Description

Liz’s Bistro Salad is a fresh, bright, and tender green salad featuring pickled onions, a tangy vinaigrette, and a mix of romaine, butter lettuce, and fresh herbs like tarragon, dill, and chives. Perfect as a light meal or a vibrant side, this salad combines homemade pickled onions with an emulsified lemon and canola oil dressing to create a perfect balance of flavors.

Ingredients

Scale

Pickled Onions

1 red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup white or red wine vinegar
1/2 cup water
a pinch of salt and sugar

Salad Greens & Herbs

1 romaine heart, stem removed and chopped
half a head of butter lettuce, stem removed, gently torn
2 tablespoons fresh minced tarragon
1/2 cup fresh dill, chopped or torn
1/4 cup fresh chives, minced

Vinaigrette

1/2 cup canola oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice (more to taste)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon dijon mustard or mayonnaise (to emulsify the dressing)

Instructions

Pickle the Onions: Place the thinly sliced red onions in a jar. Add the vinegar until it covers about a third of the jar, then fill the rest to the top of the onions with water. Add a pinch of salt and sugar, seal the jar, and shake well. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, although a few hours or days will deepen the flavor.
Prepare the Vinaigrette: In a separate jar, combine canola oil, lemon juice, salt, sugar, and dijon mustard or mayonnaise. Shake vigorously to emulsify the dressing into a bright, mellow vinaigrette. Store in the fridge if preparing in advance.
Prepare the Salad Greens and Herbs: Chop the romaine heart and gently tear the butter lettuce into bite-sized pieces. Mince the tarragon and chives, and chop or gently tear the dill. Combine all the greens and herbs in a large salad bowl.
Toss the Salad: Just before serving, add the pickled onions and about half of the vinaigrette to the salad greens and herbs. Toss thoroughly to evenly coat. Add more dressing if needed to achieve the desired flavor balance.
Final Seasoning and Serve: Taste the salad and adjust seasoning by adding salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately to enjoy the tender, fresh, and slightly puckery flavors of the salad.

Notes

For a quicker pickle, allow the onions to sit in the pickling liquid for at least 30 minutes, but longer is better for depth of flavor.
Canola oil is used here for its neutral flavor and lightness; you can substitute with olive oil but it will alter the flavor profile.
The purpose of dijon mustard or mayonnaise in the dressing is to help emulsify the vinaigrette, making it smooth and well combined.
Adjust lemon juice and sugar in the dressing to balance acidity and sweetness to your taste.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes (including minimum pickling time)
Category: Salad
Method: No-Cook
Cuisine: Bistro/Modern American

Keywords: bistro salad, pickled onions, fresh herb salad, vinaigrette, romaine salad, butter lettuce salad, healthy salad