Easy Romaine Salad with Feta, Toasted Walnuts, and Tomatoes
My Romaine salad has plenty of crunch and a whole lot of flavor to go with it! It serves crumbled feta, sliced onion, chopped tomato, and more on a bed of chopped romaine lettuce.
The salad is bound with a zesty and acidic dressing and pairs perfectly with crusty, fresh bread.
What You’ll Need
To get started with this simple salad, you’ll need the following ingredients:
For the Salad
- Romaine Lettuce – 2 Romaine Lettuce Heads
- Tomatoes – 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- Cucumber – 1 seedless cucumber
- Red Onion – 1/2 medium red onion
- Walnuts – 1 cup walnuts (roasted)
- Feta – 8 oz (225 grams)
For the Dressing
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil – 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Lemon – 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice and the zest of one lemon
- Red Wine Vinegar – 1 tbsp red wine vinegar (can substitute for a second tablespoon of lemon juice)
- Garlic – 2 garlic cloves, minced
- Mustard – 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- Oregano – 1 tsp dried oregano
- Salt – a pinch of kosher salt
- Pepper – a pinch of ground black pepper
How to Make it
Step 1 – Make the salad dressing by adding all the salad dressing ingredients (extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, mustard, dried oregano, salt, and pepper) to a small jar with a lid and shake it until the dressing is emulsified.
Alternatively, you can just whisk the dressing ingredients in a bowl.
Step 2 – Toast the walnuts. You can do so in a dry pan over medium-high heat, toasting the walnuts for about 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently so they don’t burn. Alternatively, toast the walnuts in the preheated oven at 375°F (or 190°C) for about 6-8 minutes, keeping a close eye on them so they don’t burn.
Once toasted, set them aside on a cold plate or surface to cool down before adding them to the salad.
Step 3 – Wash and chop the romaine lettuce, the cucumber, and the tomatoes. Slice the red onion thinly. Crumble the feta.
Note: Peel the cucumber before chopping it if you’re using cucumbers with a tough/thick skin or if the skin is slightly bitter. I generally use English cucumbers, which have a thin skin that is not bitter, so I don’t need to peel them.
Step 4 – Toss all the salad ingredients with the salad dressing in a large mixing bowl.
You can use two salad spoons, salad tongs, or simply two wooder/larger spoons to toss the salad.
Step 5 – Serve either in a large bowl or in individual servings. This recipe makes about 4 servings if the salad is the main for dinner or lunch or about 8 side salads.
This salad is so refreshing. The soft, crumbly feta and crunchy Romaine lettuce complement each other so well.
What I love about Romaine lettuce, too, is that its leaves have a fair bit of strength. You can coat them in the dressing, and the leaves won’t get too wet and keep their crunch.
There’s some lovely color in this salad, too. It’s light and refreshing, while you can get both sweetness from the tomatoes and tang from the feta.
Some Serving Ideas for You
With that crunchy Romaine, lots of veggies, and that zesty dressing, this salad stands alone well.
However, if you do want to pair it with something, there are plenty of options for you.
As with most salads, a side of any type of bread goes well. Bread is great for mopping up that lovely dressing.
I’ve done this salad with grilled chicken breast before, and it was really tasty. You could even try my breaded chicken tenders and serve a few on top.
How did you serve this deliciously crunchy and fresh salad? Let me know in the comments below!
Other Delicious Salads to Try
Looking for more salad options? My easy arugula parmesan salad is packed with tangy, peppery flavors, with just the right amount of zest from the dressing.
I’ve also put all my salad recipes in one place for you. There’s sweet, savory, and so much more in this roundup. I’m confident you’ll find a salad to mark the occasion!
Easy Recipe Card
Romaine Salad with Feta, Walnuts, and Tomatoes
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 2 Romaine lettuce heads
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1 seedless cucumber
- 1/2 medium red onion
- 1 cup walnuts
- 8 oz feta (225 grams)
For the Salad Dressing:
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- zest of one lemon
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar (can substitute for a second tablespoon of lemon juice)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- a pinch of kosher salt
- a pinch of ground black pepper
Instructions
- Make the salad dressing by adding all the salad dressing ingredients (extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, mustard, dried oregano, salt, and pepper) to a small jar with a lid and shake it until the dressing is emulsified. Alternatively, you can just whisk the dressing ingredients in a bowl.
- Toast the walnuts. You can do so in a dry pan over medium-high heat, toasting the walnuts for about 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently so they don’t burn. Alternatively, toast the walnuts in the preheated oven at 375°F (or 190°C) for about 6-8 minutes, keeping a close eye on them so they don’t burn. Once toasted, set them aside on a cold plate or surface to cool down before adding them to the salad.
- Wash and chop the romaine lettuce, the cucumber (note 1 below), and the tomatoes. Slice the red onion thinly. Crumble the feta.
- Toss all the salad ingredients with the salad dressing in a large mixing bowl. You can use two salad spoons, salad tongs, or two wooden/larger spoons to toss the salad.
Notes
Note 1: Peel the cucumber before chopping it if you’re using cucumbers with a tough/thick skin or if the skin is slightly bitter. I generally use English cucumbers, which have a thin skin that is not bitter, so I don’t need to peel them.
Embrace the crunch with my Romaine salad, and don’t forget to leave a review if you made it and loved it!
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Don’t forget to save this recipe to one of your boards, ready for when you need a quick salad for lunch or dinner.
