What do you bring if you are asked to "Bring a salad"?

[MsFogi]

I must admit I am normally the one who jumps in and offers to "bring pudding" however I have been allocated "bring salad" for a dinner this weekend. So....what would you usually make that would work okay with whatever is being served (suspect it will be a bbq catering for both meat eaters and vegetarians) and I am assuming that I will be relied upon to bring enough salad for everyone (so, 10 adults and 10 kids)? I'm happy to do a couple of things - just nothing too overcomplicated please!!

Broccoli slaw is a real favourite with my family and friends. Google the Smitten Kitchen version. It's very simple and made with raw brocolli, red onion, dried cranberries and flaked toasted almonds with a buttermilk creamy dressing.

I make either a Greek salad or a potato salad, as I make a lovely version of either.

I’d do this or panzanella

cookieandkate.com/vegetarian-italian-chopped-salad-recipe/

If, as the title suggests, they didn't say please I'd not be bringing anything.

For me this would depend on who's coming. Lots of youngish couples who love interesting food? Then the options people have suggested above have lots of nice choices. Children? Just go with simple green salad, crudités, few will eat the more adventurous salads listed above. Likewise, lots of elderly folk don't really like the more exotic suggestions people have listed here. I'd be asking the host if they are looking for a more substantial side dish for variety, where some of the tabbouleh /couscous /lentil /pasta salads might be appropriate, or for this to be the veggies /healthy bit so greens, salad veg, crudités would be more appropriate.

Pasta salad is revolting. The worst thing about BBQs. Why anyone things that cold pasta with mayonnaise and sweetcorn in it is food to offer guests I know not. Ugh, BBQs with nasty cheap long-life burger buns and cold pasta salad and gunky potato salad, all beige.... coleslaw if you are lucky - more beige mayo....

So I wouldn't take any of those salads 😂

Or cous cous.

Something colourful, crisp, fresh, crunchy, different textures....

With ten adults, I'd assume ten people (or fewer, if couples/families) bringing food, so with no further info I'd assume I'm bringing "the salad" rather than "a salad". So I would bring a green salad, because I would want one with BBQ food. If I also brought some kind of composed salad - potato salad, pasta salad, caprese, lentil, etc. - I'd probably bring it in addition to the basic green.

For portability, I'd start with a crunchy lettuce (I like romaine, but something like little gem is also good, or a mix), add any or all of fresh herbs, spiralled carrots (also turnip and parsnip work if you have them), shredded cabbage, sliced radishes, sliced or diced deseeded cucumber, chopped bell peppers, sliced celery, broccoli and cauliflower florets, corn kernels, garbanzo beans.

Fruit, cheese, seeds, nuts, boiled eggs, and mushrooms are also good but perhaps keep them separate if you're not sure about food restrictions or allergies for people to add. I'd also keep olives or pickles separate if there are small children. (Also keep anything non-vegetarian separate.)

Anything wet or mushy I'd also transport separately (tomatos, avocado) and either keep separate next to the main salad or add in just before serving. Dressing(s) on the side, and if you bring croutons also keep those separate so they don't get soggy in transit.

I'd probably make a simple homemade dressing like olive oil-balsamic vinegar-dijon mustard, but also have some kind of generally child-friendly dressing like home-made or store-bought ranch.

@MsFogi this is my go to…fennel, feta, pomegranate. Dead easy, looks impressive and like you’ve made an effort! Tastes really good too!
thehappyfoodie.co.uk/recipes/fennel-and-feta-with-pomegranate-seeds-and-sumac/

This is lovely
www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/sep/17/french-bean-salad-recipe-yotam-ottolenghi-roast-chicken-sumac-zaatar-plum-muffin-seafood-salad

One simple eg lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, spring onion and make something else like a Greek salad or lentil salad (look some up online)

Steam some green beans.
Whilst still warm, add tomato puree out of a tube, olive oil, fresh ground black pepper, dried basil and a lot of minced garlic. Mix well.

