Ingredients Needed
Cucumber. I used English cucumbers but Mediterranean or Persian cucumbers will also work well. Tomatoes. Try to use the ripest tomatoes you can find. If the tomatoes you buy aren’t fully ripe, leave them out at room temperature for a few days and they should turn a beautiful, vivid red and be sweet and juicy. Red onion. Olives. Olives are optional but we love the salty, briny flavor they add. Feta cheese. Substitute with crumbled goat cheese or leave out if you want a dairy-free recipe. Extra’s: Other salad ingredients like Romaine lettuce, Iceberg lettuce, chickpeas/garbanzo beans, bell peppers, green onion/spring onion, etc. can all be added. For an Italian spin, add chopped salami, mozzarella, pepperoncini’s and Italian dressing. For the dressing: Extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice (red wine vinegar can be substituted), salt and black pepper. Herbs like dried oregano or parsley can also be added.
How to make easy chopped salad
The great thing about a chopped salad is that you can add whatever you want. If you’d like you can add avocado, celery, carrots, sweetcorn, spring onion and sugar snap peas. Anything goes, really. I just have red onion, tomato, cucumber, olives and feta at hand permanently so these are featured in this salad more often than not. I also like to change the ingredients depending on what I’m serving the salad with. If it’s just a simple weeknight salad, this version works perfectly. If we are having a rich, spicy curry, I love adding spring onion and cilantro. With Mexican recipes, adding charred sweetcorn, cilantro, finely chopped chillies and cubed avocado creates a flavor explosion. Chop all the ingredients finely using a sharp knife. I don’t bother removing the seeds from the tomatoes and cucumbers but you can do so if you wish. Add all the ingredients to a large mixing bowl then pour over the dressing, toss and serve. As for the dressing for this chopped salad, I really like to keep things simple. A good lemon vinaigrette is always delicious and this one is as easy as they come. Fresh lemon, a splash of vinegar, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper are all you need. Whisk it up, pour over the chopped salad and you’re good to go. Summer eating at its best!
Can I make this ahead?
This salad can be made up to a day in advance but keep the dressing separate and only pour over right before serving. Transfer the salad to an airtight container and keep in the fridge.
Easy Salad Recipes
