Baby Shower Pastel Palette (Printer View)

Delicate pastel-hued greens and fruits combine for a fresh, colorful salad ideal for festive occasions.

# What you'll need:

→ 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 - 0.5 cup thinly sliced strawberries

→ Pastel Blue Elements

05 - 0.5 cup fresh blueberries
06 - 0.5 cup crumbled blue cheese or vegan blue cheese alternative

→ Pastel Yellow Elements

07 - 1 cup yellow cherry tomatoes, halved
08 - 0.5 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 - 0.25 teaspoon fine sea salt
14 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Method:

01 - Arrange baby butter lettuce or mixed baby greens evenly on a large serving platter.
02 - Scatter watermelon radish, pink grapefruit segments, and thinly sliced strawberries evenly across the greens.
03 - Place fresh blueberries and crumbled blue cheese in small clusters for visual interest.
04 - Fill in gaps with halved yellow cherry tomatoes, diced yellow bell pepper, and optional sliced hard-boiled eggs, maintaining a soft, scattered pastel look.
05 - Whisk together extra virgin olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, honey (or agave syrup), fine sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper in a small bowl until emulsified.
06 - Drizzle the dressing evenly over the assembled salad just before serving.
07 - Serve immediately to retain freshness and appealing presentation.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's the kind of dish that stops conversations the moment it hits the table—people actually pause to admire it before eating, which never gets old
  • Zero cooking required means you can spend your energy on presentation and enjoying your guests instead of being stuck at the stove
  • The flavor combination of sweet, tangy, and creamy comes together in ways that make each bite feel like a small surprise
  • It works beautifully for any celebration where you want food that doubles as decor
02 -
  • The dressing goes on at the last possible moment—this isn't a salad that sits. Make it 30 minutes ahead if you need to, but add the dressing within 5 minutes of serving, or your greens will wilt and the colors will begin to fade.
  • The color composition is everything. Before you begin assembly, look at your ingredients and think about balance. You're not trying to use equal amounts—you're creating visual rhythm. Some colors will be more prominent than others, and that's intentional.
  • Temperature matters more than people realize. Keep everything cold until the moment of serving. I chill my platter in the fridge while I prep, and I keep the greens in the coldest part of the fridge until the last second.
03 -
  • Invest in a really sharp knife for slicing the radishes and strawberries thin. A dull knife will bruise delicate produce and cloud the colors.
  • Prep all your ingredients separately and keep them chilled in separate containers until 10 minutes before serving. This preserves color and texture in a way that nothing else can.
  • The white balsamic vinegar is non-negotiable if you want to preserve those beautiful pastels—regular balsamic will turn everything a muddy purple-brown.
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