Recipe: Ensalada Verde (Green Salad)
Description
Ensalada Verde is a fresh, simple, and healthy green salad commonly served in Spanish-speaking countries. It typically includes lettuce, cucumber, tomato, onion, and sometimes avocado, with olive oil and vinegar as dressing. It can be served as a side or a light main dish.
Time Breakdown
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 2–4
Ingredients
Ingredient Quantity
Lettuce (romaine or leaf) 1 head, washed and chopped
Tomato 2 medium, sliced
Cucumber 1, peeled and sliced
Red onion ½, thinly sliced
Avocado (optional) 1, sliced
Olive oil 3 tbsp
Vinegar (red wine or apple cider) 1½ tbsp
Salt To taste
Black pepper To taste
Lemon juice (optional) 1 tbsp
Instructions
Lava las verduras (Wash the vegetables).
Verb: Lavar (to wash) → Lava (imperative)
Wash the lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and onion under cold water.
Corta los ingredientes (Cut the ingredients).
Verb: Cortar (to cut) → Corta
Chop the lettuce into bite-size pieces.
Slice the tomato, cucumber, and onion thinly.
If using avocado, slice it just before serving to avoid browning.
Mezcla los ingredientes en un bol grande (Mix the ingredients in a large bowl).
Verb: Mezclar (to mix) → Mezcla
Combine the lettuce, tomato, cucumber, onion, and avocado in a large salad bowl.
Añade el aderezo (Add the dressing).
Verb: Añadir (to add) → Añade
Drizzle olive oil and vinegar over the salad.
Sazona con sal, pimienta y jugo de limón al gusto (Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste).
Verb: Sazonar (to season) → Sazona
Sirve inmediatamente (Serve immediately).
Verb: Servir (to serve) → Sirve
Q&A Style: Verbs in Action
Question Answer (with Verb Explanation)
¿Qué haces primero? (What do you do first?) Lavo las verduras. (Lavar – to wash; yo lavo – I wash)
¿Cómo preparas la lechuga? La corto en pedazos pequeños. (Cortar – to cut; yo corto – I cut)
¿Qué haces con los ingredientes? Los mezclo en un bol. (Mezclar – to mix; yo mezclo – I mix)
¿Qué añades al final? Añado aceite, vinagre y limón. (Añadir – to add; yo añado)
¿Cuándo sirves la ensalada? La sirvo inmediatamente. (Servir – to serve; yo sirvo)
¿Qué verbo se usa para poner sal y pimienta? Sazonar. Ejemplo: Sazono con sal y pimienta.
Bonus: Common Verbs in This Recipe (Infinitive + Imperative)
Infinitive Meaning Imperative (Tú form)
Lavar to wash Lava
Cortar to cut Corta
Mezclar to mix Mezcla
Añadir to add Añade
Sazonar to season Sazona
Servir to serve Sirve