Save to Pinterest I'll never forget the spring afternoon when I created this salad for my best friend's baby shower. She was expecting her first daughter, and I wanted to serve something that captured all the joy and sweetness of that milestone moment. As I arranged those delicate pastel ingredients on a white platter, I felt like I was painting with flavors—each pink radish slice, each blueberry, each pale yellow tomato felt like a tiny celebration of new life waiting to arrive.
What I loved most that afternoon was watching my guests actually pause and take photos before eating. The salad became the centerpiece everyone gravitated toward, and suddenly we weren't just eating—we were celebrating together around something beautiful. That's when I realized this salad does something special: it turns a simple meal into a moment worth remembering.
Ingredients
- Baby butter lettuce or mixed baby greens (4 cups): These delicate greens form the perfect canvas for your pastel palette. They're tender enough that they won't overpower the delicate flavors, and their soft texture creates a lovely bed for all your colorful elements.
- Watermelon radish (1 cup, thinly sliced): The star of your pink elements—when you slice these open, that natural pink-and-white pattern is pure magic. They add a crisp, slightly peppery bite that wakes up the palate.
- Pink grapefruit segments (1 cup): These bring a beautiful soft pink color and a hint of tartness that balances the sweetness of the strawberries. If you can find them, they're worth seeking out for this dish.
- Strawberries (½ cup, thinly sliced): The gentle blush of fresh strawberries adds both color and a touch of sweetness. Keep them cool until the last moment so they hold their shape and color beautifully.
- Fresh blueberries (½ cup): These little jewels provide your blue notes and pop with antioxidants. They're sturdy enough to not get crushed when you're arranging everything, which makes them perfect for this kind of composed salad.
- Blue cheese (½ cup, crumbled): The creamy, pungent richness of blue cheese is essential here—it prevents the salad from feeling too light and adds a sophisticated depth. For a vegan version, crumbled dairy-free blue cheese works beautifully, or simply omit it entirely.
- Yellow cherry tomatoes (1 cup, halved): These sunny little gems bring natural sweetness and that cheerful yellow that rounds out your color palette. Cherry tomatoes are sweeter than their larger cousins, which is exactly what you want here.
- Yellow bell pepper (½ cup, diced): Fresh, crisp, and naturally sweet—yellow peppers add texture and brightness without any bitterness. Dice them small so they're easy to eat.
- Hard-boiled eggs (2, sliced): The pale yellow yolks are a lovely surprise when you get to them. They add protein and richness, but they're entirely optional and easily omitted for vegan guests.
- Extra virgin olive oil (3 tbsp): Quality matters here because this dressing is so simple. Use oil you actually enjoy tasting—it's one of only five ingredients.
- White balsamic vinegar (1 tbsp): This is the secret to keeping your dressing pale and delicate. Regular balsamic would darken everything, but white balsamic gives you that gentle tang without changing your colors.
- Honey (1 tsp): Just a touch to round out the flavors and help emulsify the dressing. It also honors the sweetness of the fresh ingredients. Agave syrup works equally well if you prefer.
- Fine sea salt (¼ tsp) and freshly ground black pepper: These are the backbone of any good dressing. Taste as you go—you might need a tiny bit more depending on your ingredients.
Instructions
- Start with your canvas:
- Spread those tender baby greens evenly across your largest, most beautiful serving platter. You want them in a single, soft layer—this is the foundation that will hold all your colors. If you're using a shallow salad bowl instead, that works too, but the platter really lets everything shine.
- Paint with pink:
- Now comes the fun part. Scatter your watermelon radish slices, grapefruit segments, and strawberry slices across the greens in an artful, casual way. Think of it less like rows and more like brushstrokes—you want pockets of pink throughout, but not all clumped together. This is where you get to be creative.
- Add your blue notes:
- Drop little clusters of fresh blueberries here and there, then sprinkle your crumbled blue cheese over various sections. These don't need to be perfectly distributed; in fact, the little surprises of blue cheese when you take a bite are part of what makes this special.
