salad presentation techniques

casual
If it’s a casual meal I’ll serve the salad in the mixing bowl. Too easy.

salad bowl
Simple leaf or shaved salads that don’t have heavy bits like nuts in them look best in salad bowls. I prefer plain white to make the salad the star of the show. Either mix in a separate bowl then carefully pile the dressed salad into the serving bowl OR mix in the serving bowl, pile every thing into the middle, then wipe down the edges with a cloth or paper towel before distributing the salad more evenly around the bowl.

platters
For more substantial salads or salads that have some heavy ‘bits’ like nuts that will fall to the bottom of a salad bowl, platters are a great solution. The trick to getting platters to look great is to avoid over filling them. I like to allow a little boarder of white around the edge. The other trick is to reserve heavy things or showcase ingredients, like nuts or cheese, and scatter these over at the end for maximum visual appeal.

Again, plain white or unpatterned neutral colours tend to make the salad look best. Although sometimes it can be fun to show off some intricately decorated china or go for maximum contrast with a pale coloured salad (like the ‘slaw) on a black plate.

individual plates
For main course salads, it’s nice to serve one plate for each person. The same tips as for platters apply, just on a smaller scale. It’s also an opportunity to play around a bit. Smear something on the base of the plate, like the ricotta in the beef & balsamic salad then top with heavier ingredients and finished with the dressed leaves. This way each diner gets to explore the treasures on their plate.

back to: 5 Minute Salads Overview.