Garden Chopped Salad with Herb Oil Dressing

Headnote

This is a salad of precision rather than abundance: crisp vegetables cut to a disciplined size, herbs used with intent, and a dressing that binds without weight. The balance depends on freshness, clean acidity from the vegetables, and the quiet depth of olive oil and soy sauce. Served properly, it is bright, structured, and complete.

Recipe essentials

Dish category: Salad

Cuisine or origin: Contemporary

Course type: Starter or light side

Yield: 1 serving

Serving size: 220 g

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Total time: 15 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Equipment

Chef’s knife

Cutting board

Mixing bowl

Small bowl

Spoon

Salad server or tongs

Scale

Ingredients

Salad

Cucumber, 45 g, peeled if the skin is thick, seeded if necessary, cut into 5 mm dice

Tomato, 40 g, deseeded if very juicy, cut into 5 mm dice

Green cabbage, 35 g, finely shredded

Romaine lettuce, 30 g, cut into thin ribbons

Carrot, 25 g, peeled and cut into fine dice

Green bell pepper, 20 g, cut into 5 mm dice

Onion, 10 g, very finely minced

Cilantro, 8 g, leaves and tender stems, finely chopped

Dill, 7 g, fronds finely chopped

Dressing

Olive oil, 18 g

Soy sauce, 2 g

Method

1. Prepare all vegetables with exacting consistency. Cut the cucumber, tomato, carrot, green bell pepper, and onion into small, even pieces so the salad eats cleanly and each bite carries all components at once. Shred the cabbage and romaine finely, and chop the herbs just before dressing to preserve their fragrance.

2. Combine the cucumber, tomato, cabbage, romaine lettuce, carrot, green bell pepper, onion, cilantro, and dill in a mixing bowl. Toss lightly by hand or with tongs to distribute the herbs and vegetables without bruising the romaine.

3. In a small bowl, mix the olive oil and soy sauce until evenly combined. The dressing should be glossy and lightly emulsified, with no visible separation.

4. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss for 15 to 20 seconds, just until every surface is lightly coated. The vegetables should remain crisp, the herbs vivid, and the bowl free of excess dressing.

5. Taste and assess the balance. The finished salad should be fresh, savory, and sharply defined, with no ingredient dominating the others.

Plating and serving

Mound the salad loosely in a chilled shallow bowl or on a flat plate, allowing the chopped vegetables to remain distinct. Shape it with restraint rather than compression. Serve immediately while the cabbage and romaine are crisp and the herbs are fully aromatic.

Professional notes

Keep the cut small and uniform; irregular chopping weakens both texture and presentation.

Dress at the last moment so the romaine and cucumber retain their snap.

The soy sauce must remain a seasoning, not a dominant flavor; the salad should read as herb-forward and clean.