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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, and shredded cheddar cheese. It’s the perfect starter or light side dish for any meal.
House salads are what I like to call a gateway salad. They ease us into the world of raw vegetables by dressing them up with flavorful salad dressings, shredded cheese, hard-boiled eggs, and – if you’re lucky – a sprinkle of crispy cooked bacon. It’s a salad, sure, but it doesn’t taste like one.
Anyway, this salad recipe is a forever reminder of my mom. She loved a good house salad with a side of ranch AND thousand island dressing – I have her to thank for my love (borderline obsession) of mixing together different condiments (because one is never enough). Thanks, mom.
Table of Contents
House Salad Ingredients
This house salad recipe includes the following:
- Crispy lettuce (a mix of Romaine and Iceberg)
- Cucumbers
- Tomatoes (vine-ripened or cherry tomatoes)
- Shredded carrots
- Sliced hard-boiled eggs
- Croutons
- Shredded cheddar cheese.
It’s simple yet classic.
You can find the printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
Optional Additions
One of the best parts about ordering (or making) a house salad is that you can toss in just about anything. Some of my favorite additions include:
- Cooked bacon bits
- Sliced red onion
- Pepperoncini peppers.
You can also add sunflower seeds, sliced bell peppers, and avocado.
Please Note: You can add or leave out any of the ingredients listed to make it your own.
Best Salad Dressing For A House Salad?
House salads are VERY versatile. Feel free to dress them in whatever salad dressing you love the most. These homemade salad dressing recipes are some of my favorite:
- Ranch Dressing – the most popular choice, especially in American restaurants.
- Thousand Island – creamy, sweet, and tangy
- French Dressing – sweet and zesty with a bright orange color
- Blue Cheese Dressing – rich, tangy, pungent and often paired with bacon or hard-boiled egg toppings
- Italian Dressing – zesty vinaigrette-style option with herbs and a bit of acidity
- Balsamic Vinaigrette – a lighter, slightly sweet option for those avoiding creamy dressings
Serving Ideas
This house salad recipe pairs perfectly with just about everything, but it’s especially perfect alongside a piping hot bowl of soup (I love it with creamy soups like broccoli potato soup and New England clam chowder) and diner classics like meatloaf with mashed potatoes, grilled cheese, or chicken fried steak with homemade gravy.
House Salad vs. Garden Salad
The terms house salad and garden salad are often used interchangeably, but they do have subtle differences.
- House salad – Typically served as a starter in American restaurants and usually includes a base of mixed lettuce, along with toppings like tomatoes, cucumbers, shredded cheese, croutons, red onion, and sometimes extras like hard-boiled eggs or bacon bits. It’s often paired with creamy dressings such as ranch, blue cheese, or French dressing.
- Garden salad – Tends to focus more on fresh, raw vegetables and leafy greens. It’s usually lighter, featuring ingredients like lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, and onions, and is commonly served with vinaigrettes or other lighter dressings.
More Favorite Salad Recipes
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.
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.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