- Fill with yellow:
- Scatter your halved yellow cherry tomatoes, diced yellow bell pepper, and if you're using them, those beautiful pale yellow egg slices throughout the salad, filling in any gaps and creating visual balance. Step back and look at it—does it feel balanced? Adjust as needed.
- Make the magic dressing:
- In a small bowl, combine your olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper. Whisk it together gently—you want it to come together into a cohesive, slightly creamy emulsion. Taste it. Does it need more salt? More tang? This is your moment to adjust.
- The final touch:
- Just before you're ready to serve—and I mean just before, not more than a few minutes—drizzle that dressing over the salad. You want it to coat everything lightly without making the greens wilt. A gentle hand here makes all the difference between a stunning salad and one that's lost its crispness.
- Serve with joy:
- Bring it to the table immediately while everything is at its freshest and most beautiful. There's something special about serving a salad while it still has that just-assembled glow to it.
Save to Pinterest There's something about watching people react to beautiful food that makes cooking feel less like a task and more like love. That baby shower, we ended up sitting around that salad for over an hour, just talking and laughing. Three months later, when my friend sent me a photo of her newborn daughter wearing a soft pink outfit, I thought of that salad and smiled—some moments really do stay with you.
Customizing Your Palette
The beauty of this salad is that it's genuinely customizable based on what's fresh and what your guests prefer. Don't have grapefruit? Use sliced pink pears or pomegranate arils instead. Can't find watermelon radish? Thin slices of regular radish work, even if they're not quite as photogenic. I've made variations where I swapped in yellow mango cubes for some of the tomatoes, and it was equally lovely. The key is thinking in terms of your pastel palette—soft colors, fresh ingredients, and textures that play nicely together. Let your local farmer's market be your guide, and don't stress about hitting every ingredient exactly.
Making It Vegan
If you're serving vegan guests—or if you simply prefer to make it that way—the salad loses nothing. Skip the eggs entirely, and you have two options with the blue cheese: use a high-quality vegan blue cheese alternative, which many specialty stores now carry, or omit it completely and let the other flavors shine. The salad is actually quite substantial without it, thanks to the bell pepper, blueberries, and those beautiful greens. I've served this version at gatherings where everyone is vegan, and honestly, no one felt like they were missing out.
Serving Suggestions and Pairings
This salad is elegant enough to serve as the main event at a brunch or shower, but it also works beautifully as a side dish for a light dinner. If you want to add more substance, serve it alongside toasted brioche or delicate crostini—the contrast of crispy bread with fresh greens is absolutely lovely. For beverages, this salad pairs beautifully with sparkling rosé or a light white wine like Sauvignon Blanc. If you're serving it at a family meal where wine isn't appropriate, sparkling water with fresh mint or a light lemonade complements it perfectly. The acidity in any of these drinks enhances the flavors of both the salad and the dressing.
- Make the dressing up to a day ahead and store it in a jar in the refrigerator—just give it a good shake before using
- Prep all your vegetables ahead of time, but keep them separate and covered until you're ready to assemble
- If you're transporting this to an event, pack the greens and ingredients separately and assemble it when you arrive for maximum freshness
Save to Pinterest This salad is a reminder that good food doesn't need to be complicated to be memorable. Sometimes the most meaningful dishes are the ones that bring people together and make a moment feel special, like this one did for my friend's baby shower. Make this for someone you love, and watch how something simple becomes something unforgettable.
Common Questions
- → What makes this salad visually striking?
The pastel palette features soft pinks, blues, and yellows artfully scattered to create an elegant, colorful presentation.
- → Can I make this salad vegan?
Yes, by omitting the eggs and using a vegan blue cheese alternative or skipping cheese altogether.
- → What dressing complements the salad best?
A light dressing of extra virgin olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, honey or agave, salt, and pepper enhances the fresh flavors.
- → How should I serve this salad?
Serve immediately on a large platter to highlight its colorful arrangement, optionally with toasted brioche or crostini on the side.
- → Are there any common allergens in this dish?
The salad contains dairy from blue cheese and eggs, with potential gluten traces in cheese—choose certified gluten-free options if needed.