25 Vegan Salad Recipes - The Plant Based School (2024)

Hopefully, you’ll get as excited about (non-boring) vegan salads as we are!

1. Vegetable couscous salad

Couscous with vegetables is a delicious and colorful way of serving couscous.

This is an easy Mediterranean–inspired recipe that you can make inless than 30 minutes with seasonal veggies and herbs.

2. Red cabbage slaw

Like a regular slaw, thisred cabbage slawis easy, crunchy, and comforting.

This wholesome version has apples, walnuts, and a creamy mustard vinaigrette – a wonderfully sweet and acidic combination.

3. Zucchini salad

This raw zucchini salad is a refreshing, bright green summer salad.

We marinate zucchini and add cherry tomatoes and roasted pine nuts; it’s great for bringing to potlucks and summer barbecues.

4. Fattoush salad

This green and crispy fattoush salad has plenty of fresh tomato and cucumber and is topped with delicious fried pieces of pita.

You can add extra healthy fats with tahini sauce, a quick dressing that takes just 5 minutes to prepare!

5. Green bean salad

Thistender green bean saladwith acreamy mustard dressing is theeasiest and tastiest.

Add fresh tomatoes, red onions, and shaved almonds for a colorful and crispy topping.

6. Vegan egg salad

This tofu egg salad is a scrumptious sandwich–perfect salad idea.

Firm tofu and extra firm tofu actuallymimic boiled eggs incredibly well. You just need to cut it into small pieces and mix it with vegan mayonnaise and fresh herbs.

7. Tahini salad

Easy, quick to make, and a perfect pairing with most main dishes.

This tahini salad has the perfect balance of crispy greens and a creamy dressing, and it’s excellent as a base salad for lunch and dinner with an addition of protein.

8. Vegan pasta salad

Acrunchy, fresh, light saladis perfect for a vegan lunch or light summer dinner. This vegan pasta salad is ideal as amake–aheadlunch and dinner – for work or at home.

It is incrediblynutritious, full ofhealthyvitamins, and will please kids and adults alike.

9. Tofu salad

Thistofu salad recipeis a crunchy, healthy bowl of fresh greens and fried jerky-like tofu – perfect forlunch or dinner.

Low in calories, high in flavor, and very filling. Drizzle with a creamy tahini sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds for added healthy fats.

10. Vegan potato salad

Summer–friendly, creamy and fresh, this vegan potato salad with homemade mayonnaise is great for potlucks, barbecues, and picnics.

For a complete meal, serve it next to falafel, vegan steak, or tofu meatballs.

11. Chickpea salad

This chickpea salad recipewith tomatoes andarugulais a simple and fulfilling dish, perfect for a quick lunch or dinner, as a starter, or as a side dish.

We like to serve this with ourfocaccia, but it’s also great with a thick slice of bread.

12. Rice salad

Thiseasy rice saladis adapted from Italian rice salad traditions, and it’s the perfect summer dish,easy to prepare in advance and bring to picnics.

It’s a naturally vegan salad recipe with plenty of healthy fiber and vitamins.

13. Chickpea Pasta salad

Plant-based protein in a wholesome way with chickpeas, fresh greens, and pasta.

This chickpea pasta salad is aquick and healthyrecipe made with fresh and nutritious ingredients in less than 20 minutes.

14. Shaved Brussels sprout salad

This shaved Brussels sprout salad is perfect for the holidays or as a side for a delicious everyday dinner.

It’s ready in 15 minutes without cooking; marinate the sprouts with a creamy mustard dressing for a glassy and delightful finish.

16. Chickpea Quinoa Salad

This chickpea quinoa salad offers a nutritious, naturally vegan, gluten-free meal to please the pickiest eaters.

Super easy to make and ready in just 25 mins.

16. Lentil carrot salad

Lentil carrot saladis an aromatic recipe withtender boiled carrots,lentils, fragrant ground cumin, and fresh herbs.

