Tell me about go to best salad for guests

[Thethingswedoforlove]

We need to take one to a street party. I’m lost. Any ideas?

I have a lovely recipe from this book:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Salads-all-Seasons-Sainsbury-Cookbook/dp/B000Q84E8K

... which is a pea, olive and ginger salad. It's made with frozen peas, paprika, olives stuffed with pimento, candied peel and fresh ginger.

It's really unusual, but very delicious. I can't find the actual recipe online, but if you want, I can take a screenshot of it, or type it out for you?

Roast asparagus.

put asparagus on an oven tray with a slug of olive oil and salt and pepper.
put in oven at 170 until it looks slightly shrunk. Cool on the tray

put asparagus on a bed of mixed rocket and other salad leaves, drizzle the leftover oil from the oven tray over it

it is lovely warm or cold and is difficult to get wrong

https://www.tamingtwins.com/greek-salad-recipe/

I love this one. Very easy to make and find ingredients for. Goes well with other food. Most people surely will like it.

I always get compliments about this one when I make it - it's delicious and good as a robust accompaniment to meats and cheeses.

www.loveandlemons.com/orzo-salad/

Panzanella (Tuscan bread salad) is my favourite for guests. Its'quite hearty so pretty handy if your guests don't like the rest of the food so they can basically make a meal out of the salad!

I get nice feedback on this one plus it’s super easy: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/watermelon-feta-salad

https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/thai-crunch-salad-with-peanut-dressing.html

Sabrina Ghayour’s Middle Eastern freekeh salad is my go to for things like that. It’s so fresh and vibrant with the herbs and pomegranate, a bit substantial, is fine left out for a few hours and keeps well so you eat any leftovers over the next few days. I have the book which also includes 50g coriander, which I definitely think is worth adding. It’s worth noting that the portion is massive. I served half a portion as a barbecue side recently between five adults and there was still leftovers!

Thank you everyone. Wow. I even make two from this list. @BIWI thank you. If a screenshot is easy to post or pm me I would love that. I am genuinely overwhelmed with these ideas. I will be going shopping this pm.

Soba Noodle Salad with sesame dressing. You can add as many/whatever sliced veg you have or like and there are various different dressings depending on whether you like sesame, or ginger or honey etc etc - google soba noodle salad.

Also Orange, Beetroot and feta with mint and walnuts is a real show stopper.

@Thethingswedoforlove I have a feeling that a screenshot is against copyright, so I'll simply copy the recipe for you:

Green Pea Salad with Fresh Ginger and Olives (Josceline Dimbleby)

12oz/350g peas (I use frozen petit pois, which I prefer generally)
2oz/50g stuffed green olives, roughly chopped I use the ones stuffed with pimento
2oz/50g candied peel
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1-inch/2.5cm fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 tbsps/2 x 15ml spoons lemon juice
7 tbsps/7 x 15ml spoons sunflower oil
1 heaped tsp/2 x 5m spoons paprika
sprinkling of salt
a large bunch fresh parsley or mint, finely chopped I generally don't bother with either of these - I'm not keen on parsley and (personally) think that mint would be too strong in this salad

Method:

• put all the ingredients (except the fresh herbs) into a pan.
• put over a medium heat, cover the pan and cook gently, stirring now and then, for 10 minutes
• remove from the heat and stir in the herbs, if using
• allow to become cold and then spoon into a bowl

Giant couscous
Roasted butternut squash
Kale
Pomegranate
Feta
Walnuts

Dressed with honey olive oil and lemon juice mixed together

I don’t think you can go wrong with a good potato salad, especially since jersey royals are about. A work colleague used to make the most wonderful potato salad which was always the first thing to get eaten at pot luck lunches, but always refused to give up the recipe, I eventually got it out of her because I was leaving the workplace. Her secret was she used salad cream rather than Mayo.

Use lots of spring onion, generous sprinkling of parsley . Delicious.

This is my favourite salad of all time...

https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/nutrition/recipes/a767137/halloumi-green-bean-and-potato-salad/

Preparation: 25 mins
Serves: 4

• 200g new potatoes, sliced
• 200g green beans, trimmed
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 50g baby capers, washed
• Small bunch of mint, chopped
• Small bunch of dill, chopped
• 1 red chilli, finely chopped
• 12 black olives, pitted
• 150g cherry tomatoes, halved
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 200g halloumi, sliced

1 Place the new potatoes in a pan, cover with cold water and lightly salt to taste. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until cooked. Drain and set aside.
2 Bring another pan of salted water to the boil, then cook the green beans for two minutes. Drain and set to one side.
3 In a bowl, mix the extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, capers, mint, dill, potatoes, beans, olives and tomatoes. Season to taste.
4 Heat the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan and cook the halloumi on both sides for one minute until golden brown.
5 Add the halloumi to the salad and divide between four plates. Serve immediately.

You can’t go wrong with a “traditional” salad or a Greek one

I do a potato salad by Delia, which doesn't use mayo, but instead the dressing is olive oil, salt , black pepper, lemon juice and whole grain mustard. It's a bit lighter than a mayo one and always goes down well at BBQs etc.

@BIWI and @YouveGotToGrooveIt thabk you so much for typing recipes out. Plus everyone else for your inspiration. This is the most remarkable thread. You are all so kind. Thank you

This sounds so bizarre that I think I'm going to have to give it a go. I just can't imagine the taste at all.

Pea, shaved parmesan and little gem with balsamic dressing. My favorite salad of all time.

@Malaiseybum it is delicious, I promise you!

Place marking as these sound delicious!

This one is gorgeous..

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/epic-summer-salad

The dressing is so delicious!

I want to eat/ try all of these!

Awesome thread ❤️

Just remembered a salad I had in Bilbao.

Watercress, cubes of feta or similar , half walnuts, balsamic vinegar as a light dressing.

Best as a salad dressed on a plate rather than in a bowl. Really fresh walnuts were what made it so amazing, they were not like the dried up ones we usually get.