The Best Braai Salads | Easy, Crowd-Pleasing Recipes for Any BBQ
There is nothing I love more than a table loaded with salads at a braai. The meat is always the main event, but the salads are what make the meal. A good braai spread needs at least two or three sides, and the best ones are the ones that can be made ahead, hold up well in the heat, and pair effortlessly with whatever is coming off the coals.
These are the salads I come back to most often for a braai or BBQ. I keep this post updated as I add new recipes to the site, so bookmark it and check back when you need fresh ideas.
Fresh green and cruncy vegetable salads for a braai
These are the lighter, fresher options that balance the richness of grilled meat particularly well.
Spinach salad with grilled zucchini, peas, feta and mint The most versatile salad on this list and the one I make most often. It pairs perfectly with roast lamb, grilled chops, chicken, or fish, and holds up well on the table without wilting. This is always the first bowl to empty.
The best broccoli salad A flavour-packed broccoli salad with a punchy ginger and mint dressing, adapted from the legendary Indian restaurant Dishoom. As a result, it might not pair with everything. Grilled chicken, lamb, and fish work really well with it, though.
Kale salad with Pecorino, walnuts and sultanas Kale holds up beautifully to dressing without wilting, which makes this one of the best make-ahead salads for a braai. The sweetness of the sultanas against the salty Pecorino is a combination that works every time.
Green bean & pea salad with lashings of Parmesan This is the perfect salad if you are feeding a crowd. It can be made in advance and doesn’t wilt. After cooking the vegetables for the shortest time and shocking them in cold water, you can store them in the fridge until you are ready to serve. Simply toss the red onion and vinaigrette dressing through, and add lashings of shaved Parmesan cheese.
Moroccan carrot and fennel salad with sultanas and pistachios Fennel and carrot pair beautifully in this crunchy, textured salad. Radish, mint, sultanas, and pistachios add layers of flavour that make it interesting enough to stand on its own. Very good alongside lamb.
Easy corn salad with tomatoes, feta and herbs A summer braai salad with barely cooked corn, baby tomatoes, and feta, lifted with mint and basil. Light, fresh, and quick to put together. Best in summer when corn is at its sweetest.
Carrot and cabbage salad with a citrus & ginger dressing
Jamie Oliver’s fennel and radish salad
Pasta salads for a braai
Pasta salads are the workhorses of any braai spread. They travel well, feed a crowd, and can be made hours in advance.
The best BLT pasta salad My favourite pasta salad and a consistent crowd-pleaser at any braai. The combination of bacon, lettuce, and tomato in a pasta format is as good as it sounds and always disappears quickly.
Green goddess BLT pasta salad A green goddess version of the pasta salad above, made with spinach and avocado. Just as good as the original but fresher and more vibrant in colour. The two together on a table cover all bases.
Veggie-packed Mediterranean pasta salad A healthier, no-mayo, low oil pasta salad packed with vibrant flavours.
Orzo salad with cherry tomatoes, mozzarella and pesto
Bread salads for a braai
Greek Panzanella salad with the best dressing A lovely salad built around toasted bread, fresh vegetables, and a dressing good enough to drink. This is a more substantial option that holds its own alongside grilled meat without being too heavy.
A classic panzanella salad & Panzanella Caprese salad
Panzanella salad with white anchovies, fennel and capers A more robust version of the classic panzanella. The anchovies, fennel, and capers give this real depth of flavour and it pairs particularly well with beef and lamb.
Tomato salad with fried halloumi & pita croutons
Fattoush salad Crunchy vegetables, a sharp vinaigrette, and pita croutons. A very good salad that pairs particularly well with chicken and lamb. The croutons add texture that most green salads lack, which makes it more satisfying alongside a simple braai spread.
Slaws and crunch salads for a braai
Crispy noodle slaw with soy, honey and ginger dressing A crowd-pleasing slaw adapted from a family favourite. The crispy noodles add the kind of crunch that makes people keep coming back for more. It goes with everything, and I mean that.
Tomato salads for a braai
Slow-roasted tomato and mozzarella salad A simple, beautiful salad inspired by a recipe from Polpo, one of my favourite cookbooks. Slow-roasting tomatoes concentrates their sweetness in a way that raw tomatoes cannot match. Serve at room temperature with good bread alongside.
Salads with a fruity touch
Nectarine and mozzarella salad with basil vinaigrette
Avocado & orange salad with fennel
Fennel, apple and celery salad with walnuts and Parmesan
Potato salads for a braai
Smokey new potato salad with fennel & radish
New potato salad with mint, lemon and creme fraiche
Rice & cous cous salads for a braai
Black & white rice saad with peppers & raisins
Roasted vegetable and cous cous salad
Tips for making braai salads ahead
Most of these salads can be partially or fully prepped before your guests arrive, which is exactly what you want when you are also managing a fire.
Dress leafy salads only when you are ready to serve, but you can have all the components ready and waiting. Pasta salads and slaws are better made an hour or two ahead so the dressing has time to absorb. Bread salads like panzanella should be dressed 15 to 20 minutes before serving so the bread softens slightly without becoming completely soggy.
For a braai spread feeding a crowd, choose one pasta salad, one green or leaf salad, and one crunch-based salad. That combination covers all the textures and means you have something that pairs well with every type of meat or fish coming off the coals.
For cooked vegetable sides to round out your braai spread, visit my best vegetable side dish recipes.
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