Description
Ina Garten’s green salad vinaigrette brings French countryside elegance to any dining table. Classic ingredients blend seamlessly, creating a light and refreshing dressing that elevates simple greens into a sophisticated culinary experience.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 8 to 10 cups (1.9 to 2.4 liters) salad greens or mesclun mix
- ½ cup (120 milliliters) good olive oil
- ¼ cup (60 milliliters) freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
Seasonings:
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Carefully wash and thoroughly dry the mixed salad greens, ensuring no excess moisture remains that could dilute the dressing.
- Create a vibrant vinaigrette by combining fresh lemon juice (approximately or 30 milliliters) with extra virgin olive oil (or 45 milliliters), whisking until the mixture becomes smooth and slightly emulsified.
- Season the dressing with kosher salt (or 1.5 grams) and freshly cracked black pepper, adjusting to personal taste preferences and ensuring even distribution of seasonings.
- Gently transfer the prepared salad greens into a spacious serving bowl, creating a light, airy base for the dressing.
- Drizzle the prepared vinaigrette over the greens, using a delicate folding motion to coat each leaf evenly without bruising the delicate leaves.
- Allow the salad to rest for 2-3 minutes to let the flavors meld together, giving the greens a chance to absorb the zesty dressing.
- Plate the dressed salad immediately, serving as a crisp and refreshing accompaniment to complement your main course.
Notes
- Elevate flavor with fresh citrus zest by grating some lemon or orange rind directly into the vinaigrette for an extra bright, aromatic touch.
- Balance dressing texture by whisking ingredients thoroughly to create a smooth, well-integrated vinaigrette that coats every salad leaf perfectly.
- Experiment with herb variations by adding chopped fresh basil, parsley, or thyme to introduce unexpected depth and complexity to your simple salad.
- Store leftover dressing in an airtight container inside the refrigerator for up to five days, giving it a quick shake before each use to recombine ingredients.
- Enhance salad crunch by adding toasted nuts or seeds like sliced almonds or pumpkin seeds right before serving for delightful textural contrast.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 1 cup)
- Calories: 89
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 214 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 2 mg