A green salad is a dish of raw leafy greens, usually lettuce or a mix of lettuces such as romaine or iceberg, sometimes combined with spinach, arugula, or kale, tossed with a dressing. It differs from a composed salad, which arranges additional ingredients like proteins or fruit on top rather than tossing everything together.
Dressing leafy greens with oil and vinegar dates to the ancient Mediterranean; the modern green salad, with its wide range of greens and bottled dressings, took shape in the 19th and 20th centuries alongside salad bars and packaged salad mixes.
It's typically served as a side dish, a light main, or a palate cleanser between courses. Regional variations differ mainly in what's added: tomatoes, cucumber, olives, and feta with a simple vinaigrette in the Mediterranean; edamame, mandarin orange, and sesame dressing in Asian-style versions; croutons, bacon bits, and ranch or blue cheese dressing in the American style.