Baby Shower Pastel Palette (Printable)

Vibrant pastel salad with baby greens, fresh fruits, cheese, and a light olive oil dressing.

# Required Ingredients:

→ Base

01 - 4 cups baby butter lettuce or mixed baby greens

→ Pastel Pink Elements

02 - 1 cup thinly sliced watermelon radish
03 - 1 cup pink grapefruit segments
04 - ½ cup thinly sliced strawberries

→ Pastel Blue Elements

05 - ½ cup fresh blueberries
06 - ½ cup crumbled blue cheese or vegan blue cheese alternative

→ Pastel Yellow Elements

07 - 1 cup yellow cherry tomatoes, halved
08 - ½ cup yellow bell pepper, diced
09 - 2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced (optional, omit for vegan)

→ Dressing

10 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
11 - 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
12 - 1 teaspoon honey or agave syrup
13 - ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
14 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Preparation Steps:

01 - Evenly arrange baby greens on a large serving platter.
02 - Scatter watermelon radish, grapefruit segments, and strawberries evenly over the greens.
03 - Place fresh blueberries and crumbled blue cheese in small clusters for visual contrast.
04 - Fill remaining spaces with halved cherry tomatoes, diced yellow bell pepper, and sliced hard-boiled eggs if using.
05 - Combine olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, honey, sea salt, and black pepper in a small bowl; whisk until emulsified.
06 - Drizzle dressing over salad immediately before serving to maintain freshness.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It's practically a work of art on the plate, and everyone assumes you spent hours preparing it when it actually takes just 20 minutes—that's the best kind of secret
  • The combination of textures keeps things interesting: the tender greens, the crisp radish, the burst of juicy grapefruit, and that creamy blue cheese make every bite feel different
  • It's naturally gluten-free and easily adaptable for any dietary preference, so you can serve it confidently to a mixed group without anyone feeling left out
02 -
  • Don't dress the salad too far in advance—even the most delicate dressing will wilt tender greens if it sits for more than a few minutes. I learned this the hard way at my first baby shower, and the second half of the salad was noticeably sadder than the first.
  • The white balsamic vinegar is absolutely essential for keeping the colors pure and pastel. Regular balsamic will turn everything dingy and muddy, which defeats the whole purpose of this beautiful palette.
  • Buy your ingredients on the day you're serving this, if possible. The fresher everything is, the crisper your salad will be and the brighter those colors will remain.
03 -
  • Keep everything cold—chill your platter in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before you start assembling, and keep all your ingredients cool until the last moment. Cold salad tastes fresher and stays crisp longer.
  • The secret to a truly beautiful presentation is to think about negative space. You don't need to cover every inch of the platter. Leave some gaps, some breathing room for the eye to rest on those soft greens. It's more sophisticated and visually appealing than a completely packed salad.
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