It’s a great lunch idea and meal-prep-friendly as it keeps well in the fridge for several days.

17. Couscous salad

This couscous salad is easy, fresh, crispy, and super nutritious.

Toss it with a simple homemade lemon vinaigrette and fresh herbs to make this easy, delicious, and healthy meal.

18. Farro salad

Thisfarro saladis a crunchy, refreshing dish you can enjoy as a healthy dinner.

Pick your favorite veggies, cook them on a pan, and drizzle with a creamy cumin dressing for a Mediterranean taste infusion.

19. Eggplant salad

A delightful warm eggplant salad that can be eaten with or without pasta. Perfect for summer cookouts, school, office lunches, and potlucks.

20. Cauliflower salad

Our creamy vegan cauliflower salad hasno bacon, mayonnaise, or dairy. We roast the cauliflower florets witholive oiland toss them in avelvety smooth tahini dressing.

Serve as a wholesome lunch or a colorful dinner; it’s a Mediterranean-inspired dish your family will love.

21. Mashed chickpea salad

Mashed chickpeas combined with vegan mayonnaise make a perfect sandwich filling and potato topping.

This mashed chickpea salad is creamy, tangy, and tastes a little bit like tuna! It’s a quick vegan salad ready in 10 minutes, and no cooking is required.

22. Sweet potato lentil salad

Lentils and roasted sweet potatoes, married by aMediterranean-tastingcumin and paprika dressing, are a match made in heaven!

A wholesome and flavor–packed meal, this recipe has claimed one of the highest spots on our top 10 favorite salads list.

23. Black bean salad

Thisblack bean saladwith tenderroasted sweet potatoesis a fiber-rich vegan salad idea.

Inspired byMexican flavors, this recipe is perfect for making ahead and eating for aquick and nutritious lunch, as a healthy dinner, or bringingpotlucks and picnics.

24. Rainbow kale salad

Add color and flavor to your table with this vibrant and vitamin-packed kale salad. Honestly, it’s one of ourfavorite winter salads ever.

It’s excellent as a starter or side dish for amemorable holiday mealduring the winter holidays, and it’s perfect as an easy lunch or dinner.

25. Carrot salad

This colorful and raw carrot salad is a great appetizer, side dish, or lunch idea; add chickpeas and slivered almonds for extra fats and protein.

What makes this vegan salad special is the creamy and slightly sweet mustard dressing – a must-try salad!

How to make vegan salad fulfilling

Protein-rich toppings:

• Easy roasted chickpeas: light and crispy and a great addition of fiber and protein to your salads.
• Fried tofu (tofu, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, olive oil, etc.)
• Falafel with chickpea flour, coriander, parsley, cumin, and garlic.
• Vegan pesto: a 5-min recipe and a great way to add healthy fats to your greens.

Healthy-fat toppings and dressings

• Guacamole (avocado, red onion, lime juice, salt, etc.)
• Avocado spread (tahini, avocado, garlic, lemon juice, salt.)
• Vegan mayonnaise (soy milk, vegetable oil, mustard, lemon juice, etc.)
• 5-minute tahini sauce (lemon, tahini, water, garlic, etc.)
• Dukkah (hazelnuts, pine nuts, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, etc.)

Serve your vegan salad with bread

These bowls and salads can be used for vegan lunches and easy dinners, especially when paired with ancient grains and bread:

• 5-minute couscous
• Italian flatbread (flour, water, olive oil, etc.)
• Naan bread (flour, instant dry yeast, sugar, water, etc.)
• Pita bread (instant dry yeast, flour, olive oil, etc.)
• Focaccia (rosemary, salt, flour, instant dry yeast, olive oil, etc.)

How to store vegan salads

• 25 Easy Grain Bowl Recipes
• 40 Vegan Pasta Recipes
• 30 Raw Vegan Recipes
• 35 Vegan Chickpea Recipes