I make Greek salad. Lettuce chopped, vine tomatoes chopped, red onion chopped fine , cucumber diced with feta cheese crumbled on top.

Bag of spinach on plate. Sprinkle pomegranate, pistachios, shaved Parmesan over spinach. Pan fry asparagus & leave to cool. Add to salad when cool. Sprinkle crispy bacon from packet onto salad if no vegetarians. Pour dressing of olive oil, honey, grain mustard balsamic vinegar over salad. Eat.

Also I’d also make an easy Greek salad but with proper Greek olive oil & Greek vinegar as it tastes better.

I would check that two different people haven't been asked to bring salads before you cater fully for 20.

This is one of my favourite salads and always gets eaten up.

Ingredients
200g/7oz freekeh, pearled spelt or pearled barley
5 tbsp olive oil
4 spring onions, finely chopped
1 pomegranate, seeds only
handful flatleaf parsley, roughly chopped
handful mint, roughly chopped
1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
2 tbsp pistachios, roughly crushed
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method
Put the freekeh and 1 litre/1¾ pint water in a pan together with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes until just tender. Drain and allow to cool.
When cool, mix together the freekeh with the spring onions, pomegranate seeds and herbs. Season with salt and pepper.

Whisk together the remaining 4 tablespoons of olive oil and the pomegranate molasses with a pinch of salt, and dress the salad with it, mixing gently. Serve topped with pistachios

I would just do a big garden salad to suit everyone - the usual lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, then add two or three extras of choice, maybe peppers, carrots, radishes. If you know there are no vegans maybe add some feta cheese too.
I wouldn’t do coleslaw or potato salad or anything like that because I imagine they would have asked for that specifically so someone else might have been asked to do that already.

A green salad (take vinaigrette dressing separately) , a bowl of Greek salad and another of tabouleh.
I loathe pasta salads so definitely not anything with pasta or rice.

Just make sure it's massive.

I had a lunch outside in my garden for about 10 and did the full works I found a couscous salad really good

100g couscous
200ml hot low salt vegetable stock (from a cube is fine)
2 spring onions
1 red pepper
½ cucumber
50g feta cheese, cubed
2tbsp pesto
2tbsp pine nuts

I did make the pesto rather than buy it but still it was pretty easy

Take this beetroot and halloumi salad www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/halloumi-lemony-lentils-chickpeas-beets&ved=2ahUKEwj2g53Rv-L5AhWBS0EAHUISAcYQrbMEegQICxAE&usg=AOvVaw3q_8kAVcD8Rn4Q3iaoURGp

It is our 'take a salad' salad and always a hit.

I'd do a green salad, then either sliced tomato and red onions with balsamic dressing or green beans, sundried tomatoes and pine nuts.

Ooh, goodiegoodiegumdrops up-thread suggested the same but with puy lentils as well. That sounds great - do that! Maybe add in a jar of peppers as well. In which case switch from balsamic glaze to a honey and mustard or a french dressing.

I love ALL salad (as in the salad itself) - but when you start adding pine nuts, vinaigrette, pasta, goats cheese, cranberries and most of the other suggestions on here that turn it into a 'posh' salad, it ruins it for me. There are lots of salads suggested that cater to a very specific taste that many people (and many more children) just wouldn't like imo.

If it's a dish for a large group, just take...salad! Lettuce, tomato, pepper, cucumber, carrot, radish, celery etc all chopped in a bowl. It's just a BBQ not Masterchef!

I'd take carrot, cucumber & celery sticks, some bread sticks and a big pot of humus. Maybe a second bowl with cut up lettuse, tomatoes, papers, grated carrot & finely cut red onions.

I would need more info! How many others are bringing salads, how many is it for, are there young children involved and are there any allergies.
If young children, I'd do a plate of chopped veg as one option (cucumbers, pepper, carrots & some halved cherry tomatoes). I might also take pasta pesto.
Then I'd usually provide a potato salad and some form of green salad (lettuce, cucumber, sugar snap peas, spring onion & celery)