Roasted Bell Pepper Salad With Herby Vinaigrette & Zaatar Pita Chips
Introducing my Roasted Bell Pepper Salad with herby vinaigrette and crispy Zaatar pita chips with the best flavor. Sweet peppers and cherry tomatoes are drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and roasted to perfection, then ornately layered on a plate with arugula, lots of herbs and dotted with vegan burrata. We finish with a drizzle of an amazing herby vinaigrette for the most vibrant salad ever.
Appetizer, side dish, main dish (with a glass of your favorite wine), this Roasted Red Pepper Salad recipe, similar to my Pearl Barley Salad and these 23 other Vegan Salad Recipes, is versatile and super easy to make. It may even be one of the most vibrant salads you’ll have all summer. Packed with fresh veggies, it comes together in about 35 minutes and is great for every day meals or special occasions. And it’s even better the next day.
🧾Ingredients With Substitutions
- Bell Pepper – I use a combination of orange and red bell peppers; however, yellow and green would also make for a lovely color combination.
- Tomatoes – cherry or grape tomatoes work great in this recipe. You can also use heirloom tomatoes if you want to get fancy.
- Vegan Burrata Cheese (not pictured) – I’m including a link to a recipe for vegan burrata that’s pretty amazing. You can also use vegan feta, vegan ricotta or vegan mozzarella. Please note, vegan burrata should be served at room temperature.
- Arugula – used for the base layer. If unavailable, you can use any kind of leafy greens you can find.
- Fresh Herbs – I used fresh basil, oregano and thyme. If you don’t have fresh, you can use ground.
- Olive Oil – drizzled on the veggies before roasting. If you don’t have olive oil, any neutral-flavored oil will do. Sesame oil is so tasty in this too.
- Balsamic Vinegar – drizzled over vegetables, along with olive oil, before roasting in the oven. If you don’t have balsamic, you can use apple cider vinegar, instead.
- White Wine Vinegar – I prefer white vinegar for the vinaigrette, however, any vinegar will work.
- Shallots – be sure to dice them very finely; alternatively, you can use chopped chives or green onions.
- Garlic – fresh minced garlic is what I use for the vinaigrette, however you can also use garlic powder if you don’t have fresh.
- Lemon Juice – the first time I made this vinaigrette, I was out of lemons so I used lime juice instead and it tasted great. You can also add fresh lemon zest to the mix for added flavor.
- Agave – sweetens the mix just right. Any sweetener you have will work, as well.
- Pita Bread (not pictured) – I buy mine from the my local grocery store. You can also buy from Amazon with the accompanying link or make your own Vegan Naan.
- Zaatar (not pictured) – a middle Eastern spice that’s great on crusty bread. I bought mine from Amazon (link included here).
Full ingredient measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
🍅How to Make this Roasted Red Pepper Salad
Before you begin, line two sheet pans with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 425F/218C.
Step 1: Place grape tomato halves on sheet pan. Drizzle a generous amount of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sea salt and black pepper over the tomatoes and give them a quick toss. Roast the cherry tomatoes on the top oven rack. They will be done before the bell pepper in about 15 minutes so be sure to keep an eye on them. If you love tomatoes, try my Tomato Zucchini Tart.
Step 2: After removing seeds and the white membrane, place thinly sliced bell peppers on sheet pan. Drizzle olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sea salt and black pepper over the bell peppers. Toss so veggies are evenly coated. Roast the bell pepper in same oven as the tomatoes but place on the middle rack of your oven. These take longer than the tomatoes about 20-30 minutes. I like to get all veggies a little charred. But that’s optional.
Step 3: In the meantime, make the vinaigrette by adding all the dressing ingredients including olive oil, garlic, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, agave, shallots and fresh herbs to a glass jar or small bowl. Shake and refrigerate until salad is ready.
Step 4: Make the Zaatar Pita Bread by brushing the top of each pita with olive oil and sprinkling Zaatar over the top. Air fry on 450F/232C for about 6-8 minutes or pan fry in a a little olive oil to heat the bread chips. The longer you air fry them, the crispier they will be.
Step 5: Once you’ve prepared the dressing and the Zaatar Pita chips, add salad ingredients in layers, to a large serving bowl or platter. Start with arugula, then bell peppers, then grape tomatoes and finish with dots of vegan burrata, fresh herbs and a drizzle of herby vinaigrette. Serve immediately and enjoy!
📋Method Behind This Salad
The method behind this Roasted Pepper Salad is meant to save you time and stress in the kitchen by preparing all the ingredients in tandem.
While the sweet peppers and grape tomatoes are roasting, mince the herbs, then prepare the vinaigrette. This salad takes about 35 minutes to prepare, but most of that is hands-off roasting time, making this salad very simple to prepare.
🥗Helpful Salad-Making Tips
- Perfect for Meal Prep – like my Chopped Thai Salad, this salad is one of the best salads for meal prep because the veggies are roasted and won’t wilt if stored with dressing. Simply layer arugula, bell peppers and grape tomatoes in each meal prep container as you would on a platter. Top with vegan burrata and fresh herbs. If you want to drizzle with vinaigrette at this point, go for it, otherwise, store vinaigrette in individual air tight containers and pack in your lunch bag to add later.
- Add Nuts & Seeds – increase protein in your roasted bell pepper salad recipe by adding nuts and seeds. Think Trader Joe’s Chili Lime Cashews, pumpkin seeds, pepitas or whatever you have on hand. If you love pepitas, try my Vegan Sweet Potato Galette with Caramelized Onions & Pepita Gremolata.
