This is a no-cook green salad built on two types of lettuce, rocket, pea sprouts, cucumber, tomatoes, radishes, avocado, blueberries, and a lemon vinaigrette. It takes 10 minutes start to finish. The honest reason to make it: it uses a wide mix of whatever salad produce you have on hand, and it comes together before you’ve had time to reconsider.
The short version of why this works
Two things matter here. First, layering the salad on a platter rather than tossing everything in a bowl keeps the delicate butter lettuce from getting crushed by the heavier toppings — avocado and cucumber are dense, and they’ll bruise soft leaves fast if you pile them carelessly. Second, the combination of bitter rocket, mild butter lettuce, and peppery radish gives you contrast in every bite without any extra effort. The blueberries pull double duty: a small hit of acidity and just enough sweetness to balance the sharp lemon vinaigrette. Neither of those things costs anything extra — it’s just about how you use what’s already in the recipe.
Mistakes to avoid
- Dressing the whole platter at once: dress it at the table — a pre-dressed salad goes limp fast, and with this many delicate greens you’ll lose the texture within minutes.
- Skipping the dry spin on the greens: water clinging to leaves dilutes the dressing and stops it from coating anything. Even a quick shake in a colander helps if you don’t own a salad spinner.
- Cutting the avocado too early: dice it last, right before you assemble. Avocado oxidizes quickly once cut, and no amount of lemon juice fully fixes the color or texture after 20 minutes.
- Using cucumber straight from the fridge without patting dry: Lebanese cucumbers release water as they sit. A quick pat with a paper towel before slicing keeps the platter from pooling liquid at the bottom.
- Underseasoning the components: the lemon vinaigrette seasons the whole salad, but a small pinch of flaky salt directly on the avocado and tomatoes before you plate makes a noticeable difference.
Ingredient notes
- Borage flowers: these are edible and mild, used here as garnish. If you don’t grow them and can’t find them at a farmers market, any edible flower works — nasturtiums, pansies, or even a few torn fresh herb leaves (basil, mint) do the same visual job for free.
- Pea sprouts: sold at Asian grocery stores and some supermarkets. Sunflower sprouts or alfalfa sprouts are direct swaps. In a pinch, thinly sliced sugar snap peas give you a similar crunch and fresh flavor.
- Baby cos and butter lettuce together: if you only have one type, use a full head of whichever you have. Iceberg works as a budget substitute for the cos — less flavor, but excellent crunch.
- Blueberries: fresh or frozen (thawed and drained) both work. Halved grapes or pomegranate seeds are good alternatives when blueberries are out of season or expensive.
Make-ahead notes
You can prep the greens up to a day ahead — washed, spun dry, and stored wrapped in a clean tea towel or paper towels inside an airtight container in the fridge. The cucumber can be sliced a few hours ahead and kept in a covered bowl. Everything else — avocado, tomatoes, radishes, blueberries — should be prepped the day of, ideally within an hour of serving. Do not assemble the platter more than 30 minutes before you plan to eat, and hold the dressing until the moment you bring it to the table. Dressed leftovers don’t store well; if you expect to have leftovers, keep the components separate and dress individual portions.
Summer Goddess Salad – Fresh No-Cook Green Salad
Equipment
- Large serving platter
- Salad Spinner
- Sharp Chef’s Knife
- Cutting board
- Small whisk or jar for dressing (if making vinaigrette from scratch)
Ingredients
- 1 head butter lettuce approximately 150g / 5oz
- 1 head baby cos lettuce approximately 200g / 7oz
- 3.5 oz baby rocket 100g
- 3.5 oz pea sprouts 100g
- 5 oz yellow pear tomatoes or cherry tomatoes halved, 150g
- 1.75 oz fresh blueberries ⅓ cup / 50g
- 4 medium radishes thinly sliced, approximately 60g / 2oz
- 6 oz avocado cut into large dice, approximately 170g
- 9 oz Lebanese cucumbers sliced into rounds, approximately 260g
- ½ cup edible flowers for garnish (borage, nasturtium, or pansy) — optional
- ¼ cup lemon vinaigrette 60ml, plus extra for serving
Instructions
- Wash the lettuces together while pulling the leaves off the stem. Then spin dry all the leaves and place wrapped in a tea towel in the fridge. This ensures beautifully crisp leaves.1 head butter lettuce, 1 head baby cos lettuce
- Wash the rocket and pea sprouts together, spin dry and place wrapped in a tea towel in the refrigerator.3.5 oz baby rocket, 3.5 oz pea sprouts
- Arrange three-quarters of the lettuce leaves across a large serving platter to create an even base.1 head butter lettuce, 1 head baby cos lettuce
- Scatter the rocket and pea sprouts over the lettuce, then arrange the cucumber slices, halved tomatoes, sliced radishes, and diced avocado in loose clusters across the platter.3.5 oz baby rocket, 3.5 oz pea sprouts, 9 oz Lebanese cucumbers, 5 oz yellow pear tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, 4 medium radishes, 6 oz avocado
- Tuck the remaining lettuce leaves around the edges, then sprinkle the blueberries and edible flowers (if using) over the top.1 head butter lettuce, 1 head baby cos lettuce, 1.75 oz fresh blueberries, ½ cup edible flowers
- Drizzle the lemon vinaigrette over the salad just before serving. Start with about 1 tablespoon per person — you can always add more at the table, but overdressing will wilt the delicate butter lettuce.¼ cup lemon vinaigrette
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a different dressing if I don’t have lemon vinaigrette?
Yes — any light vinaigrette works here. A simple mix of two tablespoons olive oil, one tablespoon lemon juice or white wine vinegar, a small pinch of salt, and a half teaspoon of Dijon mustard takes about 90 seconds to make and costs almost nothing.
What can I use instead of rocket if I don’t have it?
Baby spinach is the easiest swap — it’s mild where rocket is peppery, but the texture is similar. Watercress is closer in flavor if you can find it.
How do I keep the avocado from browning if I’m making this for a group?
Dice it as late as possible, ideally right before you plate. Tossing the diced pieces briefly in a little of the lemon vinaigrette before adding them to the platter slows oxidation slightly.
The recipe serves 4 — can I scale it down for one or two people?
Easily. Use half a head of each lettuce, one small avocado, one cucumber, and a handful each of the remaining toppings. The dressing scales directly — just use less.
Can I add a protein to make this more filling?
The recipe as written is vegan, and it’s satisfying as a light meal on its own. If you want more staying power without changing the character of the salad, a handful of cooked chickpeas or some shelled edamame stirred in adds bulk and protein without disrupting the flavors.
My grocery store doesn’t carry Lebanese cucumbers — what should I use?
A regular English cucumber works fine — just slice it the same way. If the skin is thick or waxy, peel it first. Persian cucumbers are the closest match in size and texture.