If your’e looking for the perfect salad to serve at your next family get together, you can’t go wrong with this salad bar style salad. It has all the delicious options to choose from that you normally find at a salad bar, the different textures and flavors that you can combine to create your very own, perfect plate of salad. Not only is it endlessly customizable but all the bright colors from the assortment of veggies makes for an absolutely gorgeous, show stopping salad on your table. Who needs a centerpiece when you have this beautiful, colorful salad on the table? Plus it has something for everyone!
Let’s face it, lettuce is so very boring on it’s own. We all know it’s good for us and that we should incorporate more of it into our diet. This salad makes it easy to eat more lettuce, especially when you can add all your favorite toppings to make it taste great! The lowly salad can easily become an entire, delicious meal unto itself! The trick is in how you assemble it.
The beauty of this salad is that you can use all your favorite veggies, and it’s extremely easy to customize it. Don’t like mushrooms? Leave them out. Do you love beets, then by all means add them to this salad. There is no right or wrong way when it comes to what veggies to use. When I created this salad I just thought back to all the veggie options I love that I typically found at my favorite salad bars. Prepping the veggies, slicing and dicing is the hardest part to making this salad. Below is a list of veggies that all work beautifully with this salad, but it’s by no means an exhaustive list. Can you think of any more options?
Topping Suggestions:
- cherry tomatoes, or sliced roma tomatoes
- bite sized broccoli spears
- sliced pickled beets
- sliced carrots
- sliced celery
- sliced red, green, orange or yellow bell peppers
- sliced black olives
- sliced or whole pepperoncini peppers
- black beans, drained
- garbanzo beans, drained
- sliced mushrooms
- sliced red onions
- sliced green onions
- sliced cucumber
- sliced zucchini or summer squash
- bacon bits
- shredded cheddar cheese
- blue cheese crumbles
- shredded Parmesan cheese
- sliced hard boiled eggs
- alfalfa sprouts
- sliced radishes
Make Ahead Tip: Chop, shred, slice and dice all the veggies, toppings and lettuce. Store each ingredient in a ziplock baggie in the fridge. When ready to serve, assemble the salad in just a few quick minutes.
The only hard-fast rule you need to keep in mind is that it’s important to use a study lettuce as the base for this salad. Iceberg and Romaine lettuce are the perfect combination. Iceberg is nice and crunchy and will hold up well under the weight of all the veggie toppings. Romaine will do the same and adds a wonderful flavor. Spinach would be another great addition that holds up well, but I would avoid the more fragile spring mixes or arugula that will wilt quickly and not hold up well under the weight of all the toppings.
To start chop lettuce into bite sized pieces. Combine the chopped Iceberg and Romain lettuce and place it in the bottom of a very large shallow bowl or oversized platter.
Are you in need of a large bowl or tray to serve your salad? This large 20″ diameter Round Wood Serving Tray with built in handles would be perfect for serving this salad.
Top the bed of lettuce with sliced mushrooms, cucumber, green or red bell pepper, red onion, pepperoncini peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, hard boiled egg slices, shredded cheese and crumbled bacon bits. These are some of my favorites, but feel free to use your favorite toppings.
Arrange each ingredient around the platter so everyone can choose the toppings they like best on their salad.
Top with freshly cracked black pepper and croutons if you like.
Serve with your favorite salad dressings on the side. I personally love this salad with Ranch dressing and recommend making it fresh for the best flavor, but you can certainly use a bottled version. Find out how easy it is to make Chili’s Creamy Buttermilk Ranch Dressing at home from scratch in just a few minutes. It’s a thousand times better than anything you can buy in a bottle, guaranteed!
Learn how easy it is to make your own vinaigrette salad dressing. I personally think Every Home Cook Should Know How to Make Dijon Vinaigrette. It takes just a couple of minutes and tastes a thousand times better than anything you can buy in a bottle. Once you find out how quick, easy, and affordable it is to make you’ll ditch the over priced, chemical laden, bottled dressings forever! Plus you know it’s a healthy option because you are in control of what ingredients go into it.
Flavor Tip: If you are serving this salad with a vinaigrette instead of Ranch dressing, swap out the shredded cheddar cheese and substitute with blue cheese crumbles. It’s a DELICIOUS flavor profile!
No matter what veggies you end up using on your salad everyone will love being able to choose the toppings they love best. Not only is it endlessly customizable to suit everyone’s tastes, but it’s beautifully colorful and will be the show stopper on the table! It’s really hard not to eat healthy when you serve this up at your next get together. Everything can be prepped beforehand and assembled quickly when it’s time to eat. Are you going to give this salad a try? Everyone will love it…I guarantee it!!!
This post was originally published August 2022 and republished with updated photos, recipe notes, and new content April 2025.
Salad Bar Salad
Equipment
- large shallow bowl or platter
Ingredients
- 4 cups Iceberg lettuce, roughly chopped
- 4 cups Romaine lettuce, roughly chopped
- 4 oz tomatoes, sliced
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 8 oz sliced mushrooms
- 1 large red or green bell pepper, seeded and sliced
- 6 large hard boiled eggs, sliced
- ½ head broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces
- ½ cup sliced Pepperoncini peppers
- 6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- ½ cucumber, sliced
- Ranch dressing
- Italian dressing
- freshly cracked black pepper
- croutons, optional
Instructions
- Combine chopped Iceberg and Romain lettuce and place in the bottom of a large shallow bowl or platter.
- Top lettuce with sliced mushrooms, cucumber, green bell pepper, red onion, pepperoncini, tomatoes, broccoli, hard boiled egg slices, shredded cheese and crumbled bacon bits.
- Arrange each ingredient around the platter so everyone can choose the toppings they like best on their salad.
- Top with freshly cracked black pepper and croutons.
- Serve with your favorite salad dressings on the side.
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