Fresh Garden Salad with Homemade Vinaigrette
A stunning, colourful salad brimming with tender garden greens, crisp seasonal vegetables, and beautiful edible flowers — tossed in a bright, tangy homemade vinaigrette. Fresh, light, and bursting with natural flavours and textures: soft leaves, crunchy radishes, sweet carrots, and juicy bell peppers. Perfect as a light meal, elegant side, or centrepiece salad for any table — completely plant-based, dairy-free, and egg-free.
Shared by jessy
Time
15 min
Serves
4
Difficulty
easy
🛒 Ingredients
- #For the Salad;
- 2 cups mixed tender greens (watercress, baby spinach, mizuna, sorrel, or lettuce)
- 4–6 small breakfast radishes — trimmed and halved or quartered
- 2–3 baby carrots — whole or halved lengthwise
- 1 small golden or red bell pepper — thinly sliced
- 4–5 small white salad turnips — trimmed and halved
- Edible flowers (borage, phlox, pansies, nasturtiums) — for garnish, optional
- Fresh herbs (chives, parsley, thyme sprigs) — to taste
- #For the Vegan Vinaigrette Dressing;
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (or white wine vinegar / lemon juice)
- 1 tsp maple syrup or agave nectar.. ½ tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 small clove garlic — minced or grated finely.. ¼ tsp sea salt
- ⅛ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- Optional: pinch of dried herbs or lemon zest
👩🍳 Instructions
- 1
Make the vinaigrette: In a small jar or bowl, combine olive oil, vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Whisk or shake vigorously until fully emulsified and creamy. Taste and adjust — add more acid for zing, or a pinch more sweetness to balance. Set aside.
- 2
Prep the vegetables: Wash all produce thoroughly and dry completely — wet greens make the dressing slide off! Slice, halve, or arrange vegetables in varied shapes and sizes for visual appeal.
- 3
Assemble the salad: Place tender greens in a large wide bowl. Arrange radishes, carrots, turnips, and bell pepper on top in a colourful, scattered pattern.
- 4
Dress lightly: Drizzle about two-thirds of the dressing over the salad. Toss gently and minimally just to coat — greens should glisten, not drown! Add more dressing only if needed.
- 5
Garnish & serve: Scatter edible flowers and fresh herbs generously over the top for a stunning garden-fresh look. Finish with a final light sprinkle of salt and pepper — serve immediately.