By Tess DiNapoli
Instead of trying to muddle through on your own, check out these five party-friendly salad recipes for a dish everyone will love.
These salads are party favorites that are easy to serve and eat. Find your favorite and add a personal twist to your choice!
- Mexican Cobb Salad
A fun twist on a classic favorite, this Cobb salad brings back everyone’s favorite salad ingredients with a little something extra! It’s colorful and pretty, healthy, and never boring. Combine the traditional cobb ingredients, before adding grilled chicken breast, black beans, corn, jalapenos, cilantro, avocado, and some crispy tortilla strips to complete the dish.
With this hearty salad, you’re not serving a side anymore! Your salad will be the life and flavor of the party — ultra-satisfying, unique, and exciting.
- Avocado and Tomato Salad
The Mexican cobb salad is a heavy hitter that requires some complex ingredients and more time in the kitchen to deliver. However, if you’re looking for something simple, nutritious, and delicious, the avocado and tomato salad is a quick and easy solution. All you need here is some avocado, heirloom tomatoes, red onion, and your favorite olive oil to complete the dish. Elevate this salad with a tarragon garnish and champagne vinegar for a refreshing and herbal summer dish.
- Rainbow Salad
This salad is a bit more of a food board than a traditional mixed treat, so it’s easier for guests to make their own salad, grabbing just what they want from the steel platter. Make a protein the centerpiece of this dish, like a moist salmon filet or grilled chicken breast. Then, surround the meat with brightly colored, seasonal vegetables to deliver a versatile, eat-your-own adventure. Some salad staples for this dish may include:
- Cherry tomatoes
- Avocado
- Purple cauliflower
- Roasted garlic
- Golden squash
- Carrots
- Garbanzo beans
- Corn
- Red beets
You don’t have to include every one of these vegetables in this dish but you should choose veggies of different colors to ensure a variety of hues to create a rainbow.
- Tropical Salad
If you’re hoping to bring something a little more unique to your next holiday party or family gathering, a tropical salad can be the sweet surprise you’re looking for. With pineapples and mandarins on a base of greens and tomatoes, there’s no way you could go wrong. Garnish your plate with some chopped nuts and lime for a sweet and sour confection nobody could possibly resist!
- Caprese
The final salad recommendation on this list is a Caprese. It’s another dish that’s easy to make and fun to eat, as guests can quickly grab a tower of layered ingredients and eat them off a plate or even a skewer. Caprese offers so many flexible plating options that you could make it one of the most beautiful platters at the party.
To make your caprese, simply layer slices of tomato, mozzarella, and basil and then drizzle them with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. You can make mini, skewered Caprese with cherry tomatoes, or a Caprese casserole with rows and rows of layers in a big dish.
If you want to make this salad a little more exciting, consider adding a few extra ingredients, like avocado, olives, or toasted baguette slices. Any one of these ingredients will make your dish stand out even more.
Elevate Any Salad
No matter which salad you choose for your next party, you can elevate it with a few simple tricks, including:
- Adding toasted nuts for extra crunch and flavor
- Drizzling honey or maple syrup with your vinaigrette
- Finely chopping your salad to make it easier to eat
- Exploring textures that create a distinctive mouthfeel
- Using warm ingredients, like grilled peaches
What is your favorite salad to bring to a party? Share your salad tips with everyone when you post your next creation online!
Tess DiNapoli is an artist, freelance writer, and content strategist. She has a passion for event hosting and food, often writing about party planning, health and wellness, and fitness.
