Easy Lettuce Salad with Fresh Herbs

If there is one salad I make more than any other over the summer months, it's this Easy Lettuce Salad. A garden salad made with fresh lettuce from my own garden and a selection of home grown soft herbs. I dress the salad in a honey mustard dressing which adds just a touch of sweetness to the salad.

This is a simple round lettuce salad, as I love a leafy lettuce and grow a variety in my garden. Lettuce is really easy to grow, I've used round lettuce which is also known as butter or butterhead lettuce. Whatever you call it, its a leafy lettuce with a crunchy stem.

You can use any variety of soft garden herbs in this best lettuce salad recipe. I've used a combination of basil, chives, chive flowers (yes they are edible), dill and parsley. However, feel free to experiment and use the herbs that you enjoy eating.

Why you'll love this recipe

• The perfect balance of flavours combining the leafy greens and fresh herbs with sour acidity and sweetness in the honey mustard dressing.
• Ready and on the table in 10 minutes, as long as it takes to wash a lettuce and chop up some herbs.
• This vegetarian salad is both gluten free and dairy free.

How to make Lettuce Salad

• Break the lettuce into individual leaves, then wash the lettuce and dry. Place the dry leaves into a large bowl.
• Chop the fresh herbs and add to the bowl along with the lettuce leaves. Toss the herbs through the leaves to distribute evenly.

• Make the salad dressing my placing all the ingredients into a jam jar and seal with a lid. Give the jar a good shake to so that the ingredients meld together, forming the salad dressing. Set aside until ready to dress the salad.
• Drizzle a little of the honey mustard dressing over the salad and give everything a good toss to coat the leaves. Gradually add a little more salad dressing, tossing each time, until you have dressed the salad to your taste.
• Check the seasoning and add a touch more salt and/or black pepper if needed. Serve the side salad immediately with your choice of main.

Recipe ingredients & substitutions

• Lettuce: I've use a large round lettuce but this recipe will work with any variety of lettuce.
• Herbs: Rather than being too prescriptive, I recommend using the herbs that you like to eat. Use soft fresh herbs, eg basil, chives, coriander, dill, mint, parsley, tarragon.
• Honey: I prefer to use runny honey in the salad dressing, as I find it incorporates easier than a sold honey.
• Mustard: I like to use Dijon or wholegrain mustard in a honey mustard salad dressing. English mustard is a little too hot and would overpower the fresh tasting herbs.
• Vinegar: I have used apple cider vinegar, but white or red wine vinegar, or sherry vinegar would work equally well.
• Oil: I use extra virgin olive oil in the salad dressing as I like the nutty flavour, but you can also use regular olive oil or a light flavoured oil like sunflower oil.

Recipe variations

• I have made this salad using a round lettuce (also know as a butter or butterhead lettuce). However, you can use any variety of lettuce in this easy garden salad.
• Add other salad vegetables that you might have in your fridge or growing in your garden, like thinly sliced radishes, spring onions, cucumber, tomatoes.
• Add a little shaved or finely grated Parmesan cheese, or crumble though some feta cheese.
• I've used honey to sweeten the salad dressing, but you can swap this for maple or agave syrup, or leave it out altogether.
• Add a burst of citrus and swap the apple cider vinegar in the salad dressing for some freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Serving suggestions

This is a great tasting side salad that you can serve alongside a whole variety of meat, poultry, fish and vegetable based main dishes. Try it with your favourite bowl of pasta, or a slice of pizza. The options are endless.

It also makes a great BBQ side as it can be prepared in minutes, which is ideal when the sun is shining.

Useful hints and tips

1. When it comes to adding salad dressing, I add a little at a time, tossing the dressing through the salad each time, until I have added the right amount of dressing to suit my salad.
2. Don't be too heavy handed with salad dressing, you want to dress the salad, not have the lettuce swimming in dressing.
3. Leftover salad dressing can be stored in the jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
4. The salad dressing is Gluten free just check the mustard to ensure there are no gluten based additives.
5. For vegan diners swap the honey for maple or agave syrup.
6. Containing no dairy this side dish is suitable for dairy free diners.
7. Allergy advice: gluten free, dairy free, egg free, soya free and nut free. For comprehensive and detailed allergy advice go to Allergy UK.

FAQs

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Additional recipe suggestions

If you like this recipe then try some of my other simple side salad recipes:

• Easy Bean Salad
• Juicy Watermelon Feta Salad
• Spicy Chickpea Salad with Harissa Dressing
• Fennel & Apple Slaw
• Sprout Slaw with Apple & Radish
• Italian Marinated Aubergine
• Asian Cucumber Salad

If you love salad, head to my Best Salad Recipes post which has all my favourite side and main dish salads in one place.