Ingredient: cherry tomatoes, halved

No barbecue is complete without adding a few salads. More than just greens topped with a dressing, there are many versions of coleslaw and pasta salads as well as vegetable and gelatin salads. Without a doubt, you can make them as simple or fancy as you like or have the time for.

Every family seems to develop its own salad favorites. For our family, it was my mother’s ‘German’ version of potato salad. This was not the ‘Hot German Potato Salad’ which you most often see in recipe books. Her’s was a very basic potato salad, not a lot of ingredients, but the dressing was what made it special to us. Like so many German recipes it had that sweet-sour taste.

Over the years, either in the commercial food industry or at company barbecues, etc. I have used and shared her recipe many times. It has never failed to draw great reviews but strangely enough I think my husband is the only person I’ve known who didn’t care for potato salad in any fashion.

There are endless ideas for barbecue salads. In today’s blog I thought it would be nice to post a medley of five different kinds. I think you will find they are reasonably quick and easy to prepare as well as good accompaniments to most any meat being barbecued.

        Potato Salad   –   Chick Pea Pasta Salad   –   Candied Nut & Gorgonzola Salad                          Barley, Corn & Pepper Salad – Fresh Spinach & Vegetable Salad 

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Barbecue Salads x Five

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Servings

servings MetricUS Imperial

Ingredients

Potato Salad

• 1.5 kg potatoes, uncooked
• 5 eggs, hard cooked, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 bunch green onion, sliced
• 12 small-medium radishes, sliced
• 1 3/4 cups 'lite', whipped salad dressing
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 cup sugar, or to your taste
• 1 Tbsp mustard
• 1 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp celery seed
• 1/2 tsp dried dill weed

Chick Pea Pasta Salad

• 150 grams wholewheat Penne pasta, uncooked
• 426 ml chick peas, rinsed & drained
• 426 ml black beans, rinsed & drained
• 1/2 cup black olives, whole, pitted
• 1/3 cup carrot, finely diced
• 1/3 cup celery, finely diced
• 1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 57 grams Asiago cheese, 1/4" cubes
• Mixed or Spinach greens
• FIG BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE DRESSING, bottled

Candied Nut & Gorgonzola Salad

• 1 cup walnut OR pecan halves
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 200 grams (6 cups) mixed greens OR spinach
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 140 grams Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
• RASPBERRY VINAIGRETTE DRESSING, bottled

Barley, Corn & Pepper Salad

• 1 cup barley, uncooked
• 341 ml corn niblets, drained
• 1/2 cup EACH red & green bell peppers, diced
• 1/2 cup green onions, sliced
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped OR use FRESH cilantro in 'paste' form
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Coarsely ground black pepper

Fresh Spinach & Vegetable Salad

• 270 grams ( 8 cups) spinach greens
• 1 small yellow pepper, sliced thin
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 12 small fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 small zucchini, julienned
• 1/2 cup fresh spinach leaves
• 1/2 cup cornstarch OR rice flour
• 2 eggs, hard cooked, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds, toasted
• ROASTED RED PEPPER W/ PARMESAN DRESSING, bottled OR Buttermilk Dressing

Servings servings MetricUS Imperial Ingredients Potato Salad 1.5 kg potatoes, uncooked 5 eggs, hard cooked, coarsely chopped 1/2 bunch green onion, sliced 12 small-medium radishes, sliced 1 3/4 cups 'lite', whipped salad dressing 1/4 cup white vinegar 1/4 cup sugar, or to your taste 1 Tbsp mustard 1 3/4 tsp salt 1 tsp celery seed 1/2 tsp dried dill weed Chick Pea Pasta Salad 150 grams wholewheat Penne pasta, uncooked 426 ml chick peas, rinsed & drained 426 ml black beans, rinsed & drained 1/2 cup black olives, whole, pitted 1/3 cup carrot, finely diced 1/3 cup celery, finely diced 1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped 2 green onions, sliced 57 grams Asiago cheese, 1/4" cubes Mixed or Spinach greens FIG BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE DRESSING, bottled Candied Nut & Gorgonzola Salad 1 cup walnut OR pecan halves 1/2 cup sugar 200 grams (6 cups) mixed greens OR spinach 1 cup dried cranberries 140 grams Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled RASPBERRY VINAIGRETTE DRESSING, bottled Barley, Corn & Pepper Salad 1 cup barley, uncooked 341 ml corn niblets, drained 1/2 cup EACH red & green bell peppers, diced 1/2 cup green onions, sliced 1/3 cup olive oil 1/3 cup lemon juice 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped OR use FRESH cilantro in 'paste' form 1/2 tsp salt Coarsely ground black pepper Fresh Spinach & Vegetable Salad 270 grams ( 8 cups) spinach greens 1 small yellow pepper, sliced thin 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved 12 small fresh mushrooms, sliced 1 small zucchini, julienned 1/2 cup fresh spinach leaves 1/2 cup cornstarch OR rice flour 2 eggs, hard cooked, coarsely chopped 1/2 cup sunflower seeds, toasted ROASTED RED PEPPER W/ PARMESAN DRESSING, bottled OR Buttermilk Dressing

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Instructions

Potato Salad

1. Cook potatoes in salted water. Cool, peel & cube. Combine potatoes, eggs, & onion. Blend together dressing ingredients & pour over potato mixture; mix well. Cover & refrigerate for several hours. Just before serving time, add sliced radishes & more salt if necessary. Mix well.

Chick Pea Pasta Salad

1. Cook pasta according to pkg. directions. Drain & rinse under cold running water until cold. Combine pasta with next 8 ingredients in a medium bowl. Pour dressing over salad; toss to coat evenly. Cover & refrigerate for several hours. Arrange greens on serving plate & top with chick pea mixture or mix greens into salad, your choice.

Candied Nut & Gorgonzola Salad

1. In a skillet over medium heat, melt sugar stirring constantly. Add nuts, stir until nuts are coated. Remove nuts from skillet; spreading them out on a sheet of aluminium foil to cool. In a large bowl, combine greens, dried fruit & Gorgonzola cheese; refrigerate. At serving time, combine salad with dressing, toss gently; add candied nuts & toss again.

Barley, Corn & Pepper Salad

1. Cook barley to desired tenderness. Drain; rinse with cold water. In a large bowl, combine all salad ingredients; toss well. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine all dressing ingredients; shake well. Pour dressing over salad; toss to combine. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Fresh Spinach & Vegetable Salad

1. Combine first 8 ingredients in a large bowl. At serving time, drizzle with dressing choice & top with toasted seeds.

Recipe Notes

• If you like raw cauliflower, try adding a cup of it sliced along with some crisp, crumbled bacon bits to your potato salad. It adds a whole new dimension to an old favorite.