Recipes: Salads and Slaws great for potluck parties

Check out these easy to make salad and slaw recipes for your next holiday party.

Fruit and Broccoli Buffet Salad

Ingredients

Poppy Seed Dressing:

1/2 cup grape seed oil

1/3 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon grated lime zest

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

Salad:

1/2 cup pecans

2 oranges, peeled and sectioned

2 1/2 cups bite-size broccoli florets

1 red apple, chopped

1 cup grapes, halved

Directions

1. Beat grape seed oil, sugar, cider vinegar, lime juice, lime zest, garlic, salt, poppy seeds, paprika, and mustard together in a bowl with a whisk until smooth and creamy.

2. Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Toast pecans in hot skillet, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 4 to 5 minutes.; spread onto a cutting board to cool completely before chopping.

3. Toss orange sections, broccoli, apple, and grapes together in a bowl. Drizzle dressing over salad and toss gently to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, 2 to 6 hours.

4. Sprinkle chopped pecans over salad.

Penne Pasta Salad

Ingredients

16 ounces penne pasta

1 cup creamy salad dressing, e.g. Miracle Whip

1/2 cup Dijon-style prepared mustard

1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon dried dill weed

1 red onion, julienned

1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 orange bell pepper, julienned

Directions

1. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta until al dente, rinse under cold water and drain.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the salad dressing, mustard, cheese and dill.

3. Add pasta, red onion and bell peppers. Toss well; season with salt and pepper. Chill before serving.

Mango Cilantro Slaw

Ingredients

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1/2 teaspoon celery seed (optional)

1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds (optional)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 (10 ounce) package finely shredded cabbage

1 firm, ripe mango peeled, seeded & cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

3 green onions, chopped

Directions

Whisk vinegar, oil, honey, mayonnaise, celery seed, poppy seeds, salt, and black pepper together in a bowl until smooth and creamy. Add cabbage, mango, cilantro, and green onions; toss until well-combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until flavors blend, about 1 hour.

Zesty Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa

2 cups water

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 limes, juiced

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more to taste

1 1/2 cups halved cherry tomatoes

1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

5 green onions, finely chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Bring quinoa and water to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until quinoa is tender and water has been absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.

2. Whisk olive oil, lime juice, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and red pepper flakes together in a bowl.

3. Combine quinoa, tomatoes, black beans, and green onions together in a bowl. Pour dressing over quinoa mixture; toss to coat. Stir in cilantro; season with salt and black pepper. Serve immediately or chill in refrigerator.