Chopped Rainbow Salad

Quick answer

Total time: 15 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 8

About this dish

Chopped rainbow salad dices romaine, red cabbage, carrot, bell pepper, and corn kernels into small, uniform pieces so that every forkful picks up multiple colors and textures at once.

Keeping the cuts even ensures consistent crunch and even dressing coverage across the bowl. The dressing uses only olive oil, lemon juice, and salt, so each vegetable's natural character shows through without interference. Red cabbage's slight bitterness and the sweetness of corn create a built-in contrast, while bell pepper adds structural crunch that anchors the bowl. Because none of the ingredients carry high moisture, the salad holds up well after tossing without going limp, making it well suited for packed lunches or meals prepared in advance. Fresh herbs, crumbled feta, or sliced avocado can be added to turn it into a more substantial single-dish meal.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

romaine lettuce100 gg

red cabbage80 gg

carrot70 gg

bell pepper90 gg

corn kernels70 gg

olive oil1½ tbsptbsp

lemon juice1½ tbsptbsp

salt⅜ tsptsp

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Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Season

Wash 100 g romaine and 80 g red cabbage, then shake off as much water as possible and pat dry with paper towels.

Extra moisture thins the dressing and makes the salad lose its clean crunch.
2

Prep

Cut the romaine into fine pieces under 0.3 cm so it is easy to pick up in one bite.

Shred the red cabbage to a similar thickness, slicing any thick ribs thinly so they do not feel hard.
3

Prep

Dice 70 g carrot and 90 g bell pepper into even pieces about 0.8 cm wide.

Keep checking the size as you cut, because uneven pieces make the carrot dominate some bites and disappear in others.
4

Step

Put 70 g corn kernels in a sieve and let them drain for about 5 minutes.

If the surface still looks wet, press lightly with a spoon or towel so the dressing coats the vegetables instead of pooling.
5

Season

In a small bowl, stir together 1.5 tablespoons olive oil, 1.5 tablespoons lemon juice, and 0.4 teaspoon salt.

Mix until the salt is no longer visible and the dressing looks slightly thickened.
6

Finish

Place all vegetables in a large bowl and pour the dressing around the edges, not in one spot.

Toss gently for about 30 seconds until the colors are evenly mixed, then serve right away or keep chilled.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Cutting vegetables into uniform cubes ensures that each forkful contains a consistent mix of crunch and color.
Finish cue: Mix until the salt is no longer visible and the dressing looks slightly thickened.
Avoid this: Shred the red cabbage to a similar thickness, slicing any thick ribs thinly so they do not feel hard.