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This vibrant tossed salad is a flavor-packed classic elevated with crisp apples, smoky bacon, crunchy sunflower seeds, creamy Gouda, and a crave-worthy honey mustard dressing layered with spices. As a salad enthusiast, I’ve fine-tuned every ingredient to create a salad that’s bold, comforting, and fresh. You’ll also find easy tips, tasty variations, and make-ahead ideas to keep this salad on repeat for everything from weeknight dinners to entertaining.
Irresistible honey mustard dressing: A salad is only as good as its dressing! This salad is tossed with the best homemade honey mustard that’s perfectly balanced with sweetness, tang, and layered spices.
Texture in every bite, thanks to a few special touches: A satisfying mix of crisp veggies, crunchy sunflower seeds, seasoned croutons, salty bacon, and juicy apples makes this salad NEXT LEVEL DELISH!
Not just any cheese: Cubed Gouda for creamy, nutty richness that complements the bacon, apple, and crisp veggies like a dream.
Easy to customize: Simple to adapt with your favorite greens, proteins, or seasonal produce-lots of variations included!
Meal prep/make-ahead friendly: See my tips for making this tossed salad ahead of time for a stress-free side dish or entertaining!
Tossed Salad Ingredients
Let’s take a closer look at what you need to make this recipe (measurements in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):
FOR THE salad:
Romaine lettuce: Use one huge lettuce head, two smaller heads, or three Romaine hearts to equal about 10 cups. Romaineadds a satisfying crunch and a mild, slightly sweet flavor. Its sturdy leaves hold up well to dressings and toppings.
Cucumber: English cucumbers are great for their thin skin and minimal seeds, but Persian cucumbers are another excellent option—they’re crisp, mild, and require no peeling. If using standard garden cucumbers, consider peeling and seeding them to avoid bitterness and excess moisture.
Grape or cherry tomatoes: Use whichever is in season or looks freshest—both bring a sweet, juicy pop of flavor and vibrant color to the salad.
Carrot: Cut into matchsticks for vibrant color and a crisp, earthy contrast. I don’t recommend purchasing shredded because they tend to be thinner and don’t have the same crunch.
Radishes: Sliced thin to add peppery brightness and a pop of color. Look for radishes that are firm, smooth, and brightly colored with crisp greens attached.
Apple: You’ll love the sweet crunch it adds! Use a sweet apple like Fuji or Honeycrisp.
Red onion: Use ¼ of a red onion sliced into thin slices. You may substitute with green onions if you wish.
Gouda cheese: Look for young or smoked Gouda, rather than aged, which can be too overpowering.
Bacon: Crumbled or chopped from cooked strips—or use bacon bits for convenience and salty crunch.
Sunflower seeds: Use roasted and salted so they’re stand-alone craveable!
Seasoned croutons: For extra crunch and flavor. Pick up a bag at the store, or make your own. I provided my go-to homemade crouton recipe in the recipe card below.
For the dressing:
Olive oil: Use extra virgin olive oil for a rich, smooth base that blends beautifully with the tangy and sweet flavors.
Dijon mustard: Adds creamy texture and sharp, balanced tang—spicy brown mustard can also work for a bolder bite.
Honey: Brings natural sweetness to offset the acidity and spice; adjust to taste for a sweeter or more savory dressing.
Apple cider vinegar: Offers bright acidity with a hint of fruitiness that complements the honey and mustard.
Garlic: Use a small clove grated or minced for fresh punch, or substitute with garlic powder for convenience and quicker prep.
Spices: A blend of salt, dried basil, onion powder, dried oregano, paprika, and pepper layers in herby, savory warmth that makes this dressing extra flavorful and well-rounded.
How to Make a Tossed Salad
Let’s take a closer look at how to make this recipe with step-by-step photos (full recipe in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):
Step 1: Make the Dressing. Combine the dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk until well combined, or add them to a jar, cover, and shake vigorously to blend. THIS is my favorite salad shaker.
Step 2: Assemble. Add the Romaine lettuce to a large bowl, then top with the salad ingredients. Hold the bacon and croutons if expecting leftovers.
Step 3: Add the Dressing. If you’re not expecting leftovers, drizzle the salad with the desired amount of dressing and toss. Alternatively, dress individual salads. Dig in!
Easy Tossed Salad TIPS
Customize the Ingredients: The ingredients and measurements are provided as suggestions. After loading a large salad bowl with lettuce, pile on your ingredients in whatever ratios your taste buds desire, or use what you have on hand. For example, some will like fewer onions, and others will want more cheese – that’s your call!
Make the Dressing First: It needs time to chill for the flavors to blend and develop—no one likes warm salad dressing! If you are making the salad and serving it immediately, place the Dressing in the freezer for 30 minutes, then transfer it to the refrigerator so it is sufficiently chilled.
