Everything Green Salad

Intro

This is one of those salads that happens when you open the fridge and realize you have a lot of green things that need to be eaten.

Spinach, spring mix, kale, herbs, crunchy vegetables — they all work here.

We call it the Everything Green Salad because it’s flexible. If it’s green and you like it, it probably belongs in the bowl.

The dressing comes from my great-grandmother’s recipe — a simple vinaigrette that works on almost anything.

Why This Recipe Works

• This salad is built around contrast.

  • Soft greens, crunchy vegetables, creamy avocado, bright herbs, and a sharp vinaigrette all balance each other out. The dressing is simple but powerful: mustard for body, shallots for bite, vinegar for brightness, and olive oil for richness.

  • Once you have that base, the rest of the salad becomes endlessly customizable.

Dad Tip

Dress the salad right before serving. Acid slowly breaks down leafy greens, so tossing too early can make the salad lose its crunch.

If you're trying to save time, you can prep the vegetables the night before. Just store them in an airtight container (or a bowl covered with plastic wrap) in the refrigerator and assemble the salad right before dinner.

Ingredients

Greens Base

• spinach

• spring mix

• kale (lightly massaged with olive oil for an extra green kick)

Green Add-Ins (Our Favorites)

Use as many as you like:

• green bell pepper

• cucumber

• avocado

• shelled edamame

• fresh mint

• cilantro

The beauty of this salad is that it’s extremely flexible. If you have other greens in the fridge, throw them in.

Great-Grandmother’s Vinaigrette

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (preferably Zatarain’s Creole mustard)

• 1 small shallot, finely minced

• 1 tablespoon red or white wine vinegar

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Seasoning Additions (What We Usually Use)

• 2–3 cloves minced garlic

• 1–2 teaspoons Italian seasoning or herbs de Provence

• kosher or sea salt

• freshly cracked black pepper (rainbow pepper if you have it)

Optional Flavor Boosters

These are small additions that can change the character of the dressing:

• 1 teaspoon fish sauce

• 1 teaspoon fresh tarragon or chives, minced

• 1 teaspoon capers, rinsed and minced

You definitely don’t need all of these — but they’re fun to experiment with.

Instructions

Prep the greens

• Add spinach, spring mix, and chopped kale to a large bowl.

  • If using kale, drizzle a little olive oil and a pinch of salt over it and massage it for about 30 seconds to soften the leaves.

Make the dressing

• In a small bowl whisk together:

  • Dijon mustard

  • minced shallot

  • vinegar

• Slowly whisk in the olive oil until emulsified.

• Stir in garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper.

• Add any optional flavor boosters you like.

Assemble the salad

• Add your green vegetables and herbs to the bowl.

• Drizzle with dressing and toss until everything is lightly coated.

• Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

💡 Kitchen Chemistry

Mustard acts as a natural emulsifier in vinaigrettes.

It helps bind the oil and vinegar together so the dressing stays smooth instead of separating. This is why classic French vinaigrettes almost always include Dijon.

You may also notice we massage the kale with olive oil before adding it to the salad. Kale leaves are naturally tough because their cell walls contain more structural fiber than softer greens like spinach or spring mix. Gently massaging the leaves helps break down those fibers, softening the texture and making the kale much more pleasant to eat.

About 30 seconds is usually enough.