Are you throwing a dinner party and need a good dinner party salad to serve? Try our best green salad in the world, with a light vinaigrette. Gather all the seasonal veggies with your favorite lettuce, and don’t forget to serve it in our epic white salad bowl.

Woman holding a Dinner Party Salad

My favorite green dinner party salad is packed with cilantro and a few other simple ingredients. It’s always a hit and so fresh (and guests always ask what the dressing recipe is!?) The dressing is a light vinaigrette, but we think the secret is adding red onions and the dried cranberries.

Dinner Party Salad

Of course you don’t have to use all of these ingredients to make the green salad. If you’re not a cilantro lover, leave out the cilantro! If you love a salad packed with more goodies (nuts and fruit), then try this winter green salad. YUM! Also, this recipe has been on the blog since 2015, so it’s a real favorite, and it’s delish served with Spaghetti Tacos and this amazing cake for dessert.

fresh green salad

A good dinner party salad tip is to keep the salad as simple and fresh as possible, and only add the dressing right before serving. For a fresh green salad, this recipe tosses crisp lettuce with your favorite fresh toppings–all served up in our Epic Salad Bowl. This is my most popular bowl in our kitchen, and it sits on top of the fridge (everyone asks where I store my epic bowls!)

green salad with dressing

Why I love this salad

  • It’s basic, but refreshing.
  • It pairs well with most main dishes.
  • You can add more fruit (fresh apples or pears), cheese, and nuts.
  • Serve it in our EPIC white salad bowl with mango wood.

a head of red cabbage for a green salad

Gather these ingredients

  • Fresh greens, cut in bite size pieces (we use Trader Joe’s Baby Lettuce Mix)
  • Avocados, cut in small pieces (or scooped out with spoon)
  • Carrot, shredded
  • Red onion, diced
  • Red cabbage, finely shredded and chopped
  • Cilantro leaves (cut off the stems, chopped)

For the vinaigrette:

  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Shallots, finely chopped (approximately 2 tablespoons)
  • White wine vinegar
  • Maple syrup (or honey)
  • Kosher alt
  • Freshly ground black pepper

woman holding a large salad bowl

How do you make a dinner party salad?

  1. Add the greens to a large, epic salad bowl and place chopped vegetables on top. [You want a bowl big enough to use big paddles to mix/toss it well, so the lettuce doesn’t go all over the counter.]
  2. Make the dressing by adding olive oil, shallots, vinegar, maple syrup, and salt and pepper to a small bowl. Whisk together or shake or stir well.
  3. When ready to serve the salad, pour the dressing lightly over the salad; toss and serve. (You don’t have to use it all, depending on how much salad dressing you prefer). Or, you can serve the salad and let guests add their own dressing.

ingredients to make Dinner Party Salad

Tips & substitutions:

  • You want a bowl big enough to use big paddles to mix/toss it well, so the lettuce doesn’t go all over the counter. We LOVE our epic XL white bowl with mango wood, or our Epic Salad Bowl (all wood).
  • Use lettuce bags or you can buy 3-4 heads of lettuce and wash, spin, dry – and chop your own lettuce.
  • There’s not a lot o chopping in this recipe, especially if you use a good mandolin for the red cabbage and red onion.
  • We love to use a potato peeler (after peeling the carrot) to shred, or make small like peels of the carrots. It gives a quick nice and thin crunch of a carrot bite.
  • You can buy any store-bought dressing if you don’t have time to make your own.
  • Don’t skimp out on the fresh cracked pepper. It really makes a salad.
  • It’s up to you how small you want to chop the ingredients. We personally don’t like huge chunks.
  • Buy our wood paddles (salad tongs) and Epic Salad Bowl.
GR2

Are you ever asked to bring a salad to a party, and you don’t know what to bring? We say–you’re safe with bringing a fresh green dinner salad!

The balance of flavors and a crunch, and the variety of textures, with a tangy dressing–makes the perfect salad.

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A reader, Lauren, gave this salad 5 starts: This is my go to salad when entertaining. Easy to throw together and the dressing is delicious!!

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ingredients to make Dinner Party Salad
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Dinner Party Salad

Use lots of fresh cilantro in the salad, and also in the dressing! Toss right before serving!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 8
Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients
 

  • 10 oz fresh greens, cut in bite size pieces (we use Trader Joe’s Baby Lettuce Mix)
  • 3 small avocados, cut in small pieces (or scooped out with spoon)
  • 1 large carrot, shredded
  • ½ small red onion, diced
  • 2 cups red cabbage, finely shredded and chopped
  • 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, cut off the stems, chopped

Make the vinaigrette:

  • ½ c. extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 small shallots, finely chopped (approximately 2 tablespoons)
  • 4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoon maple syrup, or honey
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Add the greens to a large, epic salad bowl and place chopped vegetables on top. [You want a bowl big enough to use big paddles to mix/toss it well, so the lettuce doesn’t go all over the counter.]
  • Make the dressing by adding olive oil, shallots, vinegar, maple syrup, and salt and pepper to a small bowl. Whisk together or shake or stir well.
  • When ready to serve the salad, pour the dressing lightly over the salad; toss and serve. (You don’t have to use it all, depending on how much salad dressing you prefer). Or, you can serve the salad and let guests add their own dressing.

Notes

Reposted from January 2015.
Cuisine: American
Course: Salad
Author: Sandy / Reluctant Entertainer
Calories: 289kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 26g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 18g, Sodium: 312mg, Potassium: 586mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 2942IU, Vitamin C: 24mg, Calcium: 46mg, Iron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?Tag @reluctantentertainer on Instagram and hashtag it #reluctantentertainer!
Dinner Party Salad