12 Best Party Salad Recipes
The 12 best party salad recipes for Holiday buffets, or dinner parties. These salads are also perfect for weeknights dinners or lunches! Simply the best salads, including the best pasta salad too!
12 best party salad recipes…If you’re looking for some fabulous salads for your next party, stop searching! You will find them right here! 🙂
To make your mouth water, here are some of the salad recipes I will share with you:
- Grilled Haloumi & bacon balsamic salad… including my magic ingredient!
- Scallops mini-skewers on a lemony salad bed
- Asparagus & cherry tomato salad
- The Best Quinoa salad
- Mango and tomato salad
- … And many other great ones!
I love salad so much!
Salads are one of the easiest dishes to serve. And they could also be quite impressive!
You can serve a fancy salad as a fabulous entrée for your next dinner party or make a big bunch of pasta salad for a buffet, believe me, it will please all your guests… on all occasions! 😉 And be sure to make a lot, so you have a great lunch for the next day!
I already shared a few of these recipes in previous posts, but I thought it would be a good idea to regroup them all in the same place.
And, of course, I will also share a few other salad recipes that I discovered since then! ha! ha! Because I have a salad almost every day, I’m always looking for new recipes!
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Ready? So let’s jump into the recipes!!
I’m all about simple things, so I promise these are all simple & easy salad recipes, but all are good & yummy!
12 Best Party Salad Recipes… Before
Before starting with my recipes, I have to share with you this unbelievable salad I have recently discovered. It was so good that I made it twice… on the same weekend!
You absolutely have to try it too! It really is the best Ramen salad on Earth!
Thanks to Mary from Barefeet In The Kitchen for that great recipe! I’m sure all my readers will enjoy it as much as I did! And I can tell you right away that this salad will be part of my next Christmas Eve buffet… and many of my other buffets too! 😊
So, the link to The Best Ramen Salad on Earth! ( Please, let me know in the comment box how much you liked it! )
Now time to share my own salad recipes. I swear that they’re all as good as the Ramen one! 😉
12 Best Party Salad Recipes…Brunch Parties
Let’s start with some recipes that are perfect for brunches. Of course, you can serve them at any other occasion, such as potlucks or BBQ parties, but no matter the occasion, they will surely highlight your meal!
*Mango & Tomato salad*
This is the perfect dish to bring sunshine to your table!
Mango and tomatoes go so well together! I love serving this salad for brunch or as a side dish at lunchtime.
Mango and tomato salad
Ingredients
- 2 sliced mangos
- 3 tomatoes cut into thin quarters
- 4 green onions cut into slices
For the vinaigrette
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp cilantro
- 1 tbsp honey
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Arrange mango and tomatoes on a serving plate. Sprinkle green onions on top.
- Mix well all vinaigrette ingredients. Pour onto the salad. Cover and refrigerate until serving time.
If you want to keep track of all these fantastic salad recipes, and have fun planning your dinner parties, you need this Journal! 😉
*Asparagus & Cherry Tomato salad
*
Another fabulous salad that’s almost always part of any of my brunches. It’s a success every time I serve it!
It goes so well with any egg dishes; find out what else I serve with this great salad for brunch 😉 you might feel like hosting a brunch after reading that!
Asparagus and cherry tomato salad
Ingredients
- 1 bunch of asparagus
- 1 small box of cherry tomatoes (250 gr)
- 1 onion divided in two and finely sliced
For the vinaigrette
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp dried fine herbs
- ¼ tsp salted herbs
- ½ tsp minced garlic
- black pepper
Instructions
- Cut asparagus into 1½ inch pieces.
- Cut cherry tomatoes into halves.
- Gently mix tomatoes, asparagus, and onions into a serving bowl or plate.
For the vinaigrette
- Whisk well all ingredients, pour onto the salad, gently toss. Cover and refrigerate until serving time.
Notes
*The Best Berry salad*
There is always a fruit salad in every brunch I plan.
And this is one of my favorites. It goes well with pancakes, waffles, or even vanilla cake or yogurt… and it looks so pretty and shiny 😊
Berry salad
Ingredients
- 8 oz fresh raspberries
- 8 oz fresh blueberries
- 1 lb fresh strawberries, sliced
- 2 tbsp sliced almonds
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- ½ tsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Using a small saucepan, heat water and brown sugar for a few minutes, until sugar is completely diluted. Add lemon juice and vanilla and let cool.
- Combine blueberries and strawberries in a serving bowl. Pour cooled syrup and gently mix.
- Add raspberries and gently mix.
- Sprinkle almond slices on top, cover, and refrigerate until serving time.
