Easy Vegetable Salad Recipes

Margie's been an online writer for several years. Her articles focus on great Southern-style recipes for any occasion.

Who doesn't appreciate a delicious salad filled with their favorite vegetables? I am nuts about an avocado in my salad, and I really love cheese, too! Hope you find a favorite recipe you will enjoy many times!

Scrumptious Easy Vegetable Salads to Choose From!

1. Basic Salad Fixin's
2. Layered Salad
3. Marinated Cucumber and Onion Salad
4. Fried Okra Salad

1. Basic Salad Fixin's Recipe

We eat a salad with almost every meal at our house. I have started using romaine lettuce hearts; they come in packages of three or six. When you just buy the single romaine lettuce, many of the outside leaves are unusable.

Use the lettuce that you prefer. So, with that said, here are my salad makings!

Basic Ingredients

• 1 romaine lettuce heart or your favorite kind of lettuce
• 1 cup baby spinach leaves or spring greens
• 4 medium diced tomatoes
• 1 small cucumber
• red onion rings or green onions
• red or green bell pepper rings

Optional Add-Ins

Instructions

1. Toss well. Feel free to add or delete any items you do not like, then mix and match until you build your favorite salad.
2. Top with your favorite dressing. Many times I just salt and pepper mine, or I leave it naked and dig in!

2. Layered Salad Recipe

In my mind, a layered salad is the king of salads. It has all the things we love in one bowl. It's layered with spinach, lettuce, boiled eggs, onions, green peas, celery, bell peppers, mushrooms, cheese, bacon, and avocado, then frosted with a dressing.

Wow, so yummy! Allow for overnight refrigeration before serving.

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 1/2 head lettuce (I like romaine; use any kind you like.)
• 1 bunch fresh spinach
• 4 hard-boiled eggs, grated
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped (tops too)
• 1 (16-ounce) can green peas, drained
• 1/2 cup celery, chopped
• 1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
• 10 slices of bacon, crisp-cooked, drained, and crumbled

For the dressing:

• 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 cups sour cream
• avocado (garnish)

Instructions

1. Okay, we are ready to layer! Get a large glass bowl.
2. Wash, drain, and tear the lettuce and spinach into pieces.
3. In a very large glass bowl, layer half of the lettuce, eggs, onions, peas, spinach, celery, bell pepper, mushrooms, Cheddar cheese, and bacon.
4. Sprinkle with one teaspoon sugar, salt, and black pepper.
5. Mix the dressing, mayonnaise, and sour cream. Frost the salad with half of the dressing.
6. Repeat the layers, then sprinkle with the remaining teaspoon sugar, salt, and black pepper.
7. Frost with the remaining dressing.
8. Sprinkle with the Monterey Jack cheese, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
9. Before serving, garnish with avocado slices.

3. Marinated Cucumber and Onion Salad Recipe

Cucumber and onions go together so deliciously. We go through many onions in our kitchen.

This is a delicious marinated salad and a great way to use an abundance of cucumbers this summer.

Ingredients

• 3 large cucumbers, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill
• 1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced

Instructions

1. Slice the cucumber in a large bowl. Add the salt and toss.
2. Cover the bowl with a plate laying directly on the cucumbers. Weigh down the plate with a one-pound can.
3. Set aside for two hours, drain, and rinse well.
4. In the serving bowl, add the lemon juice, oil, sugar, and the dill mix.
5. Mix in the cucumbers and red onions, then place in a refrigerator overnight. Serve cold or at room temperature.

4. Fried Okra Salad Recipe

Fried okra salad is a great recipe to use this summer when you have okra ready in your garden, or you can buy it at the supermarket.

The crispy fried okra adds a crunch to this delightful salad. It is so easy to make, and the salad bowl will be empty and asking for more! Add your favorite meat, like fried chicken, and corn on the cob for a delicious meal!

Ingredients

• 4 to 6 cups fried okra
• 6 slices crisp-fried bacon, crumbled
• 2 bunches green onions, chopped
• 1 large or 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1 large green bell pepper, chopped

For the dressing:

• 1/2 cup oil
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup vinegar

Instructions

1. Fry the okra in cornmeal batter, as usual. Drain on paper towels.
2. Mix the ingredients for the dressing together and shake, making sure the sugar dissolves.
3. Add to the cooled okra: bacon, green onions, bell pepper, and tomatoes.
4. Pour the dressing over the okra mixture, stir, and serve immediately.

Serves 8–10.

More Delicious Southern-Style Recipes

• The Best Southern Brown Sugar Pound Cake Recipe
  Southern desserts are guaranteed crowd-pleasers! This rich pound cake has old-fashioned cream-cheese frosting and is surprisingly easy to make.
• Chow Chow Relish (and More Great Southern Relish Recipes)
  Two authentic Southern chow chow relish recipes (cooked and no-cook versions). Bonus recipes: peach relish and jalapeño jelly.

A Beautiful Wood Salad Bowl and Tongs

This is a gorgeous wood bowl that I have served salad in with my family for several years! I love the classy look; it's not the same as all other salad bowls with a straight edge. You can get this wood salad bowl on Amazon for not very much, and it makes a great gift, too!

© 2018 Margie's Southern Kitchen

Comments

poonkz on January 11, 2019:

yackkkk disgusting

Jill Spencer from United States on May 12, 2018:

Now that the weather's hot, these salads would really hit the spot for dinner or to take to a picnic. The fried okra salad is a new one to me. Amazing recipes!

Margie's Southern Kitchen (author) from the USA on March 26, 2018:

Audrey, glad I posted something you like! Have a wonderful day!

Audrey Hunt from Idyllwild Ca. on March 25, 2018:

I'm with FlourishAnyway - going to try the layered salad! So glad you add sunflower seeds to this recipe. I love these seeds and sprinkle a handful on just about everything.

Thank you, Margie.

Audrey

Margie's Southern Kitchen (author) from the USA on March 22, 2018:

You a very welcome! The layered salad is so yummy, I am sure you would like it! We love salads!

FlourishAnyway from USA on March 22, 2018:

I’d like to try that layered salad! Thanks for presenting this information. Everyone needs more vegetables in their lives