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When I need a light, crisp, and refreshing side dish that pairs perfectly with practically everything, my crunchy lemon parmesan salad is the first thing on my mind – it is loaded with flavor, easy to make, and you’ll find yourself craving it all the time!
Lemon Parmesan Salad
It’s a simple salad that is made with lemon, parmesan cheese, and mixed greens. The salad is dressed with a Lemon Parmesan dressing, which is made with lemon juice, olive oil, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.
Although it’s simple and made with few ingredients, it’s packed with a zesty lemon flavor with a rich taste of Parmesan cheese.
The best part is that it is totally versatile and customizable. Serve it with grilled chicken, fish, or any main course meal. Lemon Parmesan Salad is a healthy and flavorful salad that is perfect as a quick and easy lunch, side dish, or appetizer.
We love serving this salad with our Goat Cheese and Tomato Tarts!
How To Make Crunchy Lemon Parmesan Salad
For this recipe, you’ll only need a few simple ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Romaine lettuce– You will need a whole head of lettuce or 3 romaine hearts. If you prefer other leafy greens, you can substitute.
- Olive oil– I use extra virgin olive oil, but you can use any oil you prefer.
- Lemons– Fresh squeezed lemons give the best flavor for this recipe. Use 2 large lemons or 3 small lemons.
- Parmesan cheese– You can use shredded parmesan, but freshly grated parmesan cheese works best in this recipe.
- Salt and pepper– Add salt and pepper to taste. I use cracked black pepper for the best flavor.
Once you’ve gathered all your ingredients, making this salad is super quick and easy. With only a few steps, it will be ready to go in no time!
- First, rinse the lettuce and cut it into quarters lengthwise. Then, chop it into small leaves.
- Discard the lettuce ends, and add the lettuce to a salad spinner. Spin to remove the excess water.
- Next, add the lettuce to a large mixing bowl and toss with the remaining ingredients until evenly combined.
Tips and Tricks to Perfect Lemon Parmesan Salad and FAQs:
- Using romaine hearts as opposed to a full head will give you a crunchier salad.
- Use fresh ingredients for the best flavors.
- Mix the olive oil, lemon juice and parmesan in a small bowl to make the dressing. This makes tossing the salad easier.
FAQs
This salad won’t take you long to make at all. Chopping the lettuce and tossing the salad should not take longer than 15-minutes.
The best ingredients to use in Lemon Parmesan Salad are fresh lemon juice, good quality Parmesan cheese, and extra virgin olive oil. You can also add other ingredients such as tomatoes, cucumbers, croutons, and onions.
I recommend serving this as soon as you’ve added the dressing as the weight of the olive oil and the acid in the lemon juice will cause the lettuce to start wilting a bit and deflate the salad. However, if you do need to store any leftovers, you can place the salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.
What To Serve With Lemon Parmesan Salad
Lemon Parmesan Salad is a flavorful, easy-to-make dish that is perfect for any occasion. The salad combines the zesty flavor of lemon with the rich taste of Parmesan cheese, and it can be served either as a side dish or as a main course. The salad can be topped with Pork Tenderloin, Grilled Chicken Strips, Garlic Parmesan Airfryer Shrimp, Oven Roasted Garlic Flank Steak, or any other protein of your choice to make it a complete nutritious meal.
Or, you can serve it as a side salad to your favorite entree. It pairs well with Lasagna Casserole, Easy Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs, or Creamy Ranch Chicken Alfredo.
For more delicious salad recipes, click here.
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Crunchy Lemon Parmesan Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
Instructions
- Rinse romaine and slice into quarters lengthwise and then chop into small leaves. Discard the ends. Add the lettuce to a salad spinner and spin to remove excess water.
- Add the lettuce to a large bowl with the remaining ingredients and toss until evenly combined.
Notes
- Using romaine hearts as opposed to a full head will give you a crunchier salad.
- I recommend serving this as soon as you’ve added the dressing as the weight of the olive oil and the acid in the lemon juice will cause the lettuce to start wilting a bit and deflate the salad.
- This recipe is simple, yet flavorful.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What olive oil do you use?
Do you mean what brand of olive oil? I always prefer to use extra virgin olive oil specifically this brand.
Sometimes the simplest recipe are the very best! Personally, I love a good, fresh salad that has some crispy crunch and flavor to it. This looks easy and affordable enough to include in a meal plan every day. A wedge salad will always be my #1 but this is a great alternative when you want an easy, inexpensive alternate.
So glad you enjoyed it!