Notes
12 Best Party Salad Recipes…Dinner Parties
How I love to start a fancy dinner with a salad! But not just any salad! I mean a fabulous salad! Like the ones I’m proposing to you, of course! 😊
*Scallop Mini-Skewers on a Lemony salad bed*
Look how cute this salad is! 🙂
See? It’s all green, red, and white… the perfect colors for a Christmas salad! That would make such a fancy Christmas dinner party entree! But it’s also good on any other day of the year!
*If you prefer not to use the BBQ for this recipe, you can bake the scallops in a skillet or the oven.
Scallops skewers on lemony salad
Ingredients
For the lemony vinaigrette
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp minced garlic
- 1½ tsp dried fine herbs
- salt & pepper
For the salad
- 48 small scallops
- 8 cups mixed lettuce
- 2 kiwis
- 36 fresh raspberries
- olive oil
Instructions
For the lemony vinaigrette
- Mix all ingredients and keep aside until serving time. Or cover and refrigerate; take it out 2 or 3 hours before serving time.
For the salad
- Preheat BBQ to medium-high heat.
- Brush the BBQ grill with olive oil.
- Thread 4 small scallops on long toothpicks or small wooden skewers.
- Cut kiwis into thin slices.
- Grill scallop skewers for a few minutes on each side or until lightly golden brown ( do not overcook).
- Divide the lettuce among six plates. Garnish with kiwi slices and raspberries.
- Add two scallops skewers to each plate.
- Drizzle lemony vinaigrette on each plate...and enjoy!
Notes
*Grilled Haloumi & Bacon Balsamic salad*
You must try this salad! It is SO good!
The maple syrup adds a magic touch to this Balsamic vinaigrette.
It’s one of my favorite recipes, and I try to make it a few times during summer. It’s very easy to make, but it is so impressive! It’s the perfect fancy entree recipe for a great BBQ dinner party!
Grilled Haloumi and bacon balsamic salad
Ingredients
For the vinaigrette
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1½ tbsp maple syrup
- ½ tsp minced garlic
- salt & pepper
For the Haloumi salad
- 6 1/2 inch slices of Haloumi cheese
- 6 slices of half-cooked bacon, cut in two
- 8 cups mixed lettuce
- ¼ cup red bell pepper, diced
- ¼ cup onion or green onions, diced
Instructions
For the vinaigrette
- Mix well all ingredients and let stand for at least one hour.
For the Haloumi and bacon salad
- Preheat BBQ to medium-high.
- Brush the BBQ grill with vegetable oil.
- Wrap each slice of Haloumi with two half-slices of pre-cooked bacon, making them look like little gifts.
- Put Haloumi on the BBQ and grill for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until bacon is fully cooked, turning halfway to grill both sides evenly.
- Divide the lettuce into 6 plates.
- Add one slice of Haloumi to each plate.
- Garnish with red pepper and onion dice.
- Divide vinaigrette onto each plate... and enjoy!
Notes
*Palm Heart salad & Creamy Vinaigrette*
Another favorite one! Inexpensive and so easy to make, what more can we ask?
It definitely is the perfect entrée for a no-stress 5-course dinner party! 😉
Palm heart salad with creamy vinaigrette
Ingredients
For the salad
- 1 big box of mixed lettuce
- 1 can of palm hearts, cut lengthwise into 4 pieces
- ½ cup finely diced red bell pepper
For the creamy vinaigrette
- 4 tbsp mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp plain yogurt
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1½ tsp Herbes salées du bas du fleuve
- 2 tsp dried fine herbs
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- pepper
- olive oil if needed
Instructions
- Mix well all vinaigrette ingredients. Refrigerate until serving time. Add a bit of olive oil to bring it to the right texture if needed.
- Divide the lettuce among six plates and place the heart of palm pieces on top.
- Drizzle with creamy vinaigrette.
- Garnish with red bell pepper dice and pepper.
Notes
12 Best Party Salad Recipes…Buffets & Potlucks
*The Best Pasta salad*
We all love pasta salad!
And we can never have enough pasta salad recipes! I share that one, but there are so many others I like that I could make an entire post about pasta salad!… mmm… I should make one soon! haha!!
Pasta salad
Ingredients
- 1 large box of short pasta
- ¼ cup sliced green onions
- ½ cup sliced stuffed green olives
- ½ cup diced celery
- ½ cup diced red bell pepper
- ½ cup diced green bell pepper
- ¾ cup thickly grated yellow cheddar cheese
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ¾ cup store-bought Italian dressing
- salt & pepper
Instructions
- Cook pasta following instructions on the box. Drain well and cool.
