I thought I’d seen a thread on something similar but have searched to no avail.
I’m joining 11 women this Friday at a potluck event and was asked to bring a hearty salad. Not sure what to bring and would love suggestions (outside of kale and quinoa which I don’t care for). I’ll leave my house at 9 and we’ll eat around noon but we’ll be at someone’s home so I will have access to a fridge and, if needed, can assemble before we eat. Not really a salad but I was thinking roasting a variety of vegetables could be an option that would likely be pretty universally liked.
Hearty salad would mean something with protein to me. I’d make one of the many varieties of chicken salad. If you think that others would be observing Lent by not eating meat on Fridays, then maybe a salmon or shrimp salad would be better.
Buy some good tortellini, and make a pasta salad with a garlicky vinaigrette, plenty of chopped tomatoes, Vidalia or red onions and sliced mushrooms marinated in the salad dressing and red or yellow peppers. Add fresh mozzarella balls sliced in half if you like.
Here’s a link to a recipe for an Asian style cole slaw. It has edamame and peanuts which give some protein. You could add meat to make it even more like a complete meal. All the colorful vegetables make a nice presentation, too.
Ingredients for the dressing:
¼ cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons honey
cumin to taste
corinader to taste if you like it
1 clove garlic, finely minced
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons canola oil ( I generally use about half of each oil to to keep it healthier
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
taste and add salt if needed
Ingredients for the salad:
1 medium head romaine lettuce , chopped in approximately ½ inch pieces
1 medium Anaheim peppper or if you prefer bell pepper, diced in ¼-inch pieces
½ medium red onion, diced in ¼-inch pieces
½ medium jicama, peeled and diced in ¼-inch pieces
1 medium zucchini, diced in ¼-inch dice**
4 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced into ¼-inch dice**
4 ears corn (if fresh corn is not in season, substitute 1½ cups of sweet, tiny frozen corn)
1½ cups canned black beans, drained and rinsed
½ cup finely chopped cilantro, plus whole cilantro leaves for garnish, if desired
Instructions
For the dressing, combine lime juice, honey, cumin garlic and salt. Stir to combine. In a slow, steady stream, add the oils, stirring continuously with a fork or small whisk. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed. Set aside.
Combine corn and other salad ingredients in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Add dressing and stir to coat all ingredients. Garnish with cilantro leaves, if desired.
I like to make (and have brought to several potluck type events) what I call pasta - anti-pasta salad. Lettuce, grape tomatoes, olives (canned black pitted), cut up celery, cut up red peppers, croutons, red onion (if you like it), grated cheese, tricolor rotini pasta, and Italian dressing. Very simple to make and usually well received. You can add meat to this salad if you like - the original recipe added sliced salami/pepperoni.
I like that broccoli salad. Broccoli, red onion, raisins or craisins…and a dressing made with Mayo, vinegar, and sugar. Do a google search for Broccoli Salad…you will get a bunch of hits. It’s easy, and a great picnic salad for a potluck.
These are great. Thanks for the ideas. No vegetarians, no observant Catholics so no real restrictions. I love detailed recipes…DH took on the cooking early on and it’s only been more recently that I’ve ventured in so I’m very much a recipe follower. Love all the options but would love to hear more.
This is a delicious roasted root vegetable salad. You could make it more hearty by adding in a protein like chicken or turkey. Or toss in some al dente orzo. If you’re uncertain about the cilantro dressing you could sub in an avocado dressing. http://www.aspicyperspective.com/roasted-root-vegetables-salad/
Here is an arugula, tortellini and rotisserie chicken salad that I do. My only changes are a couple of more cloves of garlic in the dressing and honey instead of sugar. I also add avocados sometimes. This is an easy and good dinner for H and I after the gym, but I have also taken it to potlucks and everyone loved it.
I love, love, love this salad. (Roasted cauliflower with hazelnuts and pomegranate seeds.) It’s got a totally different flavor palate from your run of the mill salads.
I love a chopped nicoise salad with all of the usual ingredients–lettuce, olives (I use kalamata as a sub for true nicoise olives), tomatoes, steamed red potatoes, hard boiled egg, and steamed haricot verts (green beans)-chopped along with good quality canned tuna tossed in a dijon vinaigrette.