This vegan chopped salad has one of my all-time favorite salad characteristics: it can be eaten easily with a spoon. There is something so satisfying about being able to essentially shovel all of the components of a salad into your mouth all at once. You get to easily experience all of the different flavors in the salad all at one time.
I threw this salad together on a weeknight when I wanted something nutrient dense and fresh-tasting. The final product was perfection: a light, fiber-rich, herby dish with just the right amount of spice from the jalapeño.
Table of Contents
Alternatives for Your Version of a Vegan Chopped Salad
Dressing Ingredients
When it comes to the dressing for this vegan chopped salad, you can get as creative as you’d like.
- Feel free to swap out the apple cider vinegar for another vinegar of your choice.
- Maple syrup provides some nice balance against the earthiness and spice of some of the flavors in this salad, but you can certainly leave it out if you prefer. A nice splash of freshly squeezed orange juice would be a great swap.
- As for the citrus, lime juice would also be really great here. Or even a combination of different citrus juices that you might have on hand!
Veggies and Herbs
IMO, salads are the best partially because you can really do whatever you want with them and the end result will likely still be great.
- Lentils can be swapped out for farro, barley, chickpeas, or cannellini beans.
- If any of the veggies in this recipe don’t agree with you, you can of course use alternatives that you prefer. Bell peppers, cucumbers, and tomatoes are great options if you are trying to stick to a lower FODMAP eating pattern.
- The greens that you choose for this salad really don’t matter – use whatever you like or have at home! I’ve made this salad with some chopped butter lettuce and chopped mixed greens, too.
- Use any and all herbs that you have on hand! I chose dill, mint, and cilantro; you do you. Parsley and basil would also go great in this vegan chopped salad.
Toppings
- I’ve chosen avocado and toasted slivered almonds to top my salad with, but (are you sensing a pattern here?) choose whatever sounds good to you! Any toasted nut or dried fruit would be a great addition.
- If you’re not vegan, a firm salty cheese like feta or parmesan would add a great bite to this dish. Vegan cheese would also be a great option!
Inspiration for this Vegan Chopped Salad Recipe
I got the inspiration for this vegan chopped salad recipe from Forks Over Knives. I’m always on the lookout for easy and delicious ways to eat more vegetables. As a person living in a single household, I am also always seeking recipes for salads that will keep well in the fridge. Maybe even salad recipes that will continue to taste better as they sit in the refrigerator.
This recipe does just that – as all of the components of the salad are allowed to marinate for a day or two, I think the dish as a whole starts to taste even more delicious. See an important tip below if you do decide that you want to make this recipe ahead of time, but you don’t want your greens to get soggy and wilt.
Vegan Chopped Salad
Ingredients
Dressing
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- ½ tbsp dried minced onion
- sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Salad Ingredients
- 2½ cups cooked brown or green lentils Trader Joe's steamed lentils work really well here
- 3 cups broccoli, finely chopped
- 1 cup celery, finely chopped
- ½ cup cilantro, finely chopped
- ½ cup mint, finely chopped
- ¼ cup dill, finely chopped
- 1 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped
- 4 cups arugula
- 2 avocados, chopped
- ¼ cup slivered toasted almonds
Instructions
- Whisk dressing ingredients together in a large bowl.
- Mix in cooked lentils, broccoli, celery, cilantro, mint, dill, and jalapeño pepper. If you aren't serving the salad immediately, hold the final 3 ingredients.
- Mix in arugula and avocado before serving. Top with toasted pepitas and enjoy!
Need more side dish or salad inspiration? Head over to my recipe archives!
