This simple House Salad Recipe is easy enough to make any day of the week – it’s a basic salad but so good! I think of it as a copycat for those restaurant salads you love – but you can make it at home!
We love to make salads all year and always have different ingredients on hand so we can easily toss one together. One of our favorites is a house salad – a basic salad recipe with just a few ingredients.
What is a House Salad?
Restaurants offer so many salad types these days. Typically a menu will include a caesar salad and either a house or garden salad. House salads and garden salads are very similar, except that a house one is typically one that the restaurant has created with what they love to serve – so it’ll be more varied than a garden salad.
There are many variations but often with a common theme: a crisp and fresh salad usually with some combination of lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and croutons. Sometimes there’s cheese or other ingredients. You can use your favorite salad dressing – I’ll go into some of the ones we love best.
Think of this recipe as a basic salad that you can customize to your liking – or keep it just like the copycat recipe you love.
House Salad Ingredients
- Chopped romaine lettuce: You could also use baby spinach, iceberg lettuce, or butter lettuce leaves. Or make arugula salad!
- Sliced beefsteak tomato: You could also use cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
- Sliced red onion: This is optional if you don’t like raw onion.
- Crumbled crispy bacon: There is always a place for bacon
- Sliced cucumber: This is a classic in any restaurant salad. I like buying English cucumbers because they don’t have seeds.
- Diced cooked chicken breast: Optional – if you want to add some protein and make this a main dish. Omit for a side dish.
- Croutons: A must – but you could also add sliced or chopped almonds, walnuts, and pecans.
- Use any veggies you like: shredded carrots or cut bell peppers are a favorite.
- Cheese: If you decide to add cheese, we love shredded cheddar cheese in salad, or even parmesan.
Dressing for House salad
We love to just use bottled store bought dressing (any flavor you like, a choose your own adventure like when you’re at a restaurant and can choose). However, we’ll sometimes make a simple vinaigrette at home.
Add equal parts extra virgin olive oil and your choice of acid (apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, balsamic, or fresh lemon juice) to a jar or plastic container. Add one pressed garlic clove, salt, ground black pepper, and a tablespoon of dijon mustard. You can also add fresh herbs (oregano is our favorite). Shake to emulsify the dressing.
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How to Make a Classic house Salad Recipe
- Layer the chopped lettuce, tomatoes, onion, bacon, cucumber, chicken, and croutons in a large salad bowl.
- You can add the dressing and gently toss it all together or toss the salad and serve the dressing on the side so everyone can add their own.
Storing Leftovers
- Store leftover salad without dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Meal prep and make ahead: you can assemble the salad a day or two ahead (longer if you leave out the tomatoes; they’re wet and will make the lettuce soggy). Have you ever made a mason jar salad? It’s a great way to take your lunch to work.
Simple House Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 head romaine lettuce chopped
- 1 beefsteak tomato
- ½ red onion sliced
- 5 slices of crispy bacon crumbled
- ½ large cucumber sliced
- 1 cup chicken breast cooked and cubed
- Croutons
Instructions
- Put lettuce, tomato, onion, cucumber and chicken in a large bowl. Mix together well
- Use your favorite store bought dressing (we used a balsamic vinaigrette). Add croutons.
- Serve!
Recipe Notes
- We normally serve this with an array of store bought dressings so everyone can choose their own.
- To make homemade dressing: Add equal parts extra virgin olive oil and your choice of acid (apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, balsamic, or fresh lemon juice) to a jar or plastic container. Add one pressed garlic clove, salt, ground black pepper, and a tablespoon of dijon mustard. You can also add fresh herbs (oregano is our favorite). Shake to emulsify the dressing.
- Feel free to add other things you like – carrots, peppers, olives, cheddar cheese, nuts – anything!
Recipe Nutrition
Easy Salad Recipes You’ll Enjoy
A Simple House Salad can have many variations, but this one is the original without any bells or whistles. It makes the perfect side salad!