My Obsession with Seasonal House Salads and A Few Favorite Dressings!

Today we’re going over all the goods!

For years, I’ve had my signature “house” salad here on the blog. While I often proclaim how bored I get with recipes, I love the idea of being known for a signature dish (so many of my family members are, and I’m sure you have the same!) and especially a GOOD salad. One that technically goes with everything, if that is possible.

I adore the idea of a great signature salad for two reasons: first, it’s so easy to throw together once you have the recipe down. Make it a salad where the ingredients are almost always something you have on hand. And second, it’s been a great way for us to easily incorporate vegetables on weeknights, even if we have a certain dish for dinner where they may not be prominent. 

The first house salad I ever shared was this How Sweet Eats House Salad over five years ago. It is definitely the most made salad in our house. You guys LOVE it. It’s a classic and just works every time. I even have a version of it in Everyday Dinners.

But! 

I do have to say that I feel like it runs ever-so-slightly italian-ish. You know what I mean? Just in terms of cuisine and the meals it is often served before. And for that reason, I have a few other salads that I use as my “signature” depending on the season. I realize that doesn’t make much sense because a signature house salad should just be ONE SALAD. But oh well. Here we are! 

And of course, I mainly share different house salads so YOU can find one that you love and enjoy. Let’s get to the good stuff!

For the classic of all classics:

Go with my How Sweet Eats House Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette. 

This is my OG house salad, my most-made, most-requested, and one I will throw together a few times a week. Or even more! Have you ever had a really great salad with a slice of pizza? That is what this salad is for me. It’s just a great, crisp, refreshing salad that has everything: vegetables, some crunch, cheese and a classic yet perfect dressing made with apple cider vinegar. We eat this ALL THE TIME. It’s my forever house salad. 

For an everyday dinner salad:

Go with my Kale Caesar Crunch Salad.

This salad goes with basically anything and everything. I love it because it’s so easy, there aren’t any add-ins except for parm and the crunchy breadcrumbs. It also LASTS – this is the one salad where you can save a little the next day for lunch because kale is so hearty and chewy. The dressing can be made ahead of time (as can all of these!) and stored in the fridge, and it also makes a delicious dip or spread if needed. 

For a warm weather salad that pleases everyone:

Go with my Blueberry Summer Salad with Creamy Balsamic.

This salad is so surprisingly delicious. It’s refreshing and really great for summer. Has the classic crunch from the almonds, the fruity blueberries, crisp cucumbers and a rather traditional dressing. It’s fabulous for spring and summer. 

I love it for a BBQ-esque cookout or even a big sunday dinner spread when it’s really hot out. Basically, I throw this together all summer long because it can easily be a quick lunch too. Or just a light dinner with some grilled sourdough. 

For a loaded summer salad for the vegetable lover: 

Go with my Summer House Salad with Herb Vinaigrette. 

This salad is definitely a “summer only” salad around here, at least where I live in Pennsylvania. I love to use fresh tomatoes and corn, which aren’t even the best locally until at least July. And then tons of fresh herbs to make a wonderful vinaigrette. 

This salad is definitely for the more vegetable-forward loving friends in your life, but it does include some sweet, juicy mango and feta cheese. 

For an autumn entertaining salad:

Go with my Pomegranate Greens Salad with Spiced Orange Vinaigrette.

This salad brings all the flavors of fall, with juicy pops of pomegranate, crisp halloumi cheese and an incredible, warming orange vinaigrette that I can never get enough of. It’s great with fall comfort food – simple enough to throw together before a meal and doesn’t away anything away from heartier dishes. Also doesn’t leave you feeling overly full! 

For a winter holiday simple salad:

Go with my Pear Gorgonzola Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette.

The holiday season is tough because there are always so many heavy dishes around, but I always love having something very greens-forward on the table. It just makes a plate feel lighter and brings a refreshing crisp to a meal.

This is a simple salad that won’t overshadow a holiday meal, but one that’s super delicious and filled with crunch, crispness and cheese. 

Now if you have a copy of Everyday Dinners, then you know about the super amazing Sauces & Dressings Chapter. It sounds like nothing, but it’s really loaded with my all-time favorite fridge essentials. Like 30 different dressings and sauces that I keep in my fridge (omg, not all at once time, haha!) to elevate weeknight meals and add some versatility and variety! 

You can find them all in the book, but in the meantime, I wanted to list some of my favorite dressings below that can do the same thing for you weekly.

My honey mustard vinaigrette

My hot ginger vinaigrette

My shallot vinaigrette

My dill pickle vinaigrette

My citrus poppyseed dressing

My apricot vinaigrette

My ginger tahini dressing

My cinnamon shallot vinaigrette

Of course, I have a TON more here in the salad section – along with a huge array of salads! 

I’d love to hear your go-to house salad below and your favorite dressings!