- In a large bowl, mix well all ingredients. Adjust seasoning if needed
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Add a bit more mayonnaise or Italian dressing if necessary. Garnish with parsley, olives, or slices of bell pepper
*The Best Potato salad*
How I love this potato salad! I could eat the entire bowl!
The magic ingredient here is bacon. Believe me, a bit of bacon always brings a dish to the next level! My family loves bacon so much that we just bought a smoker to make our own bacon! I will tell you more about it one day 😉
The Best Potato salad
Ingredients
- 12 large potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 cup shredded yellow cheddar cheese
- 5 bacon slices, cooked and diced
- ½ cup green onions, sliced
- ½ cup dill pickle, diced
- ½ red bell pepper, diced
- ⅔ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp steak spices
- 1 to 2 tbsp heavy cream
Instructions
- Cook the potato dice in boiling water until cooked but firm.Drain and rinse in cold water.
- Combine all ingredients except mayonnaise and heavy cream in a large bowl.Gently toss.
- Add mayonnaise and gently mix. Add heavy cream if needed to bring it to the texture you like.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least a few hours before serving.At serving time, add a bit of mayonnaise or heavy cream if needed.
*The Best Quinoa salad*
I got this recipe from my dear friend Nicole, and I have made this salad since I first tasted it!
Such a great salad! One of the best I have ever tasted! It’s a perfect salad for buffets, potlucks, lunches, or a light summer night supper.
I suggest you do a large quantity; trust me, you’ll be happy to have some leftovers! Add some chicken dice or even tuna to make it a complete meal for your lunches.
The Best Quinoa salad
Ingredients
- 3 cup cooked quinoa
- 1 small cucumber, diced
- ½ red bell pepper, diced
- ⅔ cup stuffed green olives, diced
- ½ cup green onions, sliced
- 1 cup feta cheese, diced
- ⅔ cup olive oil
- ½ cup lemon juice
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- salt & pepper
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Gently toss.
- Cover and refrigerate until serving time.
Notes
12 Best Party Salad Recipes…And Some More
*Cucumber & Tomato salad*
That is the salad I make the more often.
It goes well with everything! And it’s perfect for BBQ parties, buffets, and potlucks.
You can use any veggies you have on hand to create different versions. That’s the kind of versatile recipe I like!
Cucumber & Tomato salad
Ingredients
- 1 large cucumber, sliced
- 2 large tomatoes in thin quarters
- ½ yellow bell pepper, sliced
- 1 onion, sliced
- 12 sweet peas, cut into halves
For the vinaigrette
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup Balsamic vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1-½ tsp dried fine herbs
Instructions
- Mix well all ingredients of the vinaigrette in a large bowl.
- Add all the veggies and gently toss.
- Cover and refrigerate until serving time.
Last but not least! A beautiful rice salad!
*To ensure the success of this salad, make sure you use long-grain rice for this recipe. Instant rice won’t give you the same result here.
*Deli Rice salad*
This salad is so full of veggies and deli meats; it’s a complete meal itself! And probably the best salad for potlucks! Feel free to add cheese to make it even more decadent!
Deli Rice salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup long-grain rice
- 3 oz sliced smoked turkey
- 3 oz sliced smoked ham
- ½ cup pepperoni, diced
- ⅔ cup cherry tomatoes in halves
- ½ green bell pepper, diced
- ½ red bell pepper, diced
- 4 green onions, sliced
- 10 black olives, sliced
- a few lettuce leaves, shredded
Vinaigrette
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
Instructions
- Cook the rice according to the instructions.Drain and cool. Fluff with a fork.
For the vinaigrette
- Mix all ingredients well and set aside.
For the rice salad
- Combine all ingredients, and gently toss.
- Pour over the vinaigrette and mix well.
- Cover and refrigerate until serving time.
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12 Best Party Salad Recipes…To conclude
These were my favorite party salads. The ones I make over and over again! 😊
See how easy and spectacular these salads are?
Don’t be afraid to test and switch ingredients. When you mix only good ingredients, there’s no reason why the result is not good!
Salads are perfect for testing out different ideas. Use any salad dressing you like and create masterpieces!… Just make sure you send me the recipe at linda@soperfectlysimple.com ha! ha! I told you I’m always looking for new salad recipes!!
I hope you will enjoy these salads as much as my guests and I do!
And don’t forget, if you liked this post, let your friends know! 😉 please, share it!
As always, I would love to hear from you 🖤. Use the comment box for any comments or questions; I will do my best to help you! And oh, don’t forget to tell me how much you liked the Ramen Salad I told you about earlier!
Talk to you soon
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