Why Would Anyone Serve Salad On A Sheet Pan? Well, It's Practical

The first thing most of us do when we set out to make a salad is grab a bowl. When making our bowl selection, we size up each one in our inventory, deciding which will be big enough for the amount of salad we intend to prepare. But unless you're Martha Stewart-level organized and keep your kitchen stocked with a variety of serving bowls, none ever seem to be quite the right size. Allow us to introduce the sheet pan salad.

Take any one of our 58 best salad recipes and we're willing to bet all of them could benefit from being served on a sheet pan. The reason is simple. By spreading the ingredients out in thin layers rather than piling them on top of one another in a bowl, you increase the likelihood of every bite being the perfect bite. There's no need for the last person to take their share of salad to fret about getting the dregs, as every inch of salad is perfectly dressed and topped. You can even use this trick when it's just you!

There are two types of people in this world: those who believe nachos belong on a plate and those who maintain that folks who don't cover the kitchen table with aluminum foil and serve their nachos like a big ol' buffet spread are doing it wrong. If you fall in the latter camp, salad on a sheet pan is a hack you should definitely have in your arsenal. It works for all the same reasons the nachos table works; it makes for easy serving and an even distribution of the good stuff (we're talking toppings, sauces, etc.)

Additionally, if your salad calls for any roasted ingredients, using the same baking sheet will save you from doing another dish. Just roast all your veggies before adding other ingredients to the sheet pan salad. However, to prevent wilted greens, it's imperative that you let the sheet pan cool before you add any fresh ingredients. If you don't need to use the sheet pan to roast anything beforehand, you might consider popping it in the fridge for 20 minutes or so before building your dish, the same way you might chill your salad bowl every time you eat a salad. This will keep your salad fresh and crisp longer, especially if you're leaving the salad out on the table for your family and friends to serve themselves.