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Wow salads

43 replies

lechatnoir · 17/06/2025 21:50

Can anyone share the showstopper salad recipes please? I’m having a big garden party/BBQ next week and I want some really nice looking tasty salads to go on platters.
I love Nigella’s avocado & feta salad and Ottolenghi’s spring salad but we always have these so after something different. We’re having a leg of lamb & sausages on the bbq plus a few roast chickens in various marinades and will do a green salad. serving with jackets and lots of breads so thinking more veg based than pasta/potato salads. We will have kids there but all teenagers so figure they can eat sausages and bread if they’re fussy!

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HippeePrincess · 17/06/2025 21:53

Courgette ribbon salad with lemon, chilli, garlic and oil is lovely with lamb.

HEC2746 · 17/06/2025 21:55

If you’re having lamb and sausages then definitely kisir, I can eat that by the bucket load
www.themediterraneandish.com/kisir-bulgur-salad/

Vallmo47 · 17/06/2025 21:56

I just do a normal salad - mixed salad leaves, vine tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper and sweetcorn mixed in with Knorr Italian salad dressing. You can buy this on Amazon, it’s imported. You just mix the spices with water and oil and pour over salad right before serving. It really is amazingly good.
I love it with avocado chunks too but those go bad after a while obviously. Have fun

TheLadyIsAVamp · 17/06/2025 21:59

I always do cowboy caviar, I'm slightly addicted to it but maybe not the vibe you're going for. Tabbouleh would be lovely.

Have a look at the salad lab on Instagram I've tried so many and they've always been a hit!

@HEC2746 I'm definitely going to try that!

doneandone · 17/06/2025 22:01

Our fave is mango and avocado salad.
Butterhead lettuce or romaine
2 avocados sliced
2 mangos sliced
Chopped walnuts
Dressing is made from 2tbs cream, 2 tbs orange juice, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tspn whole grain mustard.

SpaceOP · 18/06/2025 10:54

If you're doing lamb, the aubergine/tomato/mozzarella salad I do might work for this:

slice 2 aubergine into thick rounds and brush both sides with oil, sprinkle with salt. Chargirll these (you can do it on the BBQ if you like) so that you get a nice griddled look, until they are nice and soft. Set aside to cool slightly. Once cooled a bit, cut into bite sized chunks.

Toast a large handful of pinenuts and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, prep the dressing. I usually use a wide platter as I want the aubergine to sort of marinate. I add good quality olive oil and then a good quality sherry or red wine vinegar. - probably 3 parts olive oil to one part vinegar but I have to admit, I do it by sight/taste.

One finely chopped garlic clove, one finely chopped red chilli (or to taste - or use chilli flakes), a small bunch of chopped fresh mint and some salt. stir all together then add the aubergine and mix it up to start soaking.

While that's happening, cut tomatoes into similar sizzed pieces. I lke to use a packet of mixed colour small tomatoes as I think the mix looks really good but any good tomatoes will work. Add the tomatoes and stir through with the aubergine.

Cut up your mozarella into bite sized chunks and again, add to the aubergine and tomatoes and stir through. For two aubergines and one punnet of tomatoes, I'd use two mozzarella balls.

Taste and season as needed.

Top with the toasted pine nuts and a few small mint leaves.

I think if you wanted to make this more substainial, you could stir all of this into a bowl of quinoa but I don't usually do that.

FeelingSoDizzy · 18/06/2025 11:01

As someone with a sulphite allergy could I please make a plea to people to think about providing salad dressings separately.
Vinegar makes my tongue swell and I have to take antihistamines.
I've been to some BBQs where all the salads are drenched in dressings and I can't eat any of them.
People trying to lose weight also often prefer dressings on the side.

SpaceOP · 18/06/2025 11:40

FeelingSoDizzy · 18/06/2025 11:01

As someone with a sulphite allergy could I please make a plea to people to think about providing salad dressings separately.
Vinegar makes my tongue swell and I have to take antihistamines.
I've been to some BBQs where all the salads are drenched in dressings and I can't eat any of them.
People trying to lose weight also often prefer dressings on the side.

Do you tell your hosts this in advance? I will happily accomodate allergies or intolerances but I'm not going to change the entire way I make and prepare food for every occassion in CASE someone has an allergy they haven't bothered to tell me about.

If you were coming to mine for a BBQ and mentioned this, you would arrive to find food prepared that you could have, or a solution in place (eg that you help yourself and put a plate aside, BEFORE I dress everything else or me choosing dressings with ingredients like lemon instead). But it wouldn't occur to me to just not do it in case. Just like I cook with nuts unless a guest tells me in advance they are allergic, in which case, all nuts are locked away and don't come out.

