A salad is defined as a cold dish of various mixtures of raw or cooked vegetables, usually seasoned with oil, vinegar, or other dressing and sometimes accompanied by meat, fish, or other ingredients. With what we have defined as a salad, you can have unlimited possibilities. However, the same equipment is almost always going to be used regardless of what salad you’re making.

Here's What You'll Need

Cutting Board

A cutting board is absolutely required for making a salad. Cutting boards are used to protect your countertops or surfaces. There are different types of cutting boards each their own pros and cons.

Wooden cutting boards are more expensive and require more upkeep to ensure you get your use out of it. However, with the proper upkeep, they can help your knife have a longer life than other cutting boards as they are more gentle on the blade. 

Plastic cutting boards are significantly cheaper, but dull out your knives a lot faster. 

Stone cutting boards are great for rolling out dough, but damage a knife's edge with every cut. 

Bamboo cutting boards are more eco friendly but can’t be used as a hot plate due to their organic nature.

Knives

Knives are needed to cut up vegetables for any good salad. Paring knives are perfect for peeling or dicing small fruits and vegetables. If you’re looking to cut vegetables fast, rolling knives are going to be your best option. Shaped like a doughnut, the handle is on top of the knife with the knife facing on the bottom. This design makes it a safe way to cut fruits and vegetables. It also allows for you to cut vegetables like carrots or cucumbers fast and efficiently. 

Salad Spinner

Before you begin making a salad, you want to rinse any dirt or other foreign materials off your vegetables. After this is done, you’ll use a salad spinner to remove excess water from the vegetables. This step will help your vegetables stay crisp and allow any added dressing to stay on the leaves without being diluted.

Optional, but Helpful

Avocado Slicers

Cutting up avocados can be a hassle when you don’t have an avocado slicer. If you plan on putting some into a salad, or even a sandwich, it’s recommended to use an avocado slicer. 

Egg Slicer

Hard-boiled eggs are great in any salad. There are some salads that require hard-boiled eggs be put in them. To avoid injury, egg slicers are the best way to go. Egg slicers can also be used for more than just slicing eggs! They're also great for strawberries, kiwis, mushrooms, or even fresh mozzarella!