To Prevent the Apple Slices from Browning: Soak them briefly in a mixture of water and lemon juice, apple juice and water, or my favorite—a blend of apple juice with a splash of lemon juice and water for the purest flavor.
To Quickly Cut Matchstick Carrots: First, slice the carrot into thin diagonal coins. Then stack a few slices and cut them lengthwise into thin sticks. For quicker prep, you can also use a mandoline or food processor with a julienne blade.
For Hassle-Free Bacon, I use my baked bacon recipe —you’ll never go back to the stovetop method again! It bakes to crispy perfection while you prep the rest of the salad ingredients.
Scale the Recipe: The printable recipe card features arrows next to the servings to easily adjust the recipe as needed.
How to Make Tossed Salad Ahead of Time
This recipe is a time-saving solution for meal prep. You can prepare all or some of the ingredients ahead of time. Here’s how:
•Salad ingredients: Chop the veggies up to 24 hours in advance and store them in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator. I add the lettuce to a large bowl and the ingredients in separate paper-towel-lined sandwich bags on top, then cover everything with foil. This keeps excess moisture away from the veggies and keeps them fresh. •Croutons: These can be made up to one week ahead of time and stored in a resealable plastic bag with as much air removed as possible or in an airtight container at room temperature. •Bacon: Cook the bacon, drain, and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 1 month. Reheat in a skillet just until crisp. •Dressing: This can be made up to one week ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Tossed Salad Recipe Variations
Change the greens: Try a mix of arugula, spring mix, or baby spinach instead of (or with) romaine for variety in texture and taste.
Customize Vegetables: Use any vegetable that sparks your culinary imagination! Asparagus, bell peppers, mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, snap peas, and more—the choice is yours!
Swap the cheese: Use feta, blue cheese crumbles, goat cheese, or sharp white cheddar for a different flavor profile.
Try a different crunch: Use toasted pecans, walnuts, or sliced almonds in place of sunflower seeds.
Add fruit: Toss in fresh berries, grapes, or dried cranberries for a touch of sweetness.
Add Grains: Turn the salad into a bowl by adding cooked rice, farro, quinoa, lentils, bulgur wheat, or orzo. Also consider adding roasted vegetables like roasted sweet potatoes and/or cauliflower.
If you are not expecting leftovers: Add the ingredients to a large salad bowl. You can toss everything together with the dressing or serve it on the side and let everyone dress their salad.
If expecting leftovers: Toss the salad ingredients together in a large salad bowl except for the bacon and croutons. Serve the bacon, croutons, and dressing on the side. This will prevent the croutons from getting soggy when stored.
Salad bar: If you have picky eaters or want a fun, entertaining idea, consider a salad bar where everyone can pile on as much or as little of their favorite toppings. This is also fun with additions like rice/grains and chicken to make grain bowls. Everyone’s a winner with a salad bar!
HOW TO STORE best tossed salad
If you plan on storing leftover salad, please don’t toss it with the dressing; otherwise, the lettuce will become soggy and wilted.
Instead, store the salad and dressing in separate airtight containers. The croutons and bacon should also be stored in separate airtight containers. The salad can last about three days in the refrigerator when stored in this manner. However, it’s essential to note that the wet ingredients, such as tomatoes and apple slices, can slightly soften the crunch of the lettuce.
This vibrant tossed salad is a flavor-packed classic elevated with crisp apples, smoky bacon, crunchy sunflower seeds, creamy Gouda, and a crave-worthy honey mustard dressing layered with spices. As a salad enthusiast, I’ve fine-tuned every ingredient to create a salad that’s bold, comforting, and fresh. See the post for easy tips, tasty variations, and make-ahead ideas to keep this salad on repeat for everything from weeknight dinners to entertaining.
Servings: 6servings
Total Time: 40 minutesmins
Prep Time: 30 minutesmins
Cook Time: 10 minutesmins
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Make the Dressing: Combine the dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk until well combined, or add them to a jar, cover, and shake vigorously to blend. I use my FAVORITE Salad Dressing Shaker HERE. The dressing is best if chilled for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Assemble: Add the Romaine lettuce to a large bowl, then top with the salad ingredients. Hold the bacon and croutons if expecting leftovers and serve them on the side.
Add the Dressing: If you're not expecting leftovers, drizzle the salad with the desired amount of dressing and toss. Alternatively, dress individual salads. Dig in!
Notes
HOMEMADE CROUTONS (OR STORE-BOUGHT)
1/2 loaf (5 cups) sourdough or French bread, cubed (preferably day old)
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray or use a nonstick baking mat. Add cubed bread to the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Then, sprinkle with spices and toss until evenly coated. Spread the bread into an even layer and bake for approximately 10-15 minutes or until golden, stirring halfway through.
Breadlady says
Amazing salad. The dressing is perfectly balanced. I made this for vegans so I omitted the bacon and cheese and it was still wonderful.
Jen says
Thank you so much for your glowing review! I’m so thrilled that it turned out so delicious for you!