to get rid of any water. (ref note 2)
- Mix Cream fraiche, EVOO, red wine vinegar, dijon, salt, and pepper. Adjust the seasoning. (ref note 3)
- Add drained lettuce to the bowl along with chopped chives. Toss well to coat and serve.
Notes
- Instead of cream fraiche, you can also use mayonnaise, full fat Greek yogurt or sour cream. The taste might differ a bit and you might have to adjust the seasoning accordingly.
- If you cook with lettuce or greens or make salad often, I would strongly recommend using a salad spinner, it drains green leafy veggies well.
- The salad dressing is slightly on tart/sour sides because of vinegar and dijon mustard. You can add a pinch of sugar to balance it out if you wish. For more creamier version, double the dressing recipe.
Nutrition
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