Buffet Salad Ideas

Choose only the freshest produce for buffet salads.

Buffets salads call for just the right amount of zesty flavor and quick, uncomplicated preparation. Tangy dressings and light ingredients that won't wilt or get soggy are key factors in creating winning buffet salads that leave guests asking for the recipes. Buffet salads that compliment the main course without overpowering the entire meal require subtle hints of the same elements or herbs and spices used in the main dish.

Greek Pasta Salad

Olives are a staple in Greek salads.

A basic Greek pasta buffet salad starts with spiral or penne noodles. The Greek salad is a side that should taste light and not be too filling. It's typically enhanced with feta cheese, tomatoes, black olives and Italian or Greek salad dressing. This pasta salad calls for a generous supply of cooked spiral noodles and the rest of the ingredients are added to flavor. Variations on the Greek pasta salad include adding artichokes, hearts of palm, sun-dried tomatoes or Greek brine cured olives and Spanish sherry cured olives.

Fritos Bean Salad

Dark red kidney beans are a colorful contrast with bell peppers in the Fritos bean salad.

The Fritos bean buffet salad feeds a hungry crowd and makes the ideal buffet salad for events that include children. Putting the Fritos in a large bowl next to the salad just before serving eliminates soggy corn chips and allows guests to add as much or as little as they prefer to the bean salad. This buffet salad compliments most main buffet dishes and works especially well with Italian food because of its light flavor and contrast to heavier Italian dishes. Too much dressing overpowers this salad, so opt for less dressing to allow for full flavor from the beans, tomatoes and onions.

Watermelon Ricotta Salad

Basil is an increasingly popular herb used in summer fruit salads and smoothie shakes.

This salad is a refreshing addition to summer fare buffets. It's also versatile because the ricotta cheese can be substituted with fresh deli mozzarella cheese for the ricotta, and the honeydew melon for the watermelon. The basic recipe from Cat Cora's Epicurious signature dishes calls for basil which gives the salad a fresh flavor that compliments summer's lighter buffet choices.

Tags: buffet salad, buffet salads, cured olives, Fritos bean, Greek pasta, Greek salad