Description
A fresh and vibrant Red and Green Salad featuring a medley of crisp mixed greens, juicy cherry tomatoes, red bell pepper, cucumber, and red onion, topped with creamy avocado and crumbly feta cheese. Tossed in a tangy homemade vinaigrette, this salad is perfect for a quick, healthy meal or side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Salad:
- 4 cups mixed greens (such as spinach, arugula, or romaine)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 cucumber, sliced
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 avocado, diced (optional)
- 1/2 cup feta cheese or goat cheese, crumbled (optional)
For the Dressing:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar (or balsamic vinegar)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey (or maple syrup for a vegan option)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Vegetables: Wash and chop the mixed greens into bite-sized pieces if necessary. Halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the red bell pepper, slice the cucumber, and thinly slice the red onion. If you choose to include avocado, dice it as well.
- Make the Dressing: In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper until the mixture is emulsified and smooth. Adjust the seasoning according to your taste preference.
- Assemble the Salad: In a large salad bowl, combine all the prepared vegetables including mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, red bell pepper, cucumber, red onion, and diced avocado if using. Then, sprinkle the crumbled feta or goat cheese evenly over the top.
- Dress the Salad: Drizzle the freshly made vinaigrette over the salad and gently toss everything together to coat the ingredients evenly. Serve immediately for best freshness and flavor.
Notes
- For a vegan version, substitute honey with maple syrup and omit the cheese or use a vegan cheese alternative.
- Make sure to toss the salad gently to avoid bruising the avocado and to keep the greens crisp.
- This salad is best served fresh but can be prepped in advance by keeping the dressing separate until ready to serve.
- You can add proteins like grilled chicken or chickpeas to make it a complete meal.
- Adjust vinegar and honey quantities to balance tanginess and sweetness based on preference.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: red and green salad, mixed greens salad, healthy salad recipe, easy salad, vegetarian salad, fresh salad, vinaigrette dressing
