This Easy Gourmet Salad has been a favorite in our house for so many years. There are some delicious add-ins that make it so good!
Easy Gourmet Salad:
You know how there are some recipes that have been around forever in your family… but you’ve never taken the time to write them down and save them properly? This is one of those recipes. I’m pretty sure I got the idea of this recipe from someone back in my days of teaching elementary school, but I really have no idea who shared it. We’ve been enjoying it for years in my house. It’s a simple salad, really, with simple ingredients. But it’s delicious and satisfying enough to have for lunch, and it’s quick-to-prepare too. And if you happen to be going to a potluck sort-of event, it’s “gourmet” enough to share this Easy Gourmet Salad.
What makes it “gourmet?” Well, there are a few add-ins that make it special: sundried tomatoes, feta cheese, golden raisins and toasted pine nuts… oh yeah., and a simple, homemade salad dressing.
Start with mixed greens- any sort. You can use a bag, or you can use 6 handfuls that you picked up at your local Farmer’s Market.
Add a large chopped carrot.
Then add chopped red bell pepper. Or yellow, or orange or green.
Sprinkle in chopped green onions.
Add chopped sundried tomatoes packed in oil (but drained). I suppose you could use regular ol’ cherry tomatoes here, but the sundried ones really give this salad a gourmet- punch.
Mix in some golden raisins too. The raisin-HATER in me says this is all wrong, but since I’ve eaten this salad like 40 dozen times, I know that they totally work in this salad and they’re part of what makes it yummy.
Feta cheese crumbles are added in next.
And finally add in your toasted pine nuts. I know pine nuts are super duper expensive, so I wouldn’t be upset you if you wanted to add in toasted almonds or pecans instead.
How to toast pine nuts:
To toast the pine nuts, heat a skillet to medium. Add the pine nuts to the pan and stir often until they begin to turn golden. Remove the pine nuts to a bowl or a paper towel to cool.
I was quoted in a newspaper article recently that I thought you should never buy salad dressing at the store, and that’s pretty much how I feel. Its SOOO much better when you make it at home, and it’s really easy to make too. The super simple dressing you’ll be whipping up for this salad is a mixture of white wine vinegar + olive oil + Dijon + raspberry jam + Italian seasoning and S&P. Toss it with the salad and you’re good to go with a “Gourmet-Like” salad to share! And if you have the luck that I’ve had over the years, I think you’ll find that this salad recipe is quite a hit with everyone who tries it. Have a great week everyone!
Here are a few more salad recipes you might enjoy:
- Chicken, Apple and Smoked Gouda Salad
- Romaine and Broccoli Salad with Roasted Garlic Dressing
- Southwest Spinach Salad
- Easy Caesar Salad
- Mandarin Orange Green Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
- Easy Cucumber Salad with Balsamic Dressing
- Spinach and Quinoa Salad with Apple
Easy Gourmet Salad
Recipe Details
Ingredients
SALAD:
- 16 ounces mixed greens
- 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
- 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 4 whole green onions, chopped
- 1/3 cup chopped, oil-packed sundried tomatoes (drained)
- 1/3 cup golden raisins
- 4 ounces feta cheese crumbles
- 1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted (see notes below)
DRESSING:
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon seedless raspberry or strawberry jam
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Place greens in a large bowl. Add all other ingredients.
- To prepare the dressing, add all dressing ingredients to a small bowl and whisk until well combined. Pour over the salad and toss (maybe use a little at a time until you have a desired amount of dressing). Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- *If you are preparing this recipe as gluten-free, just be sure to use brands of Dijon and jam that are known to be GF.
- *To toast the pine nuts, heat a skillet to medium. Add the pine nuts to the pan and stir often until they begin to turn golden. Remove the pine nuts to a bowl or a paper towel to cool.
This sounds delicious, I’m planning on making it but adding roasted salted pumpkin cubes, it’s amazing and totally next level, what I was wondering, instead of sultanas (raisins) do you think pomegranate seeds would be good in it? I’ve had them in salads before and it was freakin amazing, I also will use a thick balsamic glaze as the dressing OMGOODNESS everything tasted amazing in that, they match beautifully with strawberries also & u could replace the raisins with apple slices or cut up strawberries they are freakin delicious in salads, can’t wait to serve up Christmas Day ❤️🙏🏼🥰
I think Pom seeds would be great! Enjoy!
I made this salad and took it to a luncheon and it was absolutely delicious. I did one thing diferently. I did add 1 T honey to sweeten the dressing. It was a bit hit!
What can be subsituted for JAM?
You can always leave it out if you don’t want the sweetness in there.
