How to build a perfect platter salad

Follow my five quick and easy steps to build a perfect platter salad that is healthy, delicious and satisfying for the whole family.

What is a platter salad?

Platter salads are one of my favorite family meals — especially in summer. For this type of meal, simply arrange a big platter of hot and cold veggies, leafy greens, proteins and other garnishes, in separate groupings on one platter. Its an easy way to serve dinner and a great way to to cut down on dishes. It also encourages eating a variety of veggies and allows everyone to customize their plate for their own perfect meal.

Honestly, after so many months sheltering at home, we’d fallen off the family meal bandwagon a bit. The kids had gotten used to eating “kid food” on their own on the many nights when, desperate for some adult-time, Jon and I made dinner for ourselves after bedtime. After several months of this, the kids started to “forget” their good eating habits. Platter salads have been an easy way to reintroduce a variety of healthy ingredients without forcing anything.

This gorgeous BLT Platter Salad is a showstopper for picnics and potlucks and also makes a perfect summer weeknight meal. Arranging on a platter keeps the salad from wilting and picky eaters can build their perfect plate!

What is the best serving dish for a perfect platter salad?

If we’re serving guests or doing something fancy, I might break out one of my serving trays or large serving platters. On weeknights however, I usually serve this type of meal on a plain old sheet pan. You might line it with parchment paper to make clean up even simpler, but thats not really necessary. Even the most banged up old sheet pan looks pretty great once its overflowing with colorful vegetables and other salad ingredients.

This easy Sheet Pan Salmon Nicoise combines the elegance of a classic nicoise salad with the ease of a sheet pan meal featuring delicious roasted salmon.

Start with your salad greens: Start by mounding a large, meandering pile of greens on your platter. These will act as the foundation for your salad. Choose a variety of greens such as baby spinach and arugula or butterhead lettuce and baby iceberg. The greener and leafier the better, but for platter salads, make sure your leaves are cut and torn to bite-size.
Add as many colors, shapes and textures as possible: Next add cold veggies of all colors, shapes and sizes. I like things like sliced radishes, cucumber rounds, diced peppers, Campari, plum and cherry tomatoes (the more color and variety the better!), slivers of red onion, fresh herbs are all wonderful additions. Remember as you add these heavier ingredients to tuck them NEXT TO your greens, not on top of them. I usually arrange each ingredient in small bunches so that folks can pick and choose what they like and leave what they don’t. You can also cooked vegetables such as grilled asparagus or blanched green beans — but be sure to place them far from your greens to prevent them from wilting.
Add some protein: Slices of grilled chicken or steak, flaked fish, beans or chickpeas are all great hearty additions for an entree salad. Again, if your proteins are hot, place them on a section of the platter away from your greens to prevent wilting.
Garnish, Garnish, Garnish: This is where your salad goes from everyday to extraordinary. Tuck in little piles of crispy bacon bits, briny olives, crunchy chow mien noodles, croutons, toasted nuts to add interest and round out your meal.
Finish it with the perfect salad dressing: Whether its a creamy dressing with yogurt and herbs, a tangy dijon vinaigrette or even an Asian inspired carrot-ginger dressing, don’t forget the dressing! Just be sure to serve it ON THE SIDE. You don’t want to drown those beautiful ingredients and putting the dressing on the side allows everyone to add as much (or as little) as they like.