This green salad is made with fresh, affordable, and nutritious ingredients you’ll easily find at the store. No need to cook, just chop a few fruits, toss in some veggies, and drizzle with a homemade lemon vinaigrette. Your family will love the balance of sweet, crunchy, and nutty yumminess.

You usually hear, “Eat the rainbow,” when it comes to meals. Normally, we love to incorporate a variety of colorful fruits and veggies in each recipe. 

But not this time!

Green salad is sponsored by Sun World. 

Every ingredient in this salad is the same color… can you guess which one?

Discover what to add to your green salad recipe for a refreshing and delightful side to any meal. 

Here we go!

What’s Green Salad?

It’s a salad that’s… green! We took the name literally and used all green ingredients. Made with spicy arugula, juicy grapes, crunchy fennel, hydrating cucumbers, buttery avocado, and nutty pepitas — this salad is truly a “green” salad. Fun, right? 

Easy to throw together and light and crisp on the palate.

Ingredients

Green salad is filled with green produce for the perfect balance of flavors and textures. Look for the six following ingredients for a light bite that’s affordable and nutritious.

Arugula

The base of your green salad will taste different depending on the maturity of your arugula. Baby arugula has a delicate and mild taste, while regular arugula is spicier with a peppery flavor. If your kids are picky when it comes to pepper, opt for the baby arugula to increase the chances they’ll love this salad as much as you do. 

We used mature arugula because we love the natural peppery and crisp taste. We’ll use about eight cups for this recipe, so get two bags or one of the big tubs so there’s enough to go around or bring for lunch the next day. You’ll find arugula in the produce aisle in a plastic bag or container. 

Grapes

Since this is a green salad recipe, every ingredient is green, including AUTUMNCRISP® grapes. We love these giant, seedless berries because they’re extra juicy and crisp for a premium quality grape. You only need two cups of grapes, each cut in half, so you’ll likely have a few clusters left over. 

Not to worry, leftover grapes are ideal as an easy snack on the go or in grape salad. AUTUMNCRISP® grapes are unique in taste with their sweet and fruity muscat flavor. And they keep well for up to two weeks. But you don’t need to worry about that, they’re so delicious, you’ll probably eat them well before then. 

Fennel

We’ll add a sweet, licorice flavor using fresh fennel bulbs. Fennel has a large white bulb with green celery-looking stalks and delicate dill-like leaves at the top. For this recipe, we’ll cut the bulb into thin slices with a knife. They’ll look similar to sliced onions, but have a mild and delicate flavor that even licorice haters really enjoy.

We’ll only use the fennel bulbs in this green salad recipe, but feel free to use the stalks in stir fry and use the leaves to liven up another salad. Look for fennel in the produce section with firm, white bulbs without any cracks or brown spots. 

Cucumber

Did you know that cucumbers are a fruit, not a vegetable? They grow from a flower and have seeds in the middle, which makes them a fruit. 

Thinly slice a cucumber for extra crunch in your green salad. Just a cup is all you need for a crisp, cool, and refreshing addition. The dark green skin is loaded with nutrients, so we prefer to leave it on. Cucumbers are soft and easy to cut into. This is a great – and safe – opportunity to teach age-appropriate kids how to cut with a knife. 

Look for dark green and firm cucumbers in the produce section. 

Avocado

We love avocados by themselves and in a salad. They add a mild nutty flavor with a buttery texture and hint of sweetness. Get one medium avocado and dice it before adding it on top of your arugula. If you want to make your green salad ahead of time, we recommend adding your avocados right before serving so they don’t turn brown from being exposed to the air. 

Look for soft, but not mushy, avocados in the produce section. However, if you don’t plan on using your avocados for a few days, get firmer ones so they will be ripe and ready when you make your salad.

Pepitas

Now, let’s add some crunch to our green salad. Pepitas are dark green in color and come from seedless pumpkins. Unlike traditional pumpkin seeds, they don’t have a shell on the outside, exposing their exceptional color. Pepitas add a nutty flavor with a little sweetness. Even though they are crunchy, they aren’t too hard, making them easy for young children to chew. 

Look for this unique topping in the nut aisle. Its green color makes it stand out from the other options, so it should be easy to spot. 

How to Make Green Salad

Step 1: Add your arugula to your serving bowl. 

Step 2: Rinse your grapes and cut them in half with a knife. Then, add them to your serving bowl. 

Step 3: Next, let’s prep your fennel. Use your knife to cut as close to the bulb as you can to remove the stems and leaves. Save them for salads and veggie stock. Cut the bulb in half from the cut side to the root side. Then, use the tip of your knife to cut a triangle shape in each half to remove the core at the root end of the bulb. Cut thin pieces crosswise or lengthwise (your choice) and toss them into your green salad. 

Step 4: Thinly slice your cucumber with a knife and toss it into the bowl.

Step 5: Cut your avocado in half and remove the pit. Hold your avocado in one hand and use your dominant hand to cut lengthwise and then crosswise. Use a spoon to scoop out your diced avocado right into your salad bowl.

Step 6: Top with pepitas and parmesan. 

Step 7: Add the olive oil, lemon juice, shallots, mustard, sugar, parmesan, salt, and pepper to a mason jar. Secure the lid and shake vigorously until the ingredients are combined to make a vinaigrette. 

Step 8: Drizzle your green salad with the lemon vinaigrette, toss, and serve!

How to Select and Store Grapes

When choosing your grapes at the grocery store, look for green grapes that are firm and attached to the stems.

Grapes are sold in bags that have small holes in them to help with ventilation. This is important when it comes to keeping your grapes fresh for as long as possible. Store your grapes in the same bag that you bought them in. Keep them in the fridge so they stay fresh and ready for snacking or making your green salad. 

Remember to rinse before eating. 

Why We Love Sun World

After 40 years in operation, Sun World is one of the largest and longest-running table grape breeders in the world. They grow their grapes with the focus of eating red, black, and green grapes while they are as fresh as can be. By growing premium quality grapes, their berries always get delivered to your local grocery store looking plump, firm, and juicy. And don’t forget about the AUTUMNCRISP® grapes are crisp and sweet with a hint of muscat flavor. 

Look for the grape and stone fruit labels in the produce section when you get ready to make your green salad at home. 

More Salad Recipes

• Apple, Cranberry, and Kale Salad — creative and tasty seasonal salad
• Winter Pear Salad — complimentary holiday salad
• Celery Fennel Salad — topped with parm and walnuts for a filling salad
• Apple Wreath Salad — festive and tasty Christmas salad