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My restaurant-worthy little gem and orange salad features a creamy balsamic vinaigrette, bright citrus, and a savory granola topping. This simple dish is crunchy, fresh, and perfect as a lunch or side green salad!
The key for this little gem lettuce recipe is to dress it with a creamy restaurant-style balsamic vinaigrette. There’s no dairy or cream involved in making the dressing—it’s all about the blending. But the viscosity of the dressing means it sticks to the lettuce and pools in the rippled leaves.
The Beauty of Little Gem Lettuce
Little Gem lettuce is a small, compact variety of lettuce with crisp, slightly sweet leaves. Resembling a small romaine lettuce, the outer leaves are tender and darker in color and the inner leaves are lighter in color, very crisp and sweeter.
Little gem lettuce is perfect for side salads and starter salads and is incredibly beautiful, making it popular on many restaurant menus.
What I Serve With This Salad
I like to pair this salad with my simple but delicious Pan-Seared Salmon or Steamed Mussels. Serve with a loaf of crusty bread and dinner is done.
More Salad Recipes to Try
Little Gem Salad with Oranges and Cucumber
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Ingredients
Savory Granola
- ½ cup old fashioned rolled oats
- ¼ cup chopped raw almonds
- 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon za'atar
- 2 teaspoons chia seeds
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon honey
- Kosher salt and black pepper
Balsamic Vinaigrette
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 small clove garlic
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon honey
Little Gem Salad
- 5 cups torn little gem lettuce, washed and spun dry
- 2 large oranges, segmented
- 2 mini cucumbers, thinly sliced
Instructions
Savory Granola
- Heat oven to 350ºF with rack set in middle position. Like a quarter sheet pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, combine 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon honey. Add ½ cup oats, ¼ chopped raw almonds, 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, 1 tablespoon za'atar, 2 teaspoons chia seeds, ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper; stir to thoroughly combine.
- Transfer oat mixture to prepared sheet pan and press granola into a thin and compact layer.
- Bake granola until golden brown and fragrant, 25–28 minutes.
- Let cool on sheet pan then break into large pieces.
Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Using an immersion blender or regular blender, blend ½ cup olive oil, ¼ cup balsamic vinegar, 1 clove garlic, 2 teaspoons Dijon, ½ teaspoon honey and ¼ teaspoon salt until emulsified and smooth. Season to taste with lots of black pepper.
Little Gem Salad
- In a large serving bowl, toss 5 cups little gem lettuce with desired amount of vinaigrette to coat. Season with salt and pepper.
- Arrange orange segments, sliced cucumbers and savory granola over top. Serve immediately.
Equipment
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Nutrition
