Constraints

• Time: 10 minutes total (no cooking)
• Skill level: Beginner (knife skills helpful but not essential)
• Equipment: Knife, cutting board, large bowl, whisk (optional)

Snapshot

Prep: 8 minutes | Assemble: 2 minutes | Total: 10 minutes | Serves: 3–4 as a side or light main

Ingredients

Vegetables (choose 3–4, ~3 cups total):

• Lettuce or leafy greens (raw spinach, arugula, mixed greens)
• Tomatoes (sliced or halved)
• Cucumber (sliced into half-moons)
• Bell peppers (sliced into strips)
• Carrots (thinly sliced or ribboned)
• Radishes (thinly sliced)
• Snap peas (whole or halved)

Herbs (optional, 2–3 tbsp):

• Fresh basil, dill, parsley, or mint

Simple vinaigrette (make fresh):

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp vinegar (balsamic, white wine, or rice)
• ¼ tsp Dijon mustard (helps emulsify)
• ⅛ tsp salt
• Pinch black pepper

Instructions

1. Prepare vegetables (8 min): Wash all vegetables. Dry thoroughly (wet vegetables dilute dressing). Chop: lettuce into bite-size, tomatoes into eighths or quarters, cucumber into half-moons, peppers into strips, carrots into thin slices. Aim for roughly uniform pieces so flavors distribute evenly.

2. Put vegetables in a bowl (1 min): Add all vegetables. Add fresh herbs if using. Do not dress yet (salad will wilt if sat too long with dressing).

3. Make vinaigrette (1 min): In a small bowl or a measuring cup, whisk together oil, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper. Or put in a jar with a lid and shake.

4. Dress at serving time (1 min): Pour dressing over salad. Toss. Taste. Adjust seasoning if needed (add more salt or vinegar if needed).

Storage & Make-Ahead

Vegetables separate from dressing: Stores up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Dressing stays fresh for 1 week in the fridge. Dress just before eating to keep vegetables crisp.

Swaps

• Oil → No oil: Use just vinegar and mustard for a lighter salad (less satiety, good for summer meals).
• Vinegar → Citrus: Use fresh lemon or lime juice instead of vinegar.
• Greens → No greens: Make a crudités platter (just cut vegetables, no dressing) for snacking.

Nutrition Note

Raw vegetables retain heat-sensitive vitamins (vitamin C, folate) that cooking destroys. The fat in olive oil helps absorb fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K). This salad is light in calories but filling due to fiber and water content. Pair with protein (legumes, fish, eggs, meat) and carbohydrates (grains, bread) for a complete meal. As a salad alone, it is not a complete meal.

Storage

Refrigerator (undressed): 3–4 days in an airtight container. Dressing separate in a jar, lasts 1 week.
Freezer: Not recommended (vegetables will become mushy when thawed).

Connects To

Bottom Line

Wash, cut, assemble. Dress at serving time. Fresh and crisp every time. No cooking required.