Leafy Green Salad with Buttermilk Dressing
We like hearty salads in this house, full of veggies, a variety of greens, and other fresh ingredients.
Yield: about 4-6 servings
Ingredients
For the Salad:
1 head butter lettuce, cleaned and torn/cut into bite-size pieces
1 large handful arugula
1 English cucumber, sliced lengthwise into quarters and then cross cut into 1/4” slices
1 bell pepper (or a few mini bell peppers), cored and thinly sliced
1 shallot, thinly sliced
2 thick slices crusty bread
Olive oil (for drizzling)
1 lemon (for zest and for juice in the dressing)
Microplane
For the Dressing:
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup Greek yogurt (such as Fage Greek Yogurt)
1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Cayenne (optional)
Instructions
For the Dressing:
Combine the buttermilk, yogurt, chives, parsley, garlic, and lemon juice in a jar. Add a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Shake well to combine and taste for seasoning. Adjust as needed with salt, pepper, and a touch of cayenne (if you want a little heat against the herbs). The dressing can be stored in the fridge for at least a week.
For the Salad:
To make the croutons, preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut the slices of bread into 1/2” cubes and place in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and season with a pinch of Kosher salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Spread the bread cubes on a baking sheet and bake about 10-15 minutes, until lightly toasted. If you’re not in the mood to make croutons, just use a store-bought version.
In a large serving bowl, add the butter lettuce and arugula. Top with the cucumber, bell pepper, and shallot. Lightly top with a few tablespoons of the buttermilk dressing and toss to combine. Top the salad with the croutons and the zest of about half a lemon. Toss lightly. Serve in bowls or on small plates.
Leafy green salad with fresh vegetables and a buttermilk and Greek yogurt dressing.
