Food and Recipes Party Food and Drink 24 Light and Refreshing Recipes for Your Next Ladies' Lunch By Southern Living Test Kitchen Southern Living Test Kitchen The Southern Living Test Kitchen has been publishing recipes since 1970, four years after the first issue of Southern Living Magazine appeared on newsstands. The Southern Living Test Kitchen team includes a team of professionals with deep expertise in recipe development, from pastry chefs and grilling experts to nutritionists and dietitians. Together, the team tests and retests, produces, styles, and photographs thousands of recipes each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen facility located in Birmingham, Alabama. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on July 28, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Ali Ramee; Prop Styling: Christine Keely Lunch with friends is a delight, and these luncheon recipes make midday dining a delicious pleasure. When your friends are dropping in, our quick, appetizing, and simple ladies' lunch recipes will make hosting a breeze. Our assortment of cold salads, tea sandwiches, and charming miniature desserts are just what the doctor ordered. Classic recipes like Tarragon Chicken Salad and Egg Salad Sandwiches will have your guests enjoying just one more bite. With our light lunch recipes, you'll make gathering for a ladies' lunch a weekly ritual. Of course, no ladies' luncheon would be complete without a dessert cart. What is it about this rolling relic that delights us so much? Maybe it's the sound of the squeaky wheels that signifies sweets are a-comin', the colorful assortment of confections that makes us feel like a kid in a candy shop, or the irresistible invitation to linger just a little longer over a shared slice of—oh, forget it, your own slice of something sinful. Whatever it is, we'll have the cheesecake, please. 01 of 24 Tarragon Chicken Salad Photo: Jennifer Davick Recipe: Tarragon Chicken Salad This Tarragon Chicken Salad is one of those vintage recipes that we'll be keeping around forever. 02 of 24 Picnic Egg Salad Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Cat Steele Recipe: Picnic Egg Salad Whether you serve it on bread or all on its own, there's no denying that this Picnic Egg Salad is a forever staple. 03 of 24 Tomato Tea Sandwiches Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Cat Steele Recipe: Tomato Tea Sandwiches We Southerners are rather picky about our tomato sandwiches, so trust us when we say that this version is one of the best. 04 of 24 Three-Layer Mold Jennifer Causey Recipe: Three-Layer Mold This tri-colored salad will certainly make a statement at your luncheon table. 05 of 24 Chicken Salad With Grapes and Pecans Will Dickey Recipe: Chicken Salad With Grapes and Pecans This creamy chicken salad pairs perfectly with the crunch of pecans and sweet red and green grapes. 06 of 24 Orange Sherbet Salad Jennifer Causey Recipe: Orange Sherbet Salad This neon sherbet salad was the first congealed salad to be published in Southern Living's pages. 07 of 24 Classic Macaroni Salad with Ham Jen Causey Recipe: Classic Macaroni Salad with Ham In a sea of finger sandwiches, you'll want to have a substantial side for the ladies to fill up on, like this Classic Macaroni Salad with Ham. 08 of 24 Kentucky Benedictine Sandwiches Southern Living Recipe: Kentucky Benedictine Sandwiches Composed of bread, cream cheese cucumber, and herbs, these Kentucky Benedictine Sandwiches are a light, refreshing treat. 09 of 24 Molded Egg Salad Jennifer Causey Recipe: Molded Egg Salad Egg salad gets the molded aspic treatment in this retro recipe. 10 of 24 Shout Hallelujah Potato Salad Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Shout Hallelujah Potato Salad This potato salad is so good that it just might make you shout Hallelujah. 11 of 24 Spring Salad with Berries and Bacon Johnny Autry; Food and Prop Styling: Charlotte L. Autry Recipe: Spring Salad with Berries and Bacon This spring salad makes a joyful entree or side at any daytime gathering. 12 of 24 Creamy Grape Salad with Pecans therecipecritic.com Recipe: Creamy Grape Salad with Pecans Looking for a vegetarian alternative to chicken salad? This Creamy Grape Salad with Pecans fits the bill. 13 of 24 Lime Gelatin and Cottage Cheese Salad Southern Living Recipe: Lime Gelatin and Cottage Cheese Salad This congealed salad is a cool, delicious twist on a retro luncheon staple. 14 of 24 Ham Salad Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Ham Salad Serve this ham salad on biscuits or cheese puffs to make a lovely tower treat. 15 of 24 Egg Salad Sandwiches Jen Causey Recipe: Egg Salad Sandwiches This is our best-ever recipe for Egg Salad Sandwiches. There, we said it. 16 of 24 Tomato Aspic Southern Living Recipe: Tomato Aspic Some love it, some hate it, but nobody can deny that the Tomato Aspic is utterly iconic. 17 of 24 Dainty Cucumber Sandwiches Recipe: Dainty Cucumber Sandwiches Treat the ladies to these light, cute-as-can be Dainty Cucumber Sandwiches. 18 of 24 Lemon-Orange Chiffon Cake Jennifer Davick Recipe: Lemon-Orange Chiffon Cake Serve this decadent dessert at your next ladies' luncheon and wow the crowd with edible flowers. 19 of 24 Mini Confetti Cake Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Recipe: Mini Confetti Cake With this easy-as-can-be Mini Confetti Cake recipe, you'll always be looking for an excuse to celebrate. 20 of 24 Buttermilk-Lime Mini Cakes with Vanilla-Mascarpone Buttercream Greg DuPree Recipe: Buttermilk-Lime Mini Cakes with Vanilla-Mascarpone Buttercream These cakes may look vanilla, but they're layered with tang from buttermilk, mascarpone, and lime—which means they're spiked with plenty of flavor. 21 of 24 Petite Blueberry Cheesecakes Recipe: Petite Blueberry Cheesecakes Sure, we could share our cheesecake, but why would we ever want to? 22 of 24 Banana Pudding Cheesecake Photo: Jennifer Davick Recipe: Banana Pudding Cheesecake This sinfully sweet dessert is the perfect blend of fresh bananas, creamy cheesecake, and crunchy vanilla wafers. 23 of 24 Mini Strawberry Chiffon Pies Cedric Angeles; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Mini Strawberry Chiffon Pies These cute personal pies are a great, refreshing treat for the warm-weathered months. 24 of 24 Citrus-Avocado Salad with Grapefruit Vinaigrette Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Ali Ramee; Prop Styling: Christine Keely Recipe: Citrus-Avocado Salad with Grapefruit Vinaigrette This light, fruit-based salad is a wonderful choice for a hot summer day. 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