A quick and easy House Salad that you can make in minutes. This salad tastes just like the side salad you get at your favorite steakhouse and can be made at home quickly. Simply toss together some fresh greens, your favorite vegetables, and top with our homemade dressing. This salad is EASY but will wow for the perfect choice for a busy weeknight meal.
House Salad- The EASY Way!
I have a secret to share… If you don’t like salad, you may just not have had the right dressing! I am a huge fan of salad, but really just because it is crunchy veggies smothered in creamy delicious ranch dressing. I’m not talking about the bottled stuff, but the GOOD STUFF!
If you are a salad dressing connoisseur like me, you will know there are certain restaurants you can get “good ranch.” Outback Steakhouse, Chili’s, Texas Roadhouse, and Jim ‘n Nicks are few of my go to restaurants for a great house salad with amazing homemade dressing.
The good news is that it is EASY to make a house salad just as delicious as the steakhouse salad you get at your favorite restaurant.
Why I LOVE this recipe!
- Lunch, Dinner, Side? You name it, this salad is perfect for it! It can be a meal, side dish or appetizer based on how you want to serve it up.
- BEST flavor! This dressing will not disappoint, your kids may even be asking for more salad!
- Super simple- Both the salad and the dressing are super quick and easy to make
- Prep ahead- feel free to prep ahead then just toss and serve in minutes when you are ready to eat
What to Serve with House Salad
Since this dish has the classic steakhouse flavors, it will pair well with many of your favorite traditional main dishes. This salad can be served as an appetizer or side and paired with an entree, or it can be an entree as well. You can top it with protein to make it even more filling, or just serve up a few sides to round out the meal.
Main Dish Ideas
- Garlic Butter Steak
- Grilled Chicken
- Creamy Dijon Chicken
- Cream of Mushroom Pork Chops
- Million Dollar Chicken
- Garlic Pork Bites
- Sizzle Steak
- Big Mac Sliders
- Crockpot Beef Stroganoff
- Creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Sides that pair well
- Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Garlic Butter Corn on the Cob
- Instant Pot Baked Potatoes
- Oven Roasted Green Beans
- Garlic Parmesan Broccoli
- Mile High Biscuits
You can pair it with a main dish or add a few sides to make a wholesome, well rounded dinner.
Recipe Notes
This house salad with buttermilk dressing recipe is as simple as promised! Just a handful of veggies for a family friendly side dish.
In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks to make a house salad just like at the restaurants and how to get the absolute best and most delicious results.
Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.
Ingredients + Substitutions
For the House Salad
- Romaine lettuce
- Grape tomatoes
- Chopped cucumber
- Shredded carrots
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Croutons
This is what I use for a traditional steakhouse style house salad. You can vary any of the ingredients to taste, or add what you need to use up out of the produce drawer in your fridge. Really, almost any vegetable will taste great with the house buttermilk ranch on it!
Buttermilk Dressing
- Fresh lemon juice
- Garlic
- Buttermilk
- Sour cream
- Mayonnaise
- Fresh chives
- Spices: We use a combination of dill, salt, and ground black pepper
This is a traditional buttermilk dressing which gets its flavor predominantly from the chives and dill. It is rich and creamy, with a fresh, herby flavor. You can use other dressings on the salad if you prefer, but this is traditional for a house salad at a steakhouse restaurant. A few other options: Balsamic Vinaigrette, Lemon Vinaigrette, Homemade Ranch, Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing, and Creamy Italian Dressing.
Recipe Tips
- Use crunchy lettuce- I recommend romaine or iceberg lettuce for making this house salad. Since the creamy dressing is heavier than a vinaigrette, you need a sturdy green for the base. A more delicate leaf lettuce like mixed greens will not work as well in this salad.
- Use what you have! Don’t get too caught up in the toppings on this salad. If you have a bell pepper in the fridge that needs to be used, then throw it in! This is the perfect recipe to help empty the fridge.
- Add protein- If you want to bulk the salad up into a meal, add some protein and serve it up as a main dish. Chicken, steak or pork can all go well on top of this salad!
Recipe Short Cuts
If you need to make this recipe, but are extra short on time, here are a few ideas that can help make this recipe even faster!
- Prep ahead! All of your chopping can be done in advance for the salad. You can keep the ingredients separate, or combine the vegetables and just keep the croutons separate.
- Make the dressing ahead– This house buttermilk dressing can also be made up to 5 days in advance. I actually like the flavor even better after it sits in the fridge for a bit!
- Use pre-packaged as needed– If you really need a time saver, use prepackaged lettuce or veggies that have already been chopped. Then it cuts down on most of the prep time for this house salad recipe.
Recipe Variations
If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!
- Southwest House Salad– Replace the tomatoes with pico de gallo and the croutons with tortilla strips. You can serve with buttermilk dressing, or pair it with our popular jalapeno ranch dressing.
- Italian House Salad– Make salad as directed but add pepperoncini peppers, olives, and change the cheese to parmesan and toss with Red Wine vinaigrette.
More EASY Salad Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night!
You can check out all of my ||||| recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite recipes below.
- Chicken Cobb Salad
- Easy Chef Salad
- Steakhouse Wedge Salad
- Lemon Parmesan Kale Salad
- Classic Taco Salad
- Blackened Chicken Salad
Steakhouse Side Salad
Ingredients
For the House Salad
- 4 cups chopped lettuce
- 4 ounces grape tomatoes
- 1 cup chopped cucumber
- 1/2 cup shredded carrots
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup croutons
Buttermilk Dressing
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove, pressed
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives
- 1/4 teaspoon dried dill
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
For the salad
- Assemble each salad by placing 1 cup of lettuce on a salad plate.
- Top with 1/4 of each ingredient: tomato, carrots, cucumber, cheddar, and croutons.
- Top with dressing as desired.
For the house dressing
- In the bottom of a medium bowl, combine the freshly pressed garlic clove, salt, and lemon juice.
- Add 1/3 cup buttermilk, mayonnaise, sour cream, pepper, dill, and chives. Whisk together until combined. Add the remaining 1/3 buttermilk until the dressing reaches the desired consistency.
- Chill for 20 minutes, then top salads with desired amount.
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