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Sometimes the only thing you need to top off a great meal is a simple salad. This green salad with sherry shallot dressing goes with everything from cozy braised stews to casual pizza nights. With lemon, honey, and Dijon, this dressing is tangy, citrusy, and has just a hint of sweetness. Save this recipe for dinner parties, holidays, or cozy weeknight dinners!

A stoneware bowl of green salad with sherry shallot dressing on a tan counter next to a white linen, glass jar of dressing, and wood bowl of parmesan.

I am so ready for warm weather and dinner parties on the patio. I’ve been eyeing my grill and the little stubborn patch of snow in my yard that just won’t melt. But it’s almost time, I can feel it.

With lots of spring and summer holidays coming up, my first plan of action is to get everyone together to sip beers, sit around the fire pit, and bust out some yard games. I’ve even planned the menu. Smoked tri-tip, creamy antipasto tortellini salad, watermelon, and this basic (but super flavorful!) little side salad. Of course, this salad isn’t just fit for warm weather, it’s also amazing with cozy dishes like brisket beef stew and my fluffy garlic butter dinner rolls in the winter and fall.

Back when I was in culinary school, we were taught that the best salad dressing ratio is 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. But honestly? I like a 2:1 ratio for a punchier, more flavorful dressing. But don’t worry, this vinaigrette isn’t too tangy thanks to the caramelized notes in sherry vinegar.

Tuck this recipe away for your next dinner party or get-together. It’s the easiest side dish but still pretty and elegant!

Sherry vinegar

White bowls of lettuce, sunflower seeds, and cucumbers on a beige counter next to a wood bowl of parmesan.
White and brown bowls of vinegar, lemon zest, salt, onions, pepper, oil, mustard, and honey on a tan counter.

Vinegar is essential in salad dressing for flavor and acidity. I like to use sherry vinegar because it’s balanced, a tad sweet, and has lovely caramelized notes. If you can’t find sherry vinegar, feel free to use apple cider or red wine vinegar instead. You’ll also need shallots, Dijon mustard, honey, lemon zest, olive oil, avocado oil, Morton’s Kosher salt, and freshly-cracked black pepper.

To make the salad, grab some lettuce (butter, green leaf, whatever), sunflower seeds, parmesan cheese, and cucumbers. And make sure you’re using freshly-grated parm!

More topping ideas

  • Nuts/seeds – this salad would be delicious with toasted almonds, pine nuts, walnuts, pecans, pepitas, or even hazelnuts.
  • Cheese – try sharp white cheddar, gouda, blue cheese, feta, or goat cheese.
  • Veggies – top this salad with any veggies you like. Carrots, cherry tomatoes, beets, onions, peppers, fennel, radishes, etc.

Blend the dressing

Three steps to making sherry shallot dressing. In photo 1, a brown bowl of shallots and water is on a tan counter. In photo 2, a blender is filled with shallots, vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper. In photo 3, a hand is drizzling oil into the blender.
Start by soaking the shallots in cold water to remove some of the sharp flavors. Then, add the shallots, sherry vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, lemon zest, salt, and pepper to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. While the blender is running, drizzle the oils into the dressing until it’s emulsified.

For smooth, creamy dressing, dribble the oil into the blender nice and slowly. Once the dressing is done, it should be fully emulsified. If you add the oil too quickly, the dressing will separate.

Make the salad

Three steps to making green salad. In photo 1, a white bowl of lettuce, cucumbers, sunflower seeds, and parmesan is on a tan counter next to a beige linen, white bowl of sunflower seeds, and wood bowl of parmesan. In photo 2, a hand pours a jar of dressing over the salad. In photo 3, the salad is tossed.
First, combine the lettuce, sunflower seeds, parmesan, and cucumbers in a large salad bowl. Then, drizzle about 1/3 of the dressing over the salad. Toss to combine. Lastly, taste the salad and add more dressing if needed. Season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!

There is a fine line between perfectly dressed and overdressed salad. You’ll want to add around 1/3 of the dressing to start. The salad should be thoroughly coated and have no dry spots or a puddle of dressing at the bottom of the bowl. When in doubt, start with less dressing and add more to taste!

A glass container of sherry shallot dressing on a wood board next to white bowls of lettuce, cucumbers, and sunflower seeds on a tan counter.

Making this dressing by hand

If you don’t have a blender or food processor, you can also make this dressing by hand. But it will have small chunks of shallots, just a head’s up! To make it, you’ll want to finely dice the shallots as small as possible. Then, drizzle the oil into the dressing while whisking rapidly to help it emulsify.

