The weather is warming up, it’s time to drag the barbecue out and start grilling that meat. Summer time is here. There’s pasta salad, potato salad and coleslaw to make but no time, right? These easy to prepare platter salads are great to prepare ahead of time and make the perfect accompaniment to any family dinner.
There are no hard or fast rules with these recipes. In fact they are a great way to use up vegetables and/or fruits that are getting near their use by date.
It’s best to keep a good supply of pantry staples like oils, vinegar, herbs and spices, nuts, canned pulses etc to throw together these one platter salads so everyone can help themselves and, most importantly, you aren’t spending a lot of time in the kitchen preparing a variety of salads.
If you’re looking for platters, I love this three (3) piece porcelain set from Kovot.
Meal Suggestions
Dinner can comprise grilled, poached, fried, baked meats, for example, with one of these salads. Serve with bread rolls, pita bread, Lebanese bread, garlic bread and you’ve got an easy meal on the table.
Add the grilled meat to the salad or just have another protein like canned pulses, boiled eggs or cheese for a meat free dinner.
Ingredients List
Vegetables
Tomato, cucumber, onion (red, spring, white, brown), cabbage, leftover roast vegetables, avocado, corn, capsicum (peppers), lettuce (iceberg, gem, cos), broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, snow peas, olives, pumpkin, sweet potato, frozen vegetables
Fruit
Pears, pomegranate, lime, orange, apples, melon, pineapple, berries, lemon
Herbs (Fresh or Dried)
Parsley, coriander (cilantro), mint, oregano, basil
Spices
Salt, pepper, dried coriander, cayenne pepper, sumac, Dijon mustard, cumin, paprika, onion powder, fennel seeds
Other
Extra virgin olive oil, eggs, canned pulses (chickpeas, lentils, black beans), nuts (any kind), sugar, vinegar (white wine, red white, white, apple cider, rice wine), pasta (any kind), cheese (goat’s cheese, feta, cheddar, mozzarella), fruit juices, Greek yoghurt, mayonnaise, honey, sesame oil, seeds (sesame, pumpkin, chia), soy sauce, maple syrup, garlic (fresh or crushed), ginger (fresh or crushed), pesto, tahini, grains (couscous, quinoa)
Platter Salads
Of course, you are not limited to the ingredients in these recipes. They really only serve as a guide. It’s all about using the fresh vegetables you have plus any canned pulses you’d like to add for more protein or even to eat as is as a whole meal.
Check out the ingredients list and keep a few different oils, nuts, seeds, vinegars etc in your pantry so you can make any or all of these platter salads for your next dinner or barbecue. I trust it makes meal times more easy and enjoyable for you and your family.