- Vary Your Veggies – make it a veg-fest by adding a variety of different vegetables, raw or roasted. Think heirloom tomatoes, red onion, kalamata olives (or other briny olives), fresh spinach, or shaved Brussel sprouts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can roast the bell peppers and grape tomatoes up to 4 days before serving, as long as you store them in an airtight container in your refrigerator.
Yes, you can use jarred peppers; but for the most vibrant flavor, I suggest roasting your own.
You can serve this salad warm or cold, depending upon your preference. I like to serve it warm as it seems to intensify the flavors, but either way works.
🍝What To Serve Roasted Bell Pepper Salad With
- Cavolo Nero Pasta
- Vegan Focaccia Bread
- Avocado Pasta in 15 Minutes
- Swirled Vegan Garlic Bread
- Smashed Avocado Toast
🌡️How to Store this Salad
Store veggies and herbs in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Vinaigrette can be stored separately in a glass jar for up to 3 weeks.
🍱More Plant-Based Salad Recipes
Have you tried this? Why not leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback. You can also follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter, and sign up for my newsletter!
Roasted Bell Pepper Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 1 large red bell pepper sliced
- 1 large orange bell pepper sliced
- 12 oz grape tomatoes halved
- 2 tbsp olive oil divided
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar divided
- 1 cup arugula
- 2 tbsp fresh basil coarsely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh oregano coarsely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme finely chopped
- 2 oz vegan burrata cheese vegan ricotta or mozzarella will also work
- sea salt & black pepper to taste
For the Herby Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp agave adjust per your taste
- 1 tbsp shallots finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh basil finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes optional
- sea salt & black pepper to taste
For the Zaatar Pita Bread
- 4 pita bread
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp Zaatar
Instructions
For the Salad
- Before you begin, line two sheet pans with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 425F/218C.
- Place grape tomato halves on sheet pan. Drizzle a generous amount of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sea salt and black pepper over the tomatoes and give them a quick toss. Roast the cherry tomatoes on the top oven rack. They will be done before the bell pepper in about 15 minutes so be sure to keep an eye on them.
- Place sliced bell peppers on sheet pan. Drizzle olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sea salt and black pepper over the bell peppers. Toss so veggies are evenly coated. Roast the bell pepper in same oven as the tomatoes but place on the middle rack of your oven. These take longer than the tomatoes about 30 minutes. I like to get all veggies a little charred. But that’s optional.
- In the meantime, make the vinaigrette by adding all the dressing ingredients including olive oil, garlic, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, agave, shallots and fresh herbs to a glass jar. Shake and refrigerate until salad is ready.
- Make the Zaatar Pita Bread by brushing the top of each pita with olive oil and sprinkling Zaatar over the top. Air fry or pan fry in a a little olive oil to heat the bread chips. The longer you air fry them, the crispier they will be.
- Once you've prepared the dressing and the Zaatar Pita chips, add salad ingredients in layers, to a large bowl or platter. Start with arugula, then bell peppers, then grape tomatoes and finish with dots of vegan burrata, fresh herbs and a drizzle of herby vinaigrette. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- Nutrition information is only an estimate and does not include vegan cheese.
- Perfect for Meal Prep – this salad is one of the best salads for meal prep because the veggies are roasted and won’t wilt if stored with dressing. Simply layer arugula, bell peppers and grape tomatoes in each meal prep container as you would on a platter. Top with vegan burrata and fresh herbs. If you want to drizzle with vinaigrette at this point, go for it, otherwise, store vinaigrette in individual air tight containers and pack in your lunch bag to add later.
- Add Nuts & Seeds – increase protein in your roasted bell pepper salad recipe by adding nuts and seeds. Think cashews, pumpkin seeds, pepitas or whatever you have on hand.
- Vary Your Veggies – make it a veg- fest by adding a variety of different vegetables, raw or roasted. Think heirloom tomatoes, fresh spinach, or shaved Brussel sprouts.
Very nice combination of flavors and textures! I liked it with the zaatar pita chips.
Nice Emily. If you made it and took a picture of it you can post it in my Facebook page and leave a comment of what you thought about it and have a chance to win $100 gift card or a kitchen item of equal or greater value. Right now u would have a real good chance of winning cause there are no other people who have made it as of yet. Details are here: https://oohlalaitsvegan.com/monthly-cooking-challenge-rules/
Roasted Bell Pepper salad is delicious I enjoyed with my home-baked sourdough bread.
Ooh, yes, I bet it was excellent with that. Thank you Swathi.
I love roasted red pepper!! We put it on everything. We totally enjoyed this salad!!
That’s awesome, Helen, thanks for making it.
What a great roasted bell pepper salad! The best part about this recipe are the Zaatar pita chips!
Yes, thanks DK, I love them too.
I served this alongside a grilled chimichurri steak, and it was absolutely delicious. I will be making it again!
Glad you enjoyed! Thanks JC.
This salad kicked things up a notch. The roasted peppers added a deep flavor, and the burrata cheese brought a nice creamy contrast. It’s Uber delish. I’m definitely making this again!
Thank you so much, Juyali.
This salad kicked things up a notch. The roasted peppers added a deep flavor, and the cheese brought a nice creamy contrast. It’s Uber delish. I’m definitely making this again!
This salad was so delicious!! Super easy to follow and makes the perfect appetizer or side to any dish.
Glad you enjoyed it. Thank you Nicole.
I’m always on the lookout for new summer salads and yours hit just the spot! I love the combo of the roasted red peppers (I used jarred, because it’s summer and I’m lazy) and burrata. So delicious. But honestly, the crispy za’atar pita stole the show. Gotta make more of that!
This roasted bell pepper salad has such a nice charred smokey flavor! This summer salad with these bell peppers were the perfect brunch this week!
I know, I love the charred veggies in this. Thank you DK.