Vegan strawberry salad is a superfood salad with a variety of dark leafy greens, vegetables, toasted quinoa, almonds topped with tofu feta cheese, and an oil-free strawberry vinaigrette dressing. Done in 20 minutes from start to finish!
During my trip to the farmer's market this week, I found the most beautiful strawberries. Fresh strawberries taste incredible when in season. I love berries, and strawberries are my absolute favorite. So, I decided to make a vegan strawberry salad recipe for dinner tonight. And I also made an oil-free strawberry vinaigrette dressing which tastes just like summer.
As many of you know, I love salad, so coming up with unique ways to enjoy salad is one of my favorite challenges. Today's strawberries made my job a little easier. I also wanted various greens, including cruciferous vegetables, to get a nutritional bang.
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What is a Superfood?
A superfood is a food rich in anitoxidants, fiber, and fatty acids. Here are some, to name a few:
- Berries
- Nuts and Seeds
- Legumes
- Dark leafy greens
To make a nutrient-dense base for a healthy salad, I like to combine various cruciferous vegetables and dark leafy greens with multiple toppings.
Salad Ingredients
- Strawberries: Summer strawberries are the best! I always buy organic strawberries because berries are on the dirty dozen list.
- Romaine Lettuce: I love Romaine because it's crispy and crunchy and tastes great in a salad.
- Kale: I suggest chopping kale finely for the best results for chewing and digestion.
- Carrots: I like to shred my carrots or buy them shredded to save a step. It makes the texture of the salad easier to chew.
- Red Cabbage: Red cabbage, which is purple in color, adds beautiful color to a salad and nutritional value.
- Broccoli Stalks: I always save my broccoli stalks and shred them to add to salads. The stems can absolutely be eaten if you treat them right and are completely delicious—like the florets, but more mild and sweet, almost like kohlrabi.
- Crunchy Quinoa: Did you know you can toast quinoa? It is one of my favorite ways to enjoy quinoa. And it's a great crunchy salad topping.
- Red Onion: Red onions are sweet, tangy, and excellent when paired with strawberries.
- Baby Bell Peppers: Baby bell peppers come in different colors and are cut perfectly for bite-sized rings in a salad.
- Cucumbers: I like English cucumbers because they have fewer seeds.
- Slivered Almonds (optional): Slivered almonds are sliced thin, making them easy to eat. They make an excellent topping for foods like salads, desserts, oatmeal or other cereals, and plant-based yogurt, or sprinkle them into grain dishes, like rice or quinoa. The thicker tiny-stick shape of slivered almonds adds crunch and texture to dishes.
- Tofu Feta Cheese: I make my own tofu feta cheese. It adds texture and a savory, creamy component to the strawberry salad.
Substitute Salad Ingredients
- Choose any power greens as the base for your salad.
- Substitute white, yellow or green onions for red onions.
- Red bell peppers or any color large pepper works well cut into bite-sized pieces.
- I like walnuts with strawberries as well, or pine nuts.
- Add cooked quinoa if preferred, but I suggest cooling it before adding it to the salad.
- Choose any cabbage blend or cabbage salad blend as a shortcut.
- Purchase tofu feta cheese at your local grocer instead of making tofu feta cheese.
- Skip the nuts for a nut-free option.
What is Toasted Quinoa?
Recently, I learned how to toast quinoa rather than cook it in water for a crunchy salad topping. Now that I've toasted quinoa, I'm obsessed.
As crazy as it sounds, I've never heard of toasted quinoa. But then, last week, while eating at one of my favorite vegan restaurants, I ate this great nutty mixture on top of a casserole; when I asked what this wonderful nutty mixture was, I learned about toasting quinoa. So, I tried it myself. So, now, I'm hooked.
Although most quinoa is prewashed, washing quinoa removes a funky bitter-tasting substance called saponin. Since rinsing quinoa is the prequel to toasting it, washing it for toasted quinoa is part of the process.
However, if the quinoa is prewashed, rinsing quickly versus prewashing is a quick remedy to washing the quinoa.
