The BEST Salad Recipe-Salad de Maison [+Video]

The BEST Family Favorite Salad recipe ever! This easy salad is made with fresh romaine lettuce, two kinds of cheese, crispy bacon, sweet tomatoes, crunchy toasted almonds, and fresh cucumbers all tossed with a healthy lemon vinaigrette.

My mom would often say that she’s not a great salad maker, which is not true. Her strawberry feta poppyseed salad is hands down one of my favorite salads ever. I cannot beg you enough to make it. Oh and she’s famous for her Bowtie Chicken Pasta Salad too.

The Process

I began testing simple family salad recipes that even kids would like a few years ago, but no matter how hard I tried to find something simple it always ended up a bit more involved. Tell me you love to cook without telling me you love to cook…

So I’d circle back to Cooking Classy’s recipe for Salad de Maison, and forget about my own search for a bit. With time I realized that her recipe really is just the best for a simple, healthy, quick and easy salad recipe.

Cheese in salad is a big win for me, but which cheese is best? I tried all the different varieties; cheddar completely overpowered the salad, swiss hit all the wrong notes, havarti was soft and didn’t fall through the salad like I wanted.

I finally settled on two cheeses that I think transform this salad: Manchego and Parmesan cheese. Listen, manchego can be bought old or young, you will need to decide if you like the more mild or more pungent. I prefer the younger manchego to be honest, but both are deliciously mild. The parmesan adds that salty, nutty note your salad needs to pump up the flavor.

What Do I Need to Make Salad de Maison?

We’ve talked about a lot of the ingredients needed for this simple green salad recipe, but here is a complete list so you know what you need:

• Slivered Almonds
• Bacon
• Romaine Hearts
• Roma Tomatoes or Cherry Tomatoes
• English Cucumber
• Manchego Cheese

Lemon Dressing

• Light Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
• Fresh Lemon Juice
• Dijon Mustard
• Honey
• Salt
• Black Pepper

I love the BLT flavor that all the ingredients have when they’re combined! The measurements and details for each ingredient can be found in the recipe at the end of the post.

How to Make The Best Salad [Salad de Maison]

Before you get started with this salad, make sure you have cooked the bacon and toasted the almonds. It seems a little silly to include the steps for making a salad, but just in case you need it…

1. Combine all the ingredients for the salad i

Easy Italian Pasta Salad [+ Video]

This easy Italian Pasta Salad is a crowd-pleasing dish perfect for summer picnics or potlucks. Packed with fresh vegetables, cheese, pepperoni and dressed with a zesty homemade Italian dressing, this salad is sure to be a hit. Plus, check out the recipe video for step-by-step instructions!

Have you made our Greek Pasta Salad? It’s really good and one of the most popular recipes on our site. Here’s the thing though, not everyone is a fan of feta cheese, so we felt like we had no choice but to bust out an amazingly easy pasta salad recipe complete with mozzarella cheese, fresh and flavorful homemade Italian dressing, and meat and colorful vegetables galore.

There’s something about pasta salad recipes and summertime that just make the world happy. I get almost giddy the closer we get to summer just thinking about dusting off the BBQ and pulling out the lawn chairs for outdoor cookouts with friends. Make some grilled chicken and grilled corn on the cob with this pasta salad with Italian dressing, and you have yourself the perfect summer dinner!

What’s in Italian Pasta Salad?

I’ll be honest with you — our kids totally pick out some of the ingredients in this homemade pasta salad. Two of our kids love straight up cold pepperoni. So Cade and I are left to eat whatever’s leftover from this pasta salad with pepperoni. The joys of parenthood!

To make this pasta salad recipe, you’ll need:

• Rotini Pasta: Any short, sturdy pasta works great like penne, farfalle, fusilli, macaroni, etc.
• Pepperoni
• Salami
• Black Olives
• Mozzarella Cheese: Fresh mozzarella balls are preferred.
• Parmesan Cheese: freshly grated
• Bell Pepper: I prefer a red, yellow or orange bell pepper.
• Tomatoes: Grape or cherry tomatoes work great.
• Red Onion
• Italian Salad Dressing: You can grab some at the grocery store or make it at home with the recipe we’ve included below.

The measurements needed for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

How to Make Italian Pasta Salad

Don’t let all the mix-ins fool you, this Italian pasta salad with pepperoni is as easy as it gets! It’s just a matter of cooking the pasta, choppi

Easy Spring Salad [+Video]

This is an easy spring salad full of seasonal ingredients like asparagus, radishes, peas, fresh herbs and enhanced with roasted chickpeas, feta cheese, toasted pine nuts, and hard boiled eggs all topped with a bright and tangy lemon salad dressing.

Well, we did it again! We survived winter! And boy was it a doozy here in Utah this year. I have never seen so much snow here and we have lived here a really long time. So the fact that a “spring” salad is even a possibility brings a smile to my face! It is time for bright refreshing flavors and warmer temperatures!

What Goes in a Spring Salad?

