Salad Bar (all You Can Eat) Recipe

Wash and chop

Rinse all lettuces and greens thoroughly in cold water. Spin or pat dry until mostly moisture-free. Chop romaine into bite-sized pieces, shred iceberg, and leave baby lettuces mostly whole or torn.

Place greens in a large salad bowl or in chilled serving hotel pans if setting up a salad bar. Keep different greens slightly separated for visual variety.

Halve cherry tomatoes, slice cucumber into rounds or half-moons, thinly slice red bell pepper, shred carrot, thinly slice red onion, celery, and radishes. Arrange each vegetable in separate bowls or compartments for self-service.

Toast sunflower seeds and sliced almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant and lightly golden, about 3–4 minutes. Cool and transfer to small bowls.

If using cooked chicken, dice or slice and keep chilled. Hard-boil eggs: place eggs in a pot, cover with cold water, bring to a boil, then remove from heat and cover for 9–12 minutes depending on desired yolk firmness. Cool in ice water, peel, and quarter.

Rinse and drain chickpeas. Crumble feta and shred cheddar. Crisp bacon and chop into bits if not using pre-cooked. Dice avocado just before serving to avoid browning; toss with a squeeze of lemon to slow oxidation.

Cook quinoa or farro according to package directions, cool to room temperature and fluff with a fork. Place croutons, pickled beets, and olives in separate serving bowls.

In a small jar or bowl, combine red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Whisk or shake until combined. Slowly stream in extra-virgin olive oil while whisking to emulsify, or place all ingredients in a jar and shake vigorously. Taste and adjust salt, pepper or honey.

Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, and buttermilk until smooth. Stir in dried dill, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Thin with a little extra buttermilk if you prefer a pourable consistency. Chill until service.

Arrange bowls/containers of greens, vegetables, proteins, grains, cheeses, nuts/seeds, croutons, olives, pickled items and dressings on a long table or counter. Label dressings and note common allergens (dairy, nuts, gluten). Keep cold items on ice or in chilled pans and replenish as needed for safety.

Provide serving utensils for each component and small tongs for proteins and cheeses. Offer plates or bowls and set dressings and lemon wedges at the end of the line so guests can finish their salad to taste.

If preparing individual salads instead of a self-serve bar: start with a bed of mixed greens, add desired vegetables, proteins, grains and toppings, finish with 1–2 tablespoons vinaigrette or 1–2 tablespoons ranch per serving or to taste, and garnish with croutons or seeds.

Keep leftover ingredients stored separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days (except avocado and croutons).