It’s a salad bar turned into a board! Side salad style! It is just absolutely perfect for entertaining, to put on your kitchen island as a nice little starter for everyone to dip into while everything else cooks on the grill, or really awesome to serve at a girls night in with your your besties that you haven’t seen in a while to munch on with pizza, and sip on wine. It truly works with so many things, and the reason I call it a “side salad” board is because it isn’t packed with as many things as it would be if I was creating a traditional salad “bar” all along the whole kitchen counter, and there’s no heavy protein either. These boards are very versatile! So versatile it is actually pretty insane. You can take this idea, and change every single thing I have on here, while giving the same idea, and vibe to your guests. Presenting a board in this manner at some sort of party is going to be much more appreciated than just throwing a regular garden salad together. When you do that.. most people end up not taking it because it bores them, and serving it this way is  fabulous, fun, and exciting! I mean a party should be full of fun after all, am I right? 🙂

As I said you can pick seriously anything that you want to put this gorgeous, colorful board together, so whatever lettuce is your favorite is what you should go for! I chose to chop up beautiful butter lettuce because that is just my favorite lettuce ever. I can’t help it, its too amazing! The flavor, it’s crispiness, and tenderness. This lettuce is so perfect for lettuce wraps, or sandwiches as well.

Aside from cheeses, pops of olives, and salty bites.. you need a good, fresh nutritional vegetable added in there; whether that would be shredded carrots like I chose, multi colored radishes, broccoli, or cauliflower. Any of these veggies would be the perfect touch that you need for a board such as this. I also thought it was adorable if I presented the shredded carrots in a look-a-like farmers market carton! So, so cute!

I know everyone loves fresh mozzarella, and once again I used the firmer mozzarella from the block because I think it’s easier for guests to pick up with tongs. If by some crazy chance you don’t like mozzarella.. cheddar, or even just some salty parmesan would be an awesome accompaniment.

I wanted something a little bit even fattier than the cheese to include, and what’s the most iconic salad topping to complete that task other than bacon?! We always say “everything is better with bacon” and for this light salad board, that’s extremely true! Along side of the bacon, I sliced some roasted red peppers for a different texture, and sweetness. As for the little baby toppings.. olives are always all the rage on a salad bar, or board for this matter. 😉 You can use one, or as many different varieties of them as you’d like but I feel like plain black olives are a staple to a salad, salty green mezzetta ones are my favorite so of course they made the cut, and then some oily kalamatas! If you’re creating this board and you do not enjoy olives.. don’t have that mind set that you’re not going to include them onto the board because YOU don’t like them. Sometimes when you are entertaining you have to do what is best for taste, presentation, variety, and most importantly, your guests!

I for sure do not believe that gravy boats are just for entertaining. Salad dressing looks incredible in them, and it makes for such an easy, steady, clean pour for guests to serve themselves! Plus it just looks stunning being served in something so elegant looking rather than serving it in a bowl with a spoon!

• Balsamic was the perfect choice for this group of veggies & toppings! Usually I’m a creamy dressing girl, but for this specific board I decided against it considering the flavors of everything are going to pair better with it than a dressing such as ranch.

I think serving everything in their individual little bowls, and sections on a whole unanomous serving platter makes it look dinner party ready! I love so much that the board itself has handles on it which makes it easy to carry from room to room if you wanted to, or even to take it with you to somewhere that you’ve been invited to!

This side salad board honestly looks so fresh, delicious, and down right ready to dig into!

      All boards love their close ups! 😉

It’s nice if you have some kind of table runner, decoration piece, or placemat to put underneath the board, especially when you’re preparing for a party, or a get together because it makes it look that much more put together. It gives it that center piece look as if it’s the star of the show, and everyone who walks into the kitchen will have their eyes immediately drawn to it. Adding special touches like that impresses people, and it definitely shows them how much attention you put into each & every detail.

XOXO