One of the beauties of a salad is that they are so versatile, so I’m going to share the ingredients for how we like to make this salad, but keep in mind that you can omit or add ingredients to your liking. Here is what we like…

Dressing

• Olive Oil: the base of the dressing
• Dijon Mustard: adds intense mustard flavor
• Lemon Juice and Zest: adds a bright pop of freshness and acidity
• Shallot: adds mild onion flavor
• Champagne Vinegar: if you can’t find champagne vinegar, you can use prosecco or white wine vinegar
• Salt and Pepper: adds flavor

Salad

• Pine Nuts: adds texture and we toast them for maximum flavor
• Asparagus: remove the tough stem end and then cut it into 1-2″ pieces
• Frozen Peas: let them defrost in a bowl of water
• Baby Salad Greens: this can be any mix of greens you enjoy…romaine, spinach, arugula, chard, etc.
• Radishes: adds a little heat and gorgeous color
• Cucumber: we prefer an English cucumber
• Fresh Herbs: mint, basil, parsley, chives – this blend is so bright and bold
• Feta: totally optional, but we love them saltiness flavor it adds
• Roasted Chickpeas: you can buy roasted chickpeas or roast your own and they add great texture
• Olive Oil: used to roast the chickpeas
• Salt and Pepper: adds flavor
• Hard Boiled Eggs: adds protein and heartiness to the salad

This is meant to just be an overview of the ingredients for this salad. For all the details and measurements, scroll down to the recipe card at the end of this post.

How to Make a Fresh Spring Salad

I like to start salad recipes by making the dressing. It can be made up to a day or two ahead of time, so it’s nice to get that made and out of the way. For this salad dressing, just whisk all the ingredients together and set it aside.

Other parts of this recipe can also be prepped ahead of time. You can hard boil the eggs, toast the pine nuts and roast the chickpeas up

Roasted Pear & Apple Salad with Caramelized Shallot Maple Vinaigrette

We love to make this roasted pear and apple salad in the fall with all the freshly harvested apples and pears!

It is topped with prosciutto, cinnamon pecans, pepitas, gorgonzola and raisins then tossed with the most stunning caramelized shallot maple vinaigrette. 

Ingredients for Roasted Apple Salad

Here is a list of the ingredients you will need for this salad recipe:

• Prosciutto – adds crunch and smoky delicious flavor
• Honeycrisp Apples (or Jonagold) – these apples hold up great to roasting and the flavor is the best
• Bartlett Pear (or Bosc) – become so flavorful and delicious when roasting
• Cinnamon Pecans (or Hazelnuts) – You can buy these at the store or make them on your own. See section below for how to make them at home.
• Olive Oil – helps keep the apples and pears from sticking to the pan
• Black Pepper – adds flavor
• Mixed Greens with Arugula – If your container of mixed greens doesn’t include arugula then buy some arugula and add it. Arugula just shines in this salad!!
• Gorgonzola – We love gorgonzola but it is easily substituted with any cheese you love. Try smoked cheddar, gouda, goat cheese, manchego, gruyere, etc.
• Pepitas – adds a yummy little crunch and nutty flavor
• Golden Raisins – can be replaced with regular raisins, craisins or pomegranate seeds

Vinaigrette

This recipe was inspired by a Taste of Home recipe I was reading. It just sounded so good and it was fabulous on this salad! Here is what you will need:

• Shallots – have a mild onion flavor and caramelize quickly
• Kosher Salt – adds a touch of flavor to the shallots as they caramelize
• Maple Syrup – use the real stuff!
• White Balsamic Vinegar (or Apple Cider Vinegar) – you gotta have vinegar for a vinaigrette, both these options are sweet and tangy
• Olive Oil – the base of the vinaigrette

What Apples are Best for Salads?

I am forever loyal to honeycrisp apples! Jonagold will also work great. If you can’t find those or if they are too expensive (they can get quite pricey), then go with gala, granny smith, or Braeburn.

How to Roast Apples and Pears

Roasting apples and pears is so easy! You will want to slice them pretty thin, cutting the pears a little thicker than the apples. Then lay them on a baking sheet that has been drizzled with a little olive oil to prevent sticking. Make sure all the slices are in a single layer. Place them in a preheated oven (425 degrees) and let them roast for 10 minutes. Then flip them all over and roast them for about 5 more minutes or until they are golden.

How to

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad +Video

Bright Mediterranean flavors are packed into this fresh and healthy quinoa salad – spinach, tomato, cucumber, feta, red onion all tossed with fresh herbs and a sweet and tangy homemade dressing. It is a perfect summer salad!

Years ago we had a blogger lunch with all of the Utah food bloggers. There were only a few of us back then and it was simple to gather around a table to discuss life and business. There was a quinoa salad at one lunch that was fairly decent but lacked a little flavor.

This was my first introduction to quinoa so I blamed it on the grain. However, it felt fresh and nourishing so I’ve been playing with my own version ever since.

A friend of mine blew my mind by introducing me to Prosecco vinegar and it’s become not only the best quinoa salad but one of my favorite summer side salads period.

How to Make Quinoa Salad Video

What is Quinoa?

Quinoa is technically the seed of a plant, but it is classified as a whole grain. It is a great source of plant protein and fiber.

Ingredients for Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

Here is a brief overview of the ingredients you will need to make this tasty summer salad and the homemade salad dressing to go with it…

• Tri Color Quinoa: You can use any quinoa that you want. I just love the way this looks in the dish.
• Spinach: Grab some fresh spinach and chop it up! It adds great color, flavor and nutrients!
• Cucumber: We prefer English cucumbers so you don’t have to peel them and they are less seedy.
• Mung Beans: This is totally optional but I love the texture of beans in a salad and they are a great source of plant protein. We like Bob’s Red Mill brand.
• Grape Tomatoes: Slice them in half to make them easier