Garden Salad Tray Recipe
Romaine lettuce with shredded red cabbage, carrots, grape tomatoes, Monterey Jack, and cheddar. Served with your choice of dressing.
Was this page helpful?
Help improve this recipe for others.
Send this recipe to your inbox.
We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.
Ingredients
Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Salad Base
Cheeses
Dressing & Garnish (served on side)
Method
Salad Base
Prep lettuce
Wash the romaine lettuce thoroughly under cold running water. Shake off excess water and spin in a salad spinner until mostly dry. Trim off the root end and core, then chop or tear into roughly 1- to 1.5-inch pieces to yield about 8 cups packed.
Shred cabbage and carrots
Thinly shred the red cabbage using a knife or mandoline to create about 2 cups. Peel and shred the carrots (use a box grater or food processor) to make about 1.5 cups. Pat both with paper towels to remove excess moisture if needed.
Prepare tomatoes
Rinse the grape tomatoes, remove any stems, and slice each in half. Place in a bowl and gently pat dry if they are wet. This should yield approximately 3 cups halved.
Cheeses
Grate the Monterey Jack and sharp cheddar cheeses if not pre-shredded. Measure 1 cup of each. For a clean presentation on a tray, keep cheeses lightly fluffed so they don’t compact.
Assembly & Serving
On a large serving tray (12x16 inches or larger), create an even bed of chopped romaine, spreading it across the tray in a single even layer.
Arrange the shredded red cabbage in a stripe or scattered clusters over the romaine so color is distributed across the tray.
Scatter the shredded carrots in several even patches across the tray to balance color and texture.
Distribute the halved grape tomatoes evenly over the salad, spacing them so each portion will have several pieces.
Sprinkle the shredded Monterey Jack and shredded cheddar across the tray in alternating zones or mixed lightly, aiming for an even coverage so each serving has cheese.
If desired, lightly drizzle the 2 tablespoons olive oil over the greens to give a subtle sheen and help prevent wilting during service. Season very lightly with kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper if the tray will be eaten shortly; otherwise leave seasoning to individual diners.
Place the dressings in small serving containers alongside the tray (offer ranch and balsamic vinaigrette as specified). Label containers and provide small serving spoons or pour spouts. Keep dressings refrigerated until service; for a larger event supply additional dressing on ice.
Serve the tray chilled or at cool room temperature. Provide tongs for self-service and indicate approximate 8–10 servings.