this easy summertime confetti salad comes together quickly and makes for a perfect summertime mid-day meal.
I don’t know about you guys, but as soon as the temperatures rise, I crave crunchy, crisp veggies.
When summer hit in NYC, my co-workers and I made a point of going to our favorite salad place and sitting outside our office by the fountain people watching and chatting. There’s just something in the air in the city when summer comes to the Northeast. I think after enduring a long winter, everyone is just so grateful for some sunshine, so we would always make sure to take advantage of it.
Even though I’m no longer in NYC, my fondness for our outdoor lunches remains. And everything I dig into a big, delicious salad in the summer, it brings back the best memories.
But anyway, I digress. This easy summertime chopped salad combines the summer veggies always taking up my vegetable drawer with warm homemade whole grain croutons, creamy cheese, hard-boiled eggs & a tangy dressing.
Just hold the dressing and you’ve also got yourself a perfect packed lunch idea filled with whole grains, protein, fiber and heart-healthy fat which will be sure to hold you over through your afternoon meetings!
Feel free to mix it up with whatever vegetables you have on hand, you can’t really go wrong here so just have fun with it!
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easy summertime confetti salad
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2–4 people 1x
- Category: lunch
Description
this easy summertime chopped salad comes together quickly and makes for a perfect summertime mid-day meal.
Ingredients
For the Croutons:
- 1/2 loaf whole grain bread, cubed
- Olive oil
- Salt
For the Dressing:
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, peeled & minced
- 1/4 cup olive oil
For the Salad:
- 4–6 large handfuls leafy green lettuce, roughly torn
- 1 English cucumber, washed and chopped (peeled if desired)
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, washed & quartered
- 1 bell pepper, washed, de-seeded and chopped
- 1/2 large red onion, peeled & chopped
- 5 radishes, washed & thinly sliced
- 1–2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 1/3 cup crumbled feta or fresh mozzarella cheese, torn
- 2–4 eggs, hard boiled (see cooking instructions in the notes)
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
For the Croutons:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place cubed bread in a single layer
- Drizzle with olive oil & sprinkle with salt
- Use your hands to toss so bread cubes are well coated
- Bake for 10 minutes or until crispy
For the Dressing:
- Combine everything in bowl and whisk well, then set aside
For the Salad:
- Combine all ingredients (including croutons) together, top with salad dressing and enjoy
Notes
- For the perfect hard boiled egg, place two eggs in a saucepan then fill with water until 3/4 of the egg is submerged. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cook for 10 minutes, then remove. Drain hot liquid and immediately run cold water over the eggs. Peel immediately (being careful as the eggs will be hot)
- If you want to bring as a packed lunch, pack croutons and dressing separately from the other vegetables, adding just before you’re about to eat.
Keywords: lunch, vegetarian, salad, easy
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