Looking for instructions on how to make the ultimate at home salad bar? You've come to the right place!
This post for How to Make an at Home Salad Bar is sponsored by Grocery Gateway by Longo's who I love for their amazingly quick and easy to use grocery delivery! Here was my grocery list.
Vegans like salad, I admit it. But I mean really everyone should like salad. We all know it's good for us. But what if one person only likes romaine lettuce, whereas someone else demands nothing but spinach? What if one person detests raw onions and the other says that salad isn't complete without raw onions? (I vote for raw onions).
What if one person is having a BBQ or dinner party and they need to serve everyone salad but they have no idea what kind of salad anyone attending likes? The answer, you guessed it, this guide is for you: How to Make an at Home Salad Bar. All the options, that will make everyone happy!
How to Prep my Salad Bar:
I order all of my groceries online from Grocery Gateway, which is an online grocery store that's been around for 20 years!
I've never ordered groceries online before and I was super impressed at how easy and convenient it was. I already had my grocery list at the ready so I just searched and found everything on the site and then ordered it. No different than ordering yoga pants online (and Sam loves to order yoga pants online). I got to choose a delivery date and time, and before I knew it: a knock was on the door. And there were two boxes full of goodies. Chickpea dog was just as excited for the unboxing as I was.
If you want to try delivery groceries, Grocery Gateway was kind enough to offer all my readers $15 off your order. For both new or existing customers, just use this one-time case sensitive code by entering: GGSam2017 at checkout (expires October 1, 2017).
I must admit, I was a little worried that whoever was picking my produce wouldn't put the care into it that I normally do. I was considered they would choose lettuce that was old or a red pepper that had a squishy spot. But I was delighted to find that everything was fresh and perfect. They even deliver beer and wine! Pre-tay cool, this (secretly lazy) chick approves. 👍
Once I had my groceries at the ready, it was just a matter of whipping up my salad dressings and chopping up some veg. Before I knew it, I had an at-home salad bar ready to go in no time.
If serving a salad is nice, then serving a DIY salad bar takes it up several notches. I almost guarantee that everyone will dig into some salad freshness when you give them so many options. You can make your salad bar as big or as small as you like to feed as many or as few people as you like. I stashed the leftovers in the fridge and have been chowing down on some seriously epic salads for lunch. Omnomnom!
How to Make an at Home Salad Bar:
Prepare your salad dressings. The best thing about salad dressings (aside from deliciousness) is that they can be made ahead of time. This time I whipped up a Lemon Poppyseed Dressing and Cashew Caesar Dressing. I also put out olive oil and balsamic vinegar for the people who like simpler salads.
Then it's just a matter of chopping your veggies. Display them all in their own bowls for optimal cuteness, with lots of spoons. Arrange all of your selections starting with the lettuce on one side and working your way through all the options with the dressings last so that salads can be assembled in order. That's it! Endless salad options await you.
How to Make an at Home Salad Bar!
Ingredients
Lettuce (choose 2 - 3):
- romaine
- baby spinach
- arugula
- lettuce mix
- kale
Fresh veggies (choose 3 - 6):
- sliced bell peppers
- grated carrots
- corn kernels
- cucumber slices
- red onion slices
- sprouts
- sugar snap peas
- tomato slices or halved grape tomatoes
- mushroom slices
- avocado slices
- grated beets
Beans and tofu (choose 1 - 3):
- chickpeas (roasted or plain)
- kidney beans
- black beans
- lentils
- edamame
- smoked or other seasoned tofu cubes
Nuts and seeds (choose 1 - 3):
- almond slices
- pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds)
- pistachios
- pecans
- walnuts
- sunflower seeds
- sesame seeds
Fruit (choose 1 - 2):
- dried cranberries
- rasins
- apple slices
- pear slices
- strawberry slices
- berries
Other toppings (choose 1 - 4):
- sun-dried tomatoes
- marinated mushrooms
- croutons
- marinated artichoke hearts
- coconut bacon or vegan bacon bits
- olives
- roasted red peppers
- grated vegan cheese
Dressings (choose 2 - 4):
- olive oil
- balsamic vinegar
- lemon wedges or lemon juice
- creamy cashew caesar
- catalina dressing
- thousand island
- lemon poppy seed dressing
- balsamic vinegrette
- maple mustard dressing
- Greek dressing
- creamy ranch dressing
Instructions
- Prepare your salad dressings (they can be made ahead of time if you like).
- Arrange all of your selections on the table in individual bowls, starting with the lettuce on one side and working your way through the options with the dressings last so that salads can be assembled in order. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Bon appetegan!
Sam.
Joanna says
I have to eat all Organic, & gluten-free is this food organic? Do you have recipes for us who have to eat this way?