Make-ahead dressing

To store leftovers, pour the lemon shallot dressing into a jar and cover. Refrigerate the dressing for up to 1 week. You can also make the dressing up to 1 week in advance. But, I do not recommend making the salad in advance or the butter lettuce will get soggy. Toss the salad right before serving and enjoy!

The oil in the salad dressing may solidify in the fridge. If it does, just let it warm on the counter for 30 minutes-1 hour until the oil melts. Then, give it a good shake until the dressing is well-combined.

A hand pouring a glass container of sherry shallot vinaigrette into a stoneware bowl of lettuce on a tan counter next to white bowls and a white linen.

If you make this recipe, I would love it if you left a star rating and review! I read every single comment and love hearing what you think about my recipes. Thank you for supporting Sunday Table!

5 from 2 votes

Simple Green Salad with Sherry Shallot Dressing

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Sometimes the only thing you need to top off a great meal is a simple salad. This green salad with sherry shallot dressing goes with everything from cozy braised stews to casual pizza nights. With lemon, honey, and Dijon, this dressing is tangy, citrusy, and has just a hint of sweetness. Save this recipe for dinner parties, holidays, or cozy weeknight dinners!
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Ingredients

Sherry Shallot Dressing

  • 1 small shallot, roughly chopped (3 Tablespoons/24 grams)
  • 3 Tablespoons sherry vinegar (42 milliliters)
  • 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard (15 grams)
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 3 Tablespoons olive oil (42 milliliters)
  • 3 Tablespoons avocado oil (42 milliliters)
  • Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

Simple Green Salad

  • 1 pound red butter lettuce (454 grams)
  • 4.5 ounces green leaf lettuce (128 grams)
  • 1/4 cup sunflower seeds, toasted (40 grams)
  • 1/3 cup freshly-grated parmesan (25 grams)
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced English cucumbers (110 grams)

Equipment

  • Blender (or food processor)
  • Chef's knife
  • Cutting board
  • Box grater
  • Large salad bowl + tongs

Instructions 

Sherry shallot dressing

  • Place the diced shallots in a small bowl and cover them with cold water. Let the shallots sit for 10-30 minutes. (This will remove any sharp, pungent flavors.) Drain the shallots.
  • Then, place the shallots, sherry vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, and lemon zest in a blender. Season with salt and pepper. Blend until smooth, scraping the sides of the blender with a rubber spatula halfway through.
  • With the blender running on low, slowly drizzle the olive oil and avocado oil into the dressing until it's smooth and creamy. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed.

Simple green salad

  • In a large salad bowl, combine the red butter lettuce, green leaf lettuce, sunflower seeds, parmesan, and cucumbers.
  • Right before serving, add about 1/3 of the dressing to the salad and toss well. Taste and add more dressing, salt, and pepper if needed. Enjoy!

Notes

Shallots can vary quite a bit in strength. Some are much stronger than others, so I would add the shallots to taste. If you want a stronger flavor, add more diced shallots. If you have a very strong shallot, use less.
For smooth, consistent dressing, dribble the oil into the blender nice and slowly. Once the dressing is done, it should be fully emulsified. If you add the oil too quickly, the dressing will separate.
For a creamy dressing, add 1-2 Tablespoons of whole milk Greek yogurt. You can also use mayo!
If you don’t have a salad spinner, wash the lettuce well in a colander. Then, lay the lettuce on a clean towel and use another clean towel to gently pat the leaves dry.
Be gentle with the butter lettuce! It’s fairly delicate so if you handle it too much, it will bruise or wilt.
There is a fine line between salad that’s perfectly dressed, salad that’s underdressed, and salad that’s overdressed. You’ll want to add around 1/3 of the dressing to start. The salad should be thoroughly coated and have no dry spots or a puddle of dressing at the bottom of the bowl. When in doubt, start with less dressing and add more to taste!
The oil in the salad dressing may solidify in the fridge. If it does, just let it warm on the counter for 30 minutes-1 hour until the oil melts. Then, give it a good shake to make sure everything is well-combined.
Cuisine: American
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Author: Sara Lynn Hunt Broka
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 114kcal, Carbohydrates: 4.7g, Protein: 2.8g, Fat: 9.4g, Saturated Fat: 1.8g, Cholesterol: 4mg, Sodium: 88mg, Potassium: 111mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2.1g, Calcium: 63mg, Iron: 2mg
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