X-large Party Salad Recipe
Serves 25 (Includes Ten 5 oz. Dressing Containers)
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Ingredients
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Salad Base
Vegetables & Add-ins
Proteins & Cheeses (optional)
Herbs & Finishing
Dressings (10 x 5 oz containers)
Method
Salad Base
- 1
Prepare and combine lettuces
Wash all lettuce and greens thoroughly in cold water, spin dry in a large commercial salad spinner or pat dry with clean towels. Trim cores from romaine and iceberg; chop romaine and iceberg into roughly 1- to 1.5-inch pieces. Stack spinach with the other greens. Place all chopped romaine, iceberg, and spinach into two very large hotel pans or one extra-large catering bowl.
- 2
Vegetables & Add-ins
- 3
Prepare tomatoes and cucumbers
Rinse cherry tomatoes and halve them. Peel (if desired), seed, and dice cucumbers into 1/2-inch pieces. Add tomatoes and cucumbers to the salad pans, distributing evenly across the surface so guests get a balanced portion.
- 4
Add onions, olives, peppers, and croutons
Thinly slice red onions into half-moons and separate into layers so they don't overpower one spot. Toss in halved olives and sliced pepperoncini. Sprinkle croutons on top shortly before service to preserve their crunch (or keep croutons separate in a sealed container until just before serving).
Proteins & Cheeses (optional)
- 5
Add proteins and cheeses
If using grilled chicken, warm briefly to serving temperature (140°F / 60°C) and dice into 1/2-inch pieces; layer chicken on top or keep in a separate pan for self-serve. Scatter crumbled feta and shredded cheddar or mozzarella evenly. If keeping the salad vegetarian, omit chicken and still offer cheeses on top or in a separate container.
Herbs & Finishing
- 6
Season and finish
Sprinkle chopped parsley and optional basil over the salad. Lightly season the entire salad with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; be conservative with salt if dressings will be heavily salted. Gently toss only if serving immediately; for buffet-style presentation do not toss — let guests toss their own portions so ingredients remain visually appealing.
- 7
Portioning and storage
Cover pans tightly with plastic wrap or lids and refrigerate at 35–40°F (2–4°C) until service. Keep dressings chilled separately. If you need to prepare more than 1 hour ahead, hold greens slightly underpacked so they don’t wilt. Add croutons and dressings at service.
Dressings & Containers
- 8
Portion dressings
Portion dressings into ten 5-ounce disposable food-safe containers each of the selected dressings (or mix types to total 10 containers per dressing type as requested by the client). Seal lids and label containers (Italian, Ranch, Balsamic). Keep chilled until transport in an insulated cooler with ice packs.
- 9
Transport and service
Transport salad pans in covered containers and keep refrigerated. At service, place pans on buffet with serving tongs and small signs indicating available dressings and optional proteins/cheeses. If guests will be taking to-go, include a 5 oz dressing container per roughly 3–4 servings; this recipe assumes ten 5 oz containers included with the order (adjust if client requests more).