Simple Green Salad with Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette (low FODMAP)

20 Minutes prep • Low FODMAP • Gluten-free • Lactose-free • Vegetarian • Serves 4 • Ok to make ahead: Step 1

A few fresh ingredients on hand mean a simple salad can always be simply delicious. You can use the veggies that are “always” in your refrigerator, or you can branch out a bit. Consider this recipe a suggestion for ingredients and don’t be afraid to use alternatives—depending on what you have on hand and what you like. The easy lemon Dijon vinaigrette is really delicious so keep this recipe handy. It’s a great all-purpose dressing for just about any salad, or for leftover steamed broccoli. Want to add some more crunch? Top your salad off with my low FODMAP Garlic Parmesan Sourdough Croutons.

Ingredients: Salad

3 cups lettuce of your choice (red leaf and butter lettuce make a good combo)

1 cup of arugula, spinach, or spring mix

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 Persian cucumbers, peeled and chopped

1/2 cup jicama, peeled and chopped

1/2 cup pumpkin and/or sunflower seeds, raw or roasted (whatever you prefer)

Ingredients: Dressing

1/4 cup lemon juice, fresh squeezed

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

(1) Make the dressing: Combine all ingredients except salt and pepper in a small jar. Shake to combine. Taste and add salt and pepper to your liking.

Make-ahead note: At this point, you may leave the dressing at room temp for a few hours, or in the refrigerator if longer than that. Just bring it to room temperature before you need to use it. And shake well before adding to the salad.

(2) Wash and dry the vegetables: When you make a salad with vegetables that are wet from washing, the dressing gets watered down and doesn’t taste as good. So, wash and dry your vegetables, including the lettuce, before you make your salad. To dry lettuce, if you don’t have a lettuce spinner, make a pile of washed lettuce in the center of a clean dish towel, gather the corners together, and take it outside and spin your arm around. The water will come off the lettuce and soak into the towel. If there’s a lot of water, it will spin off onto the ground. Voila! Washed and dried lettuce that’s ready for the perfect salad!

(3) Seed, peel, and chop: You can leave peels on carrots and cucumbers for extra fiber. If that’s not what you want, then peel them before you chop them up. Seed the bell pepper and chop. Definitely peel the jicama, if using. The peel is not meant to be eaten.

(4) Assemble the salad: Break the lettuce into bite-size pieces and put them in a salad bowl. Add the rest of the vegetables.

(5) Finish: Drizzle with the dressing. Toss. Add the pumpkin seeds (if using).

(6) Serve: Sprinkle with a bit of Diamond Crystal Kosher salt just before serving.

Recipe note: I use Diamond Crystal Kosher salt in all my recipes because it has a wonderful flat and crisp flake that tastes delicious. It is also the least salty salt available so you can use it more liberally as a seasoning than you can table salt or sea salt. If you use another type of salt, you may need to reduce the amount so it is not over-salted. 

Eat and enjoy every bite because you can!

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