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!!

Grated carrot salad.
Peel a bag of carrots, top and tail.
Whack through a food mixer/blender so you have strips about 2cms x 0.2/3 cms. Shredded basically. You could do with a grater by hand.
Mix with ample mayonnaise and a decent couple of handfuls of sultanas or raisins

Total crowd pleaser, kids adore it and so do adults. It's basically raw carrot so what's not to like?

Haven't tried it with vegan mayo assuming one exists ...

Orzo pasta salad

Apple and fennel salad

Roasted carrot salad with yoghurt dressing

Potato salad

Tomato and basil salad with balsamic vinaigrette, with either avocado or mozarella.

Pickled cucumber salad

Or fattoush! If feeling super lazy.

It's also so easy to make hummus or baba ganoush, which always go down well. Or your own coleslaw, or guacamole.

If you are meant to do the salads for ten people I'd prob make 4-5 of these options so people have choices.

I would just make a couple of Big bowls of mixed salad( lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers) then I would have a large plate with sliced boiled eggs on and small bowls of mayo on the side and a separate plate of chopped chillies and pickles and gherkins. I would also have breadsticks with different dips on the side.

I'd do three.

A pasta salad of wholemeal pasta, with peppers, spring onions parsley and a yoghurt dressing with a teaspoon of honey added

Grated carrot with nuts and raisins, and vinaigrette

Traditional green salad with lettuce, tomatoes, radishes, cucumber, beetroot etc

Salad surely doesn’t mean coleslaw, pasta salad or potato salad though? If I were hosting and wanted those things, I’d ask for them by name. Asking for salad means a big green salad plus potentially a couple of more substantial vegetable-based or unusual salads like Greek or tabbouleh. But coleslaw you’d say “please bring coleslaw”.

Good point!

I tend to do rainbow platters. Biggest couple of serving dishes you have then lay out peppers, tomatoes, lettuce , red onion, olives, feta, carrot sticks possibly cous cous or nuts whatever you like really in stripes. Visually it looks lovely and you can help yourself to whatever. A couple of nice bottles dressing on the side. Pot of houmous for the children.

It's really easy and delicious. Just make sure your dressing flavours are balanced. When I make it at home as a main meal I add prawns.

www.taste.com.au/recipes/mango-avocado-macadamia-salad/3d7d7245-ba3d-4f7b-b2e6-9658123ffb5e