Want a salad that works with everything? This accompaniment salad is just that: tasty, easy, and a generic dinner salad – no planning/thinking involved!
What Exactly Is an Accompaniment Salad?
An accompaniment salad is a salad (mix mostly of fruit or vegetables) that is served alongside of the main course at dinner or lunch. The flavors are meant to complement the main course. That’s why I love this recipe – it pairs with pretty much everything!
What are the accompaniment salad’s characteristics? An accompaniment salad is served on either a dinner or salad plate. The characteristics can vary, however, they typically contrast well with the rest of the meal in terms of texture, flavor, and color. Use crisp greens, fruits, or vegetables, whether raw or cooked.
For the accompaniments of salad, the following are used: raw or cooked fruits, vegetables, or greens and other complementary ingredients such as seeds or nuts, cheese, protein (meat, fish/seafood, chicken), and croutons.
What Is the Difference Between an Appetizer Salad and Accompaniment Salad?
The main difference is the time they are served. An appetizer salad is served prior to the meal, while an accompaniment salad is served in addition to the meal. An appetizer salad will also be slightly larger and more complex than an accompaniment salad; as an appetizer salad stands on its own during a meal.
What Is the Purpose of an Accompaniment Salad?
The purpose of an accompaniment salad is to complement dinner. It is distinctly different from an appetizer salad, main dish salad, and dessert salad.
Why is accompaniment salad important in a meal/why should I make an accompaniment salad? It’s important to make for a variety of reasons: from adding hydration to the meal (fruits & vegetables high in water content), adding vitamins and minerals, stimulating the appetite, providing a wider range of flavors to the meal, and much more!
What Are Some Accompaniment Salad Examples?
Some examples of types of accompaniment salads include:
- Fresh fruits: fruit salad, Waldorf salad, melon ball salad, watermelon salad, and more.
- Fresh vegetables: corn salad, chef’s salad, Greek salad, classic mixed greens salad, tomato mozzarella salad, beet salad, and more.
- Cooked: black bean salad, chickpea salad, potato salad, seafood salad, pasta salad, couscous salad, quinoa salad, and more.
How to Make/How to Prepare This Fast & Easy Salad
This easy accompaniment salad recipe was made to be delicious and unique, but still generic – to pair well with a large majority of main dishes. Add fresh spinach to each plate, topped with fresh corn, chopped red onion, sliced and quartered cucumber, cranberries or raisins, and golden raisins.
Make a lime honey vinaigrette to drizzle over top right before serving. Mince shallots to make 2 tablespoons. Blend ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, ¼ cup lime juice, ½ cup honey and a dash of salt and pepper in a blender just until mixed.
Blending on the lowest setting, slowly pour in the olive oil to emulsify your vinaigrette. Add 2 tablespoons minced shallots and lightly pulse just to mix.
What to Serve with This Accompaniment Salad?
This accompaniment salad pairs well with almost any entrée. Some particularly great pairings include:
- Tropical entrees such as chicken or salmon with mango salsa (these pair well with the raisins and lime in the salad), Jamaican jerk chicken, kebabs, sticky chicken
- Common popular entrees (this salad is very well-rounded and the flavors pair well when you really aren’t sure what type of accompaniment salad to serve): steak, barbeque or any type, spaghetti and meatballs, macaroni and cheese, hot dogs and/or burgers, lasagna, chicken pot pie, pasta
- Classic holiday dishes such as turkey, (gluten free) stuffing, cranberry sauce, and green bean casserole
- And so much more!
How to Make This Accompaniment Salad Healthier
Have you ever met one of those people who just LOVES salad?! I’ll never understand it. Try as I might, salads just have no appeal to me Imagine my surprise, that one of my favorite dishes at a local restaurant happened to be their salad.
This healthy salad is the perfect intro for those anxious about eating more lean and green! It’s light, crispy, and the perfect touch/side for spring and summer entertaining. Plus, even if just an accompaniment, the greens/spring mix are a great way to get vitamins into your diet.
While already healthy on its own, there are two additional considerations for this salad. Try to find raisins without sulfites or golden raisins of the same) and use fresh, organic when possible — both really make the taste of this salad complete and fresh.
However you choose to make it and ANY entrée you choose to serve it alongside, this accompaniment salad recipe was made to shine!
Here’s to a simple, yet delicious meal, and regaining our sparkle together,
✧❈✯✦Jenn✦✯❈✧
Easy Accompaniment Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Salad
- 4 cups of spring mix
- ¼ cup cooked corn, cut off the cob
- ¼ cup diced red onion
- ½ cup sliced and quartered cucumbers
- 2 tablespoons tablespoons cranberries (optional)
- 2 tablespoons golden and/or regular raisins
Lime Honey Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup lime juice (about 2 limes)
- ½ cup honey
- Dash of salt and pepper
- ¾ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons minced shallots
Instructions
Salad
- Assemble spring mix on 4 side salad plates. Top each with corn, red onion, cucumbers, cranberries, and raisins.
Lime Honey Vinaigrette
- Blend apple cider vinegar, lime juice, honey and a dash of salt and pepper in a blender just until mixed.
- Blending on the lowest setting, slowly pour in the olive oil to emulsify your vinaigrette. Add 2 tablespoons minced shallots and lightly pulse just to mix. Serve alongside accompaniment salads in a pour bottle.
Very simple to make, and the vinaigrette tasted great!
Loved the dressing!!!
Great tasting, quick and easy to make, highly recommend.
So good! Love how the cranberries and raisins add some sweetness to it!
Loved the flavor combinations, and really easy to make.
Simple and unique flavors.
Quick, easy, and delicious!
The Vinaigrette was very good.