23 Of The Best Vegan Salad Recipes
Fresh and vibrant, this collection of the best Vegan Salad Recipes will surely make you committed to eating a salad every day, something that the latest research supports.
Is there nothing better than fresh, plant-based salads? When it’s 112F outside, like it is at my house right now, light vegan salad recipes are a must. So get ready to say goodbye to boring lettuce salads as I present to you 23 of the best vegan salad recipes from Ooh La La It’s Vegan and a few of my food blogger friends.
🥗 Health Benefits of Eating a Salad Everyday
According to a study published in the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, consumption of salads, raw vegetables and salad dressings is associated with higher levels of folic acid (dark, leafy greens), Vitamin C (strawberries, citrus fruit), Vitamin E (spinach, red peppers), lycopene (tomato, bell peppers), and alpha and beta carotenes (carrots, sweet potatoes), which help protect your body from the damaging effects of oxidative stress. This means that eating salads is damn good for you, especially if you eat them everyday.
I’ve put together a collection of some of my favorite vegan summer salads from food bloggers around the globe, perfect for an easy lunch or light dinner. Also a great way to use up all those vegetables sitting in your refrigerator. A vibrant salad makes the perfect side dish for a variety of vegan mains. I know you’ll find one you love.
🍆 Vegetable Salads
Vegetables – with their crunchy texture and plant-based sources, don’t you just love them? Whether raw, roasted or air fried, easy vegan salad recipes with seasonal veggies are light, vibrant and amazingly delicious, especially when they’re made with fresh herbs, a creamy dressing with healthy fats and a little squirt of lemon juice. Check out some of my favorites:
🥬 Southwest-Inspired Salads
I love me a good ‘ol Southwest-inspired salad with tons of fresh greens and a homemade vegan salad dressing (like this Cilantro Lime Avocado Dressing). Here are a few vegan salad recipes you’re bound to love:
🍚 Pasta, Legume and Grain Salads
OMG, no vegan salad recipes roundup would be complete without this daring group of salads loaded with pasta, legumes, or grains. Think superman on fiber, he gets the job done!
🥔 Potato Salads
I have to admit, I am quite partial to a good potato salad with fresh flavors, especially when its plant-based and paired with my epic Portobello Mushroom Burger and Grilled Carrot Dogs. Here are just a few of my favs. I think you’ll love them too!
🍋 How To Make a Basic Salad Dressing
For a basic vegan dressing, grab a small bowl and mix 1/2 cup olive oil with 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar . You can add a bit of lime juice and seasonings, such as garlic powder, a pinch of salt and some black pepper. And don’t forget those fresh herbs, such as fresh mint, fresh dill, thyme or basil.
🥡 What to Serve with a Healthy Salad
What you serve with your choice of salads often depends upon the main dish. For example, if serving a Vegan Enchilada Casserole with Cilantro Lime Rice, I would probably pair it with this Chopped Southwest Salad.
If you’re making Thai Drunken Noodles or Chili Oil Noodles, I’d definitely serve them with this Chopped Thai Salad or this Edamame Cucumber Salad. More ideas for mains to pair with salads are listed below:
- Vegan Mushroom Wellington – pair with simple Massaged Kale Salad.
- Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff – pair with this Avocado Ranch Pasta Salad.
- Vegan Lentil Loaf – pair with this Roasted Bell Pepper Salad
- Creamy Cavolo Nero Pasta – pair with this Cold Italian Pasta Salad.
- Portobello Mushroom Burger – pair with this Quinoa and Chickpea Salad.
- Indian Pumpkin Butter Chickpeas – pair with this Herby Vegan Potato Salad.
A side of bread with a seasonal salad can make a simple salad into a whole meal. Think:
- Swirled Vegan Garlic Bread
- Vegan Foccacia Bread
- Vegan Buttermilk Biscuits
- Easy No Yeast Vegan Naan
🍽 Conclusion
Now that some vibrant (I love that word) vegan salad recipes are in your crosshairs, let us know which are your favorites by leaving a comment below.
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.
This is a wonderful collection of vegan salad. I have tried a few of them which are delicious.
Good to hear, thank you Swathi.
This is an incredible collection of vegan salad recipes! I’m bookmarking this page and will be referring to it all summer long. There are several listed here that I know my family and guests will love.
I know, so many talented food bloggers.
I’ve tried several of these vegan salad recipes, and they’re absolutely perfect for summer! They’re fresh, flavorful, and satisfying, making them ideal for hot weather.
Yes, I will do a winter one next!
Ahhh, thank you for saving me hours of browsing for putting together my weeknight salads! I was looking for new vegan recipes and your collection gave me so many new ideas. I have to say the south west salads won my heart. I’ll be making several of them over the next weeks.
There are some good ones, aren’t there? Thanks Sonja.