What are your favourite salads to go with a BBQ?

[ChaosMoon]

Barbecue this weekend, just DH, me and one other couple (plus our respective toddlers.)

They're going to be cooking chicken two ways, plus some burgers. It'll be delicious, but I need veg with that.

My go to barbecue salad is watermelon, red onion, lime, chili and mint (with either feta or halloumi). I made that recently though so I'm looking for inspiration.

What are your favourite side salads?

I had a really yummy Greek salad last week on holiday in Greece and I’m going to recreate it to take to a bbq on Saturday. Thinly sliced red onion, a couple of large tomatoes slice lengthways, some small heirloom tomatoes cut in half, sliced cucumber, olives, capers and feta. It was simple but really nice.

I’m also doing a carrot and raisin salad I saw on Pinterest.

I also sometimes do a lentil salad with chopped cucumber, red onion, cherry tomatoes and feta.

Hi OP....I'm wondering the same.

BBQ tomorrow evening for 12 adults.

Got the drinks and food covered just need some tasty sides.
Was thinking of having a look at Yotam Ottolenghi for inspiration.

I've got a couple of original 70's fondues and instead of doing the whole pudding thing (I'm a pastry chef) have asked everyone to bring something you can dip in chocolate ganache.

Just looking through the Flavour cookbook.
Romano pepper schnitzels look good perhaps with some jeweller couscus.

I do a standard potato salad and a corn salad with feta, tomatoes and coriander.

I was going to suggest watermelon and feta. My other favs include cous cous with grated carrot, soaked rasins and avocado or a nice herby green salad and a tomato salad with basil, balsamic vinegar and mozzarella.

Home made coleslaw is always a winner. Seems a bit boring and clichéd, but it goes really well with smoky food.
Or grill some sweetcorn on the barbecue and then slice off the kernels and mix with chopped tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, red pepper, lime and olive oil.
Or just a super fresh romaine lettuce, shredded, with grilled onion, croutons and a good, creamy dressing.

Depending on what two ways the chicken is

Grilled corn, avocado cream and chilli (Tom Kerridge recipe)
Thai noodle salad
A really nice zingy coleslaw
Greek salad with loads of dried mint, lemon and ev olive oil in the dressing - i do cos lettuce, red onion, black olives, tomatoes and cucumber both deseeded and salted to draw out the moisture and feta

Caprese salad

Carrot, broccoli, raisin and bacon/pancetta is surprisingly tasty and really holds up well to being made a day or two before. Have a Google, loads of recipies come up. Also great to make ahead and bring into work for lunches.

Your usual watermelon one sounds gorgeous.

I like the idea of a sweetcorn one too, but if you don't want to do a sweetcorn salad, you could do some corn on the cob. Delicious roasted in the oven with butter and chilli flakes, or you can barbecue them.

Homemade coleslaw a great idea, especially if not too creamy - maybe a fresher Thai-esque chilli dressing?

Just simple halved baby tomatoes with oil and balsamic and basil.

I like corn on the cob on the BBQ.

A potato salad
Tomato, mozzarella and basil salad
A delicious coleslaw as that can go in the burger if they want
Green salad peas and broad/edamame beans, a yoghurt-y dressing and homemade croutons maybe with Avocado added

This would be too much for 4 of you though!

We always do:
potato salad - 50/50 creme fraiche and mayo, chives, lots of black pepper some lemon zest
greek salad - cucumber, tomatoes, peppers, red onion, olives, feta, fresh oregano, some red wine vinegar and olive oil
this amazing lentil salad that I make with goats cheese instead of feta - cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016860-lentil-and-herb-salad-with-roasted-peppers-and-feta
and this - ottolenghi.co.uk/recipes/roast-butternut-squash-and-red-onion-with-tahini-and-za-atar

Greek salad normally goes down well. Caprese is a another crowd pleaser, or I recently had a peach, burrata, basil and roasted hazelnut salad and that dish was a real star.

My family in general aren’t fussy, but everyone’s dislikes rule out a mixed salad (between the group cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, avocados, raw onions, raw cheese and dressings are out) so just salad vegetables on a plate is a staple at barbecues at my house.

My favourite is tabbouli ( no idea of spelling ) that my mum always makes and taught me to make.

We just have bog standard lettuce, tomato, cucumber, spring onions and hard boiled eggs sliced up. Must say though that watermelon salad sounds lovely!!

Some of these sound amazing! Thank you so much. I think my mouth is watering the most when I hear about salads with tomatoes or corn. Oh and that peach one. That sounds fascinating. And a slaw of some sort is a really good shout with burgers...

I really need to narrow it down to one!

Or maybe just invite some more people... 😂

And if anyone else is still looking for ideas, I also do a very easy (and delicious) one that is just very thinly sliced fennel with slices of orange. I won't do it this time, but it's good.

**Love all these ideas, and I second a Greek salad but have to contribute my current obsession. Its just sliced tomatoes (well salted) with red onion, basil, balsamic and olive oil. So simple but delicious.

Your watermelon one sounds delish

Tabbouleh made with quinoa is good, and a useful gluten free alternative. I also love an occasional waldorf salad. It seems out of fashion, but every now and then I get a yearning for one!

@toastofthetown do you have the ratio of ingredients for the peach salad please?
Would love to try this!