Meet your new favourite, the simple chopped salad recipe. It’s so stinking easy to make, but packs a punch in flavour. Think crisp, fresh lettuce with sprinklings of sharp Parmesan cheese, and you’ve got yourself your new favourite side dish.
It’s salad season, baby. This salad is deceiving. It looks all lettuce-y and plain, but it’s more than that. It’s simple, and easy-to-make, but it’s also the perfect combo of crisp (fresh lettuce), and sharpness from the Parmesan, and then if you opt for the chilli flakes, there’s also a little spice in there too. It never disappoints.
Best of all, it’s an affordable salad to make too, with only a handful of ingredients it’s one of those salad recipes that work well for a mid-week meal.
Want more delicious salad recipes? I’ve got you. Check out my ever-so-popular wombok salad, curried egg salad, or Mum’s famous potato salad.
How to make Simple Chopped Salad
This simple chopped salad recipe is best made right before serving, otherwise the lettuce can become a little wilted and not at it’s best. If you can’t get your hands on Cos Lettuce (the equivalent in the US is romaine lettuce), then you can use Iceberg Lettuce, or even try it with Rocket or Baby Spinach.
Chop the lettuce finely, and wash and dry. I rinsed it gently in a colander and then dabbed dry with paper towel. Place the lettuce, shallot, lemon zest, in a large bowl and top with Parmesan cheese and chili flakes. Now, I went heavy on the chili flakes… is it because I like things spicy? No. It’s because I think I can handle more than I can, and I’m heavy-handed with anything I do. It was fine though and added a little zing to the salad.
Toss everything together to combine. Make the dressing in a jar – the oil, lemon juice as well as the salt and pepper. Gently toss to combine.
You can eat this salad on it’s own, but I think it’s best served with a steak, roast chicken or a piece of fish.
Want more deliciously easy recipes? Browse through hundreds of my tried and tested recipes, or take a look at my free recipe eBook filled with budget-friendly dinner ideas. You can also keep up-to-date by following along on Instagram or Facebook.
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Simple Chopped Salad
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4
- Cuisine: Salad
Ingredients
Instructions
1. Place the lettuce, grated parmesan, chilli flakes, and lemon zest in a large salad bowl. Toss to combine.
2. In a jar, place the oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper. Place the lid on, and shake to combine. Pour over the salad, and gently toss. Serve immediately.
Notes
Don’t dress the salad until you’re ready to serve. The lettuce is delicate and it will drown in the dressing if you pour too early. It’s best eaten straight away.
