Dinner Party Salad
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.
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.
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!)
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.
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.
There’s acidity in the vinaigrette, as well as a touch of sweetness from the maple syrup in it and the dried cranberries. By the way, I recently bought unsweetened organic cranberries at Trader Joe’s and they are delicious. For sure they are more tart, but we asked our dinner guests and they all said they loved them. So try the “unsweetened” next time you are shopping for cranberries.
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
How do you make a dinner party salad?
- 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.
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.
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!!
Enjoy!
More dinner party salads to try:
Beauchamp Orchard Salad – AKA Waldorf Salad
Green Salad with Shrimp and Avocado
Avocado Pine Nut Salad (we’ve made this salad many times for dinner parties)
![ingredients to make Dinner Party Salad](https://reluctantentertainer.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/greens-salads-258x344.jpg)
Get the Recipe:
Dinner Party Salad
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.
I can’t get the whole recipe to print. Sounds delicious!
Did you go to the bottom of the post? You can print the full recipe!
This is my go to salad when entertaining. Easy to throw together and the dressing is delicious!!
Love this salad and that quote really hits home. I always love your insight and all of your tips!
Love this post Sandy! I don’t have concerns with going “deeper.” Good food, good people and good conversation feed my soul. I’m gonna make this delightful salad and have with a grilled cheese tonight! Thanks!
It is obvious why you have an entertaining blog. Plus that salad looks delish!
I love coming to your blog Sandy! Your tips, stories and recipes are just perfect! xo
LOVE that quote. And I really love all of your tips for focusing on the people while entertaining, which I know you live out so beautifully. :)
This salad looks so fresh and beautiful, too. Perfect to share with friends!