Looking for an easy House Salad Recipe that tastes just like the one from your favorite restaurant? This classic American house salad is packed with fresh, crisp veggies, crunchy croutons, shredded cheddar, and bold flavor. It’s the perfect starter or light side dish for any meal.
The best part? Learning how to make this everyday house salad at home is quick, simple, and totally customizable.
This 10-Minute House Salad Will Help Your Children Love Salad
House salads are what I like to call “gateway salads.” They ease us into the world of raw vegetables by dressing them up with creamy dressing, shredded cheese, and—if you’re lucky—a sprinkle of crispy bacon. It’s a salad, but it doesn’t taste like grass. A game-changer for children (and adults!) who hate eating plants – ha!
Silliness aside, the classic American house salad will forever remind me of my mom. She loved a good house salad and passed that on to me. She asked for Ranch and Thousand Island dressing with every single salad she ordered and always used every last drop. I have her to thank for my love (borderline obsession) of mixing together different condiments (because one is never enough). Thanks, mom.
Ok, so, you may be wondering about the difference between a house and a garden salad. In a nutshell, house salads are often served as a “starter salad” at casual American dining chains like Texas Roadhouse, Chili’s, and Applebee’s, with extras like shredded cheese, croutons, hard-boiled eggs, and/or bacon bits, and creamy dressings, like ranch. Garden salads, on the other hand, focus more on raw vegetables and leafy greens, often including lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and carrots, with lighter dressings like vinaigrettes. Cheese, eggs, and bacon are rarely added.
If you ask me, house salads are less meaty and lighter versions of traditional Cobb salads. But, honestly, the line is so blurry, so feel free to make your house salad exactly as you’d like!
What Goes in a House Salad
You can find the printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
The ingredients in this recipe include crispy lettuce (a mix of Romaine and Iceberg), cucumbers, chopped tomatoes, shredded carrots, sliced hard-boiled eggs, croutons, and shredded cheddar cheese. It’s simple yet classic.
Optional Additions and Variations
Let’s talk options. What can you add to this house salad that actually makes sense? It’s a salad, so technically you could add almost anything, but to keep this a “starter salad,” I try not to go overboard.
My tippy top suggestions include crumbled bacon bits, sliced red onions, and pepperoncini peppers. Beyond this, you can add sunflower seeds, sliced bell peppers, and avocado, but by this point, you’re in full-blown main course salad mode, so be prepared for leftovers (and a lot of extra prep!)
What Dressing Should You Add To A House Salad?
Your favorite, of course! If you’re dining out, you’ll likely be offered several options, and if you’re making this at home, you’ll need to choose if you want to make a homemade dressing or use store-bought. The most popular option is Ranch dressing, but Italian, balsamic vinaigrette, Thousand Island, and blue cheese are also common.
RECIPE CARD
House Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups romaine lettuce - cut into bite-size pieces
- 3 cup iceberg lettuce - cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 cup English cucumber - quartered lengthwise, then sliced
- 1 cup tomato - cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- ½ cup matchstick carrots
- ½ cup cheddar cheese - freshly shredded
- 2 eggs - hard-boiled and sliced
- ½ cup croutons - homemade or store-bought
- ¼-½ cup ranch dressing - homemade or store-bought
Instructions
- Layer the lettuce in a salad bowl, then arrange the cucumber on top, followed by the tomato, carrots, cheese, eggs, and croutons.
- Drizzle with the ranch dressing (or salad dressing of choice) and serve immediately with extra croutons if desired.
Jessica’s Notes
- Shred your own cheese directly from a block for best flavor.
- Wash and dry the veggies thoroughly! I like to run my leafy greens through a salad spinner. Be sure to rinse them in cold water.
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
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