This Layered Salad is full of fresh veggies drizzled with a creamy homemade salad dressing. This delicious recipe is flexible. Omit or add whatever ingredients you prefer.
Pairs well with seafood, fried fish, meatloaf and more. Serve as a side or main dish.
If desired, toss in some chopped deli meat, grilled chicken, fried fish, or pieces of chopped steak.
FASCINATING CAESAR SALAD FACTS
A Caesar salad (also spelled Cesar and Cesare) is a green salad that contains Romaine lettuce, croutons, dressed with lemon juice (or lime juice), olive oil, egg, Worcestershire sauce, anchovies, garlic, Dijon mustard and Parmesan Cheese or whatever else is preferred.
According to wikipeda.org, the first salad is attributed to restaurateur Caesar Cardini, an Italian immigrant who operated restaurants in Mexico and the United States.
Cardini was living in San Diego, but worked in Tijuana where he avoided the restrictions of Prohibition.
Pictured below is my Homemade Salad Mix In A Bag.
On super busy days, I’ll take a break from filming recipe videos and have a quick lunch.
I’ll open a bag of prepared salad mix, drizzle with some dressing and use a fork to eat straight from the bag. One of my favorite quick and easy meals.
Make sure ingredients are clean and dry before tossing into a large zippered bag (gallon size).
Seal shut and refrigerate until ready to use. To avoid a soggy salad, place salad dressing in a small lidded container.
If you like meat in your salad, store in a separate container. Add dressing and meat before serving.
Iceberg vs. Romain lettuce?
According to brittanica.com, lettuce, (Lactuca sativa ), annual leaf vegetable of the aster family (Asteraceae ).
Most lettuce varieties are eaten fresh and are commonly served as the base of green salads.
Lettuce is generally a rich source of vitamins K and A, though the nutritional value depends on the variety of lettuce.
How To Read & Follow A Recipe
Reading a recipe is an important life skill. It starts with knowing how to read a recipe’s ingredients, follow the instructions, prep ingredients, and knowing what equipment to use.
The following tips and strategies will help beginners or experienced cooks create a delicious dish as intended in the recipe.
Start with clean hands and organized kitchen. Wash hands thoroughly. Make sure kitchen and countertops are clean before making a recipe.
Create a relaxing environment. Play favorite music while in the kitchen. I love listening to classical or gospel music.
Read the recipe. Don’t just quickly skim it. Thoroughly read from start to finish. Visualize doing each step which will help you avoid missing a step.
If you see ingredient that you and your family don’t use for whatever reason, use a substitutions or omit the ingredient.
My recipes are packed with helpful tips like shortcuts and serving sizes which save time time and help with meal planning.
Pay attention to the order in which ingredients are prepped. For example, 1 cup of chopped pecans is not the same as pecans, chopped (measure whole pecans and then chop).
Know the assumptions. For example, when my recipe calls for “sugar,” use granulated sugar. If brown sugar is an ingredient, it will be written as such in the recipe.
Figure out the timing. Check the listed “prep time” and “total time” to be sure you have enough time to complete the recipe.
Look for hints, such as the words “meanwhile” or “at the same time,” which indicate two or more steps can happen simultaneously.
For example, my prep time doesn’t include bringing cold butter up to room temperature. Be sure to include in your timetable.
Watch Recipe Videos. If you’re a visual learner (like me), watch recipe videos. Perfect for when you’re learning a new skill or just want to see how a recipe is made.
Mise en place is a super time saver. This French cooking term translates as “putting in place.” It means prepping/measuring ingredients and chopping food before you start cooking. It’s the perfect way to get organized and avoid missing an ingredient or missing a step in the instructions.
Organize your tools and kitchen equipment. Mise en place isn’t just for ingredients. Before starting, make sure you have parchment paper, aluminum foil, measuring cups, measuring spoons, the right pans, mixing bowls, and other equipment.
Make notes in your recipe. Note any special prep instructions and highlight cooking times. Make note of ingredients omitted, favorite substitutions and creative twists. The notes will be very helpful the next time you make this recipe.
Enjoy!
Layered Salad and Homemade Ranch Dressing
Ingredients
Layered Salad
- 4 cups lettuce torn into bite-sized pieces use iceberg or Romaine lettuce
- 1 cup carrots, shredded
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
- 2 each English cucumbers, thinly sliced or use regular cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 cup white onions, diced
- 1/2 cup black olives, chopped optional
- 1/2 cup cremini mushrooms, chopped
- 2 each boiled eggs, chopped
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded or use shredded cheddar cheese.
- 6 each white onion rings for garnish optional
- croutons optional
Homemade Ranch Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 teaspoon dried chives
- 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder or 1 small garlic clove, smashed
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice optional
Instructions
Layered Salad
- Garnish top of salad with onion rings and croutons (optional).
- Evenly arrange 2 cups of lettuce (bite-size pieces) in bottom of medium sized bowl
- Top with 1/2 cup of shredded carrots, 1/2 cup halved grape tomatoes, 1 cup of thinly sliced English cucumbers, 1/2 cup diced white onions, 1/4 cup chopped black olives, 1/4 cup chopped cremini mushrooms, sprinkle about 2 tablespoons chopped boiled eggs, sprinkle with 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan (or cheddar) cheese.
- Top with remaining 2 cups of lettuce (bite size pieces). Top with remaining ingredients as previously instructed.
- Before serving, garnish with 6 onion rings and preferred amount of croutons (optional). Drizzle with salad dressing.
Homemade Ranch Dressing
- Whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl or jar. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes before serving.
- NOTE: This dressing is thick. When mixed in with the salad, it will automatically thin a little. If you prefer a pourable dressing, add 1/2 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon of milk. Whisk until well combined.