Description
A vibrant and fresh Chopped Salad with a creamy buttermilk dressing combining crisp romaine, colorful vegetables, and crunchy sunflower seeds. This quick and easy recipe is perfect for a light lunch or dinner and can be enhanced with your choice of grilled chicken, shrimp, or tofu for added protein.
Ingredients
Scale
Dressing
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons minced celery
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Salad
- 3 romaine lettuce hearts, chopped
- 1 medium cucumber, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup cauliflower florets, chopped
- 1 medium carrot, diced
- 2 stalks celery with leaves, chopped
- 3 green onions, sliced
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Prepare Dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, minced celery, fresh parsley, fresh dill, Dijon mustard, onion powder, salt, and black pepper until the dressing is smooth and well combined.
- Chop Salad Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine chopped romaine lettuce hearts, cucumber, red bell pepper, cauliflower florets, carrot, celery with leaves, green onions, sunflower seeds, and chopped fresh parsley. Toss lightly to mix the vegetables evenly.
- Serve Salad: Serve the dressing on the side or drizzle it over the salad and toss gently just before serving to maintain the salad’s crisp texture.
- Optional Protein Topping: For a complete meal, consider topping the salad with grilled chicken, shrimp, or tofu as preferred.
Notes
- For best texture, do not dress the salad too far in advance to keep the vegetables crisp.
- Sunflower seeds add a crunchy texture and nutty flavor but can be omitted for nut allergies.
- Fresh herbs like parsley and dill brighten the flavor, but can be substituted with dried herbs in a pinch.
- Make it vegan by replacing sour cream and mayonnaise with plant-based alternatives and omitting optional animal protein toppings.
- The salad is versatile; feel free to add other seasonal vegetables or nuts for variation.
