Salad Bar Salad is a simple side salad recipe that's just like what you would find in a restaurant. Enjoy this easy recipe as a light lunch or serve alongside your favorite main dish.
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Salad bars are a staple where I'm from.
You can find loaded salad bars at supper clubs and other beloved sit down restaurants all over Wisconsin. It's a light and healthy way to start a meal that will probably consist of foods that are entirely brown (cheese curds and fish fry, anyone?).
With everyone trying to save money these days I thought I'd share a simple recipe for my favorite salad to make at the salad bar. As you can see in the photos I paired it with a side of cottage cheese and mandarin oranges because those are also a must grab at the salad bar!
This, of course, is a very loose recipe. Adjust ingredients and quantities to suit your taste.
Ingredients
- Mixed greens
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- Green Bell Pepper
- Shredded Carrots
- Cucumber
- Grape Tomatoes
- Red onions
- Roasted Salted Sunflower Seeds
- Ranch Dressing
How to make salad bar salad
- Add greens to a bowl or salad plate.
- Top with the remaining ingredients and toss if desired.
Top tips
How to prep the veggies
Think about how thick or thin you'd like your vegetables cut. It's easy to find bags of shredded carrots at the grocery store, which will make them the perfect size and save you some time.
I like my cucumbers just thick enough that they aren't able to fold in on themselves. Grape tomatoes are great cut in half. Red onions have a very strong flavor, so they're usually best sliced very thin.
Create a salad bar at home
We've created lots of at home bars together such as my almond butter toast bar, avocado toast bar, Sunday football soup bar, and mocktail bar. A salad bar is the next logical step, and it's easy to make at home by setting out all the fixings for people to choose from. You're welcome to set out whatever you like in a salad, but here's what I would include:
- Spring mix
- Iceberg or romaine lettuce
- Baby spinach
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Feta cheese
- Grape tomatoes
- Sliced red onion
- Shredded carrots
- Cucumber Slices
- Sliced green bell peppers
- Peas
- Black olives
- Pickled beets
- Sunflower seeds
- Dried cranberries
- Croutons
- Ranch dressing
- Balsamic vinaigrette
- French dressing
- Italian dressing
How to store salad
Keep leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I recommend storing the salad separately from the dressing.
Tips for customizing salad bar salad
- Swap the spring mix for iceberg lettuce or baby spinach
- Add a sliced hard boiled egg or black olives
- Use your favorite dressing, such as Italian or French, in place of the ranch
- Top with croutons
- Add protein with garbanzo, black, or kidney beans
FAQ
If you've never experienced a salad bar, it's a big spread of ingredients for building your own salad. There are usually a few other goodies such as dinner rolls, cottage cheese, pudding, and fresh fruit.
More salad recipes
- Air Fryer Gnocchi Salad
- Vegan Potluck Barley Salad
- Sun Dried Tomato Pasta Salad
- Roast Pumpkin Salad
- Quinoa Taco Salad
- Cajun Salad
- Pesto Tortellini Salad
- The Best Easy Vegan Salad
- Pizza Salad
- High Protein Vegan Salad with Hummus
- Kale and Sweet Potato Salad
- Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
- Warm Kale and Quinoa Salad
If you make this recipe, be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!
Recipe
Salad Bar Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups mixed greens , (spring mix, romaine, iceberg, or spinach)
- ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ¼ green bell pepper, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup shredded carrots
- 8 cucumber slices
- 5 grape tomatoes, halved
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced red onion
- 1 tablespoon roasted salted sunflower seeds
- 2 tablespoons ranch dressing, or your favorite dressing
Instructions
- Add greens to a bowl or salad plate.
- Top with the remaining ingredients and toss if desired.
Notes
Tips for customizing salad bar salad
- Swap the spring mix for iceberg lettuce or baby spinach
- Add a sliced hard boiled egg or black olives
- Use your favorite dressing, such as Italian or French, in place of the ranch
- Top with croutons
- Add protein with garbanzo, black, or kidney beans
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