This is my Grandma Mary’s simple green salad and one my family has made for years.

Grab your favorite greens, some dill, a cuke, and an onion, and toss them in a zippy quick vinaigrette. It’s a go-to for almost any meal.

plated Simple Green Salad with dill

You’ll Love This Simple Green Salad Because…

  • It’s a fresh and light side salad that’s quick and easy too.
  • This crisp green salad goes with anything and can also be the base for a ‘protein’ salad as a wrap filling or energizing workday lunch.
  • The lemon dressing doubles as a marinade for chicken, fish, or shrimp, or as a dressing for pasta salad, so feel free to make extra!
salad greens , onion , cucumber , vinegar , sugar , lemon , dijon , oil , dill , salt and pepper with labels to make Simple Green Salad

Ingredients and Add-Ins

Greens: Butter lettuce and/or red leaf lettuce make this simple green salad crisp and delicious. Romaine and even iceberg lettuce will work, too.

Dill: Fresh dill adds from-the-garden flavor to a simple green salad, but you can also use mint, parsley, cilantro, basil, and even celery leaves. If substituting dried dill weed, add it to the dressing and let the dressing refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Cucumber: Use Persian or English cucumbers for a green salad as they are denser and will stay crisp longer. However, use what you’ve got!

Onions: White onions are sweet but can have a ‘bite.’ Soak slices in ice water while preparing the rest of the salad. Pat them dry and toss them in. Sliced green onions or chives are also good alternatives.

My Grandma’s Salad Dressing

This salad is all about the dressing—it’s easy, just add it to a jar and shake!

  • Use a light-flavored oil like light olive oil, vegetable, or avocado oil.
  • Add fresh lemon juice, Dijon, sugar, vinegar, and salt & pepper.

How to Make a Green Salad

This simple salad with a quick vinaigrette is a crisp and refreshing side to any entrée!

  1. Place dressing ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake to combine.
  2. Add salad ingredients to a large bowl.
  3. Toss with dressing and serve immediately.

Other Additions

  • Sprinkle on some toasted almonds, sunflower seeds, pepitas, or a handful of dried cranberries.
  • Crumbled feta, parmesan cheese, or goat cheese are great additions.
  • Add sliced radishes, cherry tomatoes, or other fresh veggies (and fresh herbs) for more color.
mixing Simple Green Salad in a bowl with wooden spoons

How to Keep Salad Fresh

Store the salad and dressing separately. Wash the greens and store them in a covered container with a piece of paper towel in the fridge for up to 1 week.

More Salad Recipes You'll Love

Did your family love this Green Salad recipe? Leave a comment and a rating below.

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mixing Simple Green Salad in a bowl with wooden spoons
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Simple Green Salad

Fresh dill, cucumber, and onion are tossed with greens in a simple lemon dressing to make this fresh and easy salad.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 4 servings

Equipment

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Ingredients  

  • 8 cups mixed greens butter lettuce or red leaf lettuce
  • cup chopped fresh dill
  • ½ English cucumber thinly sliced
  • ¼ sweet white onion thinly sliced, or use 3 green onions or red onion

Lemon Dressing

  • 3 tablespoons light flavored olive oil or vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt more to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper more to taste

Instructions 

  • In a mason jar, combine oil, vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, sugar, and salt & pepper. Shake vigorously to mix.
  • In a large salad bowl, combine greens, dill, cucumber, and onion.
  • Drizzle with dressing, toss, and serve immediately.

Notes

Thinly sliced radishes or ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese can be added to this salad.
5 from 18 votes

Nutrition Information

Calories: 127 | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 184mg | Potassium: 257mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1252IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Appetizer, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American
plated Simple Green Salad with a title
light and crisp Simple Green Salad in a bowl with wooden spoons and writing
refreshing Simple Green Salad in a bowl with a title
Simple Green Salad in a bowl and close up photo with wooden spoons and a title

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About the author

Holly Nilsson is the creator of Spend With Pennies, where she creates easy, comforting recipes made for real life. With a passion for nostalgic flavors and simplified techniques, Holly helps busy home cooks create delicious meals that always work. She is also the author of “Everyday Comfort,” which promises to inspire even more hearty, home-cooked meals.
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Comments

  1. Green salads is my fave craving essential of my day. Really likes to create a tasty saladevery meal.

    1. Thanks so much for letting us know Paul! The number itself is correct, the unit is incorrect. This should be 4642.68 IU of Vitamin A (not %). I have my developer working on getting this updated ASAP. Apologies for the confusion.

  2. I fell in love with this salad last summer. Today the temperature reached 70, and we grilled dinner and served this salad and asparagus as sides. Thank-you so much for sharing!

  3. TWO MINUTES!!! Sign me up for some of that! But seriously, you had me at lemon and again with the vinegar! Heck, I’m just coming over!

    1. You’re place at the table is set and ready! ;) Honestly, making your own dressing is just SO easy!

  4. YES. Every food DOES need a bit of cheese in it! I love childhood recipes that I’ve adapted to my adult tastes. It brings the memories of eating it then together with the memories we’re creating eating it today!

  5. I grew up eating cucumber salads and I still make it at home. My children love it. I like that you added some lemon and mustard to vinaigrette. Very delicious!

    1. Thank you Ilona! My girls love salad too, it’s a funny thing but cucumber salads are just such a classic dish!

  6. Oh I am loving the look of this salad, especially with the addition of feta, summer in a dish. The lemon & dill combination reminds me of lots of Persian salads I’ve tried.