Easy Salad Recipes

Salads are a great item to serve with any meal, especially when having a lot of guests. Not only are they healthy, but they are colorful and enhance the look of any table. Perfect for adding variety to the meal and ideal when vegetarians are guests. Below are a compilation of salad recipes that women who cook large meals and serve many guests recommended. You will find that they are simple, quick and can easily be doubled or tripled depending on the number you will be serving.

Quick dressings for any salad:

Bok-choy salad:

Bok-choy
Spring onions
Slivered/flaked almonds

Dressing -
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 cup oil
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce

Broccoli Salad

1 cup of mayonnaise (whipped)

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

¼ cup sugar

2 bunches raw broccoli
1 cup toasted cashews
1 sliced red onion
craisins

Prepare salad in a large bowl. Prepare dressing in a tight container and shake well. Dress immediately before serving.
 

Ceasar salad

1 bag of romaine lettuce
6 tbsp of mayo
6 tbsp of lemon juice
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp pepper
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
sprinkle pasley flakes

Add grated cheese to the salad for a dairy meal

Ceasar Salad (very easy!)

1 bag of romaine lettuce

2 heaping tablespoons of mayonnaise

½ teaspoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt & pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder

Mix all ingredients together until all lettuce is covered with mayonnaise. Serve immediately. This salad does not keep well as it makes the lettuce soggy. But not to worry because people love it so there is rarely leftovers!

Corn and Red Pepper Salsa

1 bag of frozen corn (10 ounces) thawed
1 medium red pepper, cut in to ¼” dice
1 green onion, thinly sliced (I often omit)

Dressing:

Whisk together –
2 Tbsp fresh lime (I usually use 2 whole limes)
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (I usually use ½ bunch)
1 Tbsp olive oil (I often omit)
¼ tsp salt

Mix ingredients together, add dressing and enjoy.
 

Cucumber Salad

6-10 cucumbers
1 small onion

Slice above into thin strips

Dressing:
Equal amounts of water, vinegar and sugar

Hearts of Palm Salad

1 can hearts of palm, cut into chunks
1 basket of cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 bunch of asparagus, blanched
1 handful of fresh dill, cut finely (or dried)
1 avocado, cubed

Dressing:
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup rice vinegar
3-4 cloves of crushed garlic
pinch of sugar, pinch of salt
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
 

Mandarin Orange Salad

1 bag lettuce
1 can mandarin oranges
1 celery stalk, sliced (optional)
scallions or 1 red onion, chopped
toasted, sugared almonds or honey glazed almonds
craisins (optional)

Dressing
less than 1/4 cup olive oil
less than 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 Tablespoons sugar or sugar substitute
1 tsp of salt

Alternate dressing: (fat free!)
equal amounts of mustard, honey, lemon juice and orange juice
 

Mushroom Salad (this is a salad that can be made a day or two before and keeps great. Excellent if preparing for Shabbat on Thursday!)

1/2 c. oil
1/2 c. vinegar
1/4 c. water
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. white pepper (I use black... no difference!)
1/4 c. sugar
Combine all of the above ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil

Reduce heat and add:
1 1/2 c. sliced carrots
Cover pot and simmer for 5 minutes

Add:
2 cartons sliced fresh mushrooms
1 1/2 c. diced red pepper
1 1/2 c. diced green pepper
1/2 c. onions (circle sliced)
Simmer for 3 more minutes

Remove from heat, add 2 tsp. basil
Refrigerate

Pasta with Garlic Dressing (this salad also can be made a day or two before serving)

Cook very thin spaghetti

Dressing:
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup soy sauce
4-5 cloves of crushed garlic

Lightly toast garlic until almost brown in olive oil. Add soy sauce into pan and immediately pour over warm pasta. You can add pepper and green onions to mixture. This salad tastes delicious either hot or cold and for some reason, kids love it.
 

Pasta with Peanut Dressing

Cook very thin spaghetti.

Dressing:
6 Tbsp unsalted peanuts
2 tsp minced gingerroot or ¼ tsp ground ginger
4 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp honey
8 tsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp sesame oil
2 tsp crushed garlic
4 Tbsp water

In food processor, combine all ingredients and puree until smooth. Toss dressing over pasta, add chopped green onions.

You can add slices of cooked lean beef or chicken to salad if you wish.
 

Poppy Seed Salad

1 bag of broccoli slaw
1 bag of romaine lettuce
red onions
craisins
chow mein noodles (add last after dressing, just before serving)

Dressing:

½ cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp cup rice vinegar
2 Tbsp brown sugar
¼ - 1/3 cup of poppy seeds
 

Taco Chip Salad

Head of Romaine Lettuce
2 Tomatoes ( sliced in half)
1 cup of Taco chips

Dressing:

Mayo
Salsa

Mix tomatoes and lettuce with dressing, put chips on top. Mix before serving.

The tomatoes and lettuce should be coated, but not dripping.

Taco Salad

2 heads of romaine lettuce
1 can of olives (slice)
½ red cabbage or purple onion
1 small can green chili chopped
3 tomatoes cut into cubes
2 avocados – diced

Dressing:

1 cup mayo
¼ cup ketchup
1/3 cup salsa

After mixing salad ingredients together and tossing with dressing, top with ½ bag of barbecue taco chips or tortilla chips

(Kids love this recipe – although do not add the chilies or onion if serving to little ones)
 

Technicolor Bean Salad

1 can each: chick peas, red kidney beans, black beans, Rinse beans and dry off as well as possible.
1 pound of fresh green beans, blanched
1 cup green onions

Garlic Dressing:

1 egg yolk
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp sugar
4-5 cloves of garlic (minced in cuisinart before adding liquid ingredients)
1 cup olive oil (I usually only use ½ cup)

Combine with salt and pepper in food processor briefly. While motor is still running, slowly dribble in olive oil. Marinate at least 3 hours – overnight if possible.
 

Terra Cotta Chip Salad

1 bag of romaine lettuce
½ bag of spinach
½ red pepper – cut into thin strips
½ yellow pepper – cut into thin strips
1 avocado – cubed
1 6 oz bag slivered almonds – toasted (I throw in a big handful)
1 4 oz bag of pine nuts – toasted (I throw in a handful)

Dressing:

1/3 cup oil
1/3 cup rice vinegar
¼ cup sugar
3 Tbsp ketchup
2 Tbsp grated onion

Whisk dressing together and add to salad just before serving. Add crushed chips on top just before serving. This is a very attractive and colorful salad.

Tomato/Cilantro

tomatoes cut into square pieces
cilantro chopped finely

Splash heavily with rice vinegar (I use seasoned), a drizzle of olive oil, seasoned salt, and if you like it spicy, cayenne pepper

These recipes are a compilation from various women who shared their favorite salad recipes that they use for their Shabbat meal. Please feel free to send in your favorite recipes and they will be posted as well.