The combo of ingredients and flavors is perfect, so good!
There is nothing better than a simple salad when you need something quick to eat but healthy! This taste so good!
I eat salads almost every day, I cannot wait to add this to my rotations!
Such a perfect summertime salad. YUM!
LOVe this salad. Better than a restaurant!
The picture looks to have hearts of palm in it. Does it?My friend made it with those since she thought they were in the picture and it was delicious.
No heart of palm in the recipe, but that would be a nice addition!
Can I substitute apple cider vinegar for white wine vinegar ???
You can try!
love salads and this one is on the list – will probably throw in some avocado, lately put it in all my salads. Hubby isn’t fond of raisins, but will try to sneak them in, otherwise dried cranberries. Strongly agree with you re salad dressing. Haven’t bought any in years. So quick and easy to make and usually already have all the ingredients, so why spend the money and fresh is so much better.
sounds yummy and I couldn’t agree with you more. I haven’t bought salad dressing in years. It’s just too easy to make and much better and cheaper
Made this tonight. Ahhh-mazin!! My entire family enjoyed it. Thank you! Five stars!!!
Oh goodness, this salad is gorgeous! I can’t wait to make this for my husband!
I made this salad last night with dinner! YUM!!! I didn’t need the rest of my dinner, I just needed the salad bowl and a fork! Five stars out of five!
What a great combination of flavors, I could eat this anytime!
I made the easy gourmet salad last night. The dressing was so vinegary, it overpowered everything else. Are you sure the vinegar & oil amts are accurate?
Yes, I just made it again on Sunday. The Dijon makes it extra tangy… probably best to dress it lightly, to taste? Sorry you thought it too strong!
I am planning on making this yummy looking salad tonight. I just got your cookbook in the mail yesterday. I have only read up until the happy hour section and there are at least 20 recipes I want to try ASAP. I can’t wait to look through the rest. Beautiful cookbook, great looking recipes and I love all your personal stories at the beginning of each recipe. I brought another copy of the book for my sister’s birthday and I can’t wait to give it to her.
Pine nuts are so good on a salad. Nothing beats homemade salad dressing, ever!
Love me a good salad! Yours looks delicious indeed! 🙂
I love salads like this! It’s all about the toppings! And the dressing sounds so yummy too!
I’m currently trying to force more salads into my life! This one would be welcomed with open arms and mouths any night!
Lori,
YUM!
This salad looks so simple but I bet the flavors combine to really elevate it from simple to divine.
I need to figure out how to turn my tomatoes into “Sun Dried Tomatoes” because I’d be all over that like . . . well I’d like to learn, anyway.
Thanks!
I love all of the flavors and textures in this salad! That’s one I could eat every day!
This looks so darn tasty! Totally makin’ it!
Yummy!
Yum, what an awesome salad! I agree pine nuts are expensive but SO worth it! I get them at Trader Joe’s and they’re at least a little better price-wise! 🙂
I think I would have to ski the raisins but otherwise this sounds awesome. I’m intrigued by that little bit of jam in the dressing!
This looks amazing! I love salads with lots of goodies added. I especially love that you added the golden raisins — yum!
What a great looking, colorful and easy salad! This looks perfect for topping with grilled chicken or fish, too. Wonderful family recipe, Lori!
What a fabulous salad, Lori! Pinning!
Yum! I love salads that pile on the toppings weighing down the greens, and I’m with you homemade dressing is the best, although I confess to purchasing it now and then.
I could eat this salad every day!
Any salad with feta I love! I have one store bought salad dressing I swear by. It’s called Martinique French Vinaigrette. It has no sugar and a great ratio of oil to vinegar.
What an amazing combination of flavours in this salad! I really like the raisins in there for a touch of sweetness along with the jam in the dressing.
I love a good salad recipe and this one’s perfect for summer!
This is one loaded, pretty, salad!! LOVE!
This salad looks dinner party ready. I love all of the add ins.
How funny that we would post a salad recipe on the same day! Perfect for Meatless Monday! Love some sweet raisins in a salad, and love the feta too!
Looks great! Sadly no pine nuts for me!! But I always have pecans or almonds!! Yum!
so perfect and is is so pretty! I love simple salads with great ingredients and this is one of the salads! YUM!
Yep…everyone needs a good family salad recipe!!! This looks great Lori
A perfect blend of savory and sweet! You had me at “Easy Gourmet Salad”. However, “a few add-ins that make it special: sundried tomatoes, feta cheese, golden raisins and toasted pine nuts” sends this salad over-the-moon delish! And, I totally agree with you about the homemade dressing thing. Pinning! xo