Xiaoxiong · 18/06/2025 11:49

My faves at the moment:

  • shaved fennel, cucumber, red onion, avocado, mint with a honey-dijon-sumac dressing and nigella seeds sprinkled on top
  • griddled courgettes, mint, burrata - bulk out with rocket if you need more
  • sliced tomatoes with two dressings to choose from: anchovies and fennel seeds, with fresh basil on top OR chips of fried garlic, sliced shallot, lots of coriander, fish sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil
AtleastitsnotMonday · 18/06/2025 12:55

This is my go to https://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/sweet-potato-chickpea-feta-salad-tahini-dressing/
Id also do an apple slaw and watermelon, feta and mint salad.

FeelingSoDizzy · 18/06/2025 15:08

SpaceOP · 18/06/2025 11:40

Do you tell your hosts this in advance? I will happily accomodate allergies or intolerances but I'm not going to change the entire way I make and prepare food for every occassion in CASE someone has an allergy they haven't bothered to tell me about.

If you were coming to mine for a BBQ and mentioned this, you would arrive to find food prepared that you could have, or a solution in place (eg that you help yourself and put a plate aside, BEFORE I dress everything else or me choosing dressings with ingredients like lemon instead). But it wouldn't occur to me to just not do it in case. Just like I cook with nuts unless a guest tells me in advance they are allergic, in which case, all nuts are locked away and don't come out.

Yes I do, but apart from one friend who is very helpful I find people forget, or can’t be bothered, or say ‘oh but I used organic apple cider vinegar/ lemon juice’ without realising these can be high in sulphites.
I dread the summer BBQ season really, as for me it usually means no sausages, burgers, pickle, coleslaw, mayo, ketchup, salads, wine…

I often end up with a dry bun with a piece of overcooked chicken in it…
My DH is similarly affected, but for him it affects his asthma symptoms. About 10% of asthma sufferers are knowingly sulphite intolerant.
I tend to make dressings and leave them separate in jugs or bottles alongside. Avoids the slimy salad problem in the heat too.

SpaceOP · 18/06/2025 15:28

oh but I used organic apple cider vinegar/ lemon juice’ without realising these can be high in sulphites.

Oh, that IS annoying and I feel your pain. Especially with things like sausages and meat and a lot o fpeople do find it incomprehensible not to buy the stuff already formed/marinaded etc.

But people like that aren't going to do undressed salads either - even less likely than I am in fact! Grin

It's a real pity that so many people are bad on this.

I assure you that should you tell me you have a sulphite issue, you would be well catered for at my house and I would probably check any ingredients with you in advance if I wasn't 100% sure.

As a side note - I assume when you refer to "organic lemon juice" having sulphites you're talking about lemon juice in a pre-squeezed tub of some sort not actual lemon juice squeezed from a lemon!? Becuase frankly - you'd never catch me using pre-squeezed lemon juice either [poncy]

Sasssquatch · 18/06/2025 15:41

FeelingSoDizzy · 18/06/2025 15:08

Yes I do, but apart from one friend who is very helpful I find people forget, or can’t be bothered, or say ‘oh but I used organic apple cider vinegar/ lemon juice’ without realising these can be high in sulphites.
I dread the summer BBQ season really, as for me it usually means no sausages, burgers, pickle, coleslaw, mayo, ketchup, salads, wine…

I often end up with a dry bun with a piece of overcooked chicken in it…
My DH is similarly affected, but for him it affects his asthma symptoms. About 10% of asthma sufferers are knowingly sulphite intolerant.
I tend to make dressings and leave them separate in jugs or bottles alongside. Avoids the slimy salad problem in the heat too.

“Drenched in dressing”
”dread the summer bbq season”
”dry bun”
”overcooked chicken”

I’m not sure other peoples hospitality is for you.

wafflesmgee · 18/06/2025 15:46

Grated carrot, roasted crushed walnuts and sultanas that have been pre soaked in fruit juice eg orange juice. Mixed together with a few spoons of yoghurt. It’s sweet/savoury/squishy/hard ticks all the boxes for me. If u can be bothered, could add grilled halon or feta to bulk it up

Oatshakenespresso · 18/06/2025 16:12

Green leaves (I use a rocket mix) with candied pecans, strawberries, a blue cheese (I used Stilton) and brow sugar balsamic dressing!

SushiDisco · 18/06/2025 16:12

Caprese salad always goes down well!

lechatnoir · 18/06/2025 16:14

Thanks everyone some really lovely ideas that I will be trying at some point if not all for our do next week! I think the aubergine dish will go well with lamb and then a nice summery griddled courgette and mint sounds perfect.

No allergies so unless anyone tells me otherwise will carry on as planned dressing salads (although tend to leave vinaigrette off the green salad).

Thanks all.

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AppleOfMyThirdEye · 18/06/2025 16:50

Simple home edit mango salad.

cupfinalchaos · 18/06/2025 16:51

Try the Ottolenghi Cauliflower Tabbuli. I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t like it. Prep the herbs the day before in an airtight container, and I add extra allspice and pistachios.

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