- If using prewashed quinoa, measure it, transfer it to a medium-sized bowl, and fill it with water. Next, pour the contents into a fine-mesh sieve, rinse the quinoa with fresh water, and set it aside.
- When using unwashed quinoa, measure the quinoa and place it into a bowl. Then, fill it with clean water and allow it to soak for approximately 20-30 minutes. Now, use a wire whisk to swish the quinoa around to remove the soapy residue that comes from the quinoa. Next, pour the contents into a fine-mesh sieve, rinse the quinoa with fresh water, and set it aside.
Once washed and rinsed, toast the quinoa.
How to Toast Quinoa
- Using a large non-stick pan, heat the pan to medium-low. Put the rinsed quinoa into the saute pan, creating a thin layer. Shake the pan to level out the quinoa.
- Once the quinoa gets hot, the water is absorbed, and the quinoa starts making a popping noise.
- Keep moving the quinoa around the pan with a wooden spoon until the quinoa grains start to brown. It browns quickly, so don't leave it unattended.
- When the quinoa is brown and smells nutty, please remove it from the pan from the heat and allow it to cool completely.
- Store it in a container with a top in the refrigerator.
Dressing Ingredients
Similar to my blueberry vinaigrette, I suggest using fresh organic berries.
- Organic Strawberries: Fresh strawberries are sweet and perfect for this strawberry salad dressing.
- Garlic: Garlic adds a warm buttery taste to the dressing.
- Shallot: The flavor of shallot is a mild onion with a slight garlic-like bite. It's prepared like onion, usually sliced or chopped.
- Maple syrup: I love pure maple syrup as a sweet addition to making dressings.
- Dijon mustard: Dijon mustard has a tangy, sharp, and intense flavor with a bit of spice
- Champagne vinegar: Champagne vinegar has a delicate taste that is often described as fruity and floral with a slight hint of vanilla, like champagne.
- Water: Water is used to thin and emulsify the dressing instead of using oil.
Substitute Dressing Ingredients
- Thaw frozen organic strawberries to replace fresh strawberries. However, frozen strawberries do not fare well in the salad as an ingredient.
- In a pinch, white onions can be used as substitutes for recipes that call for shallots. However, due to their more stringent taste, you will use ¼ to ½ the white onion the recipe calls for in shallots.
- Use date syrup or agave nectar if maple syrup isn't available.
- Stone ground mustard is a close substitute for dijon mustard.
- Asian rice vinegar is a good substitute for champagne vinegar, as is white wine vinegar or sherry vinegar, even though it's a touch harsher.
Recipe FAQs
I like tofu feta cheese, toasted quinoa, and slivered almonds. But add any crunchy nut mixture for an extra texture. Cooked tofu also works well as a salad topping.
I served whole grain crusty bread and split pea soup. But any savory soup or savory pasta dish pairs well with a strawberry salad.
Tips
- Although making the vegan strawberry salad recipe ahead of time saves time, please don't dress the salad until it is time to serve.
- Serve the strawberry dressing on the side or toss the salad if intending to serve the whole salad.
- However, separate leftover salad and dressing until ready to eat.
- Also, if used, the toasted quinoa and almonds should be added right before serving to prevent sogginess.
- The tofu feta cheese, for instance, adds a savory aspect to the salad mixed with the sweetness.
You will love this vegan strawberry salad for the perfect lunch or evening summer meal. It's so fresh and summery! YUM!
More Summer Salad Recipes to Try
If you love vegan strawberry salad, give us a 5-star review and comment below. We would love to hear from you!
📖 Recipe
Vegan Strawberry Salad
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
- 1 pint strawberries stems removed, cut in halves
- 1 head romaine lettuce chopped
- 1 cup kale chopped
- 1 carrot shredded
- 1 cup red cabbage chopped
- 2 broccoli stalk chopped
- 1 cup crunchy quinoa
- ½ red onion sliced thin
- 6 baby bell peppers sliced (variety of colors)
- 1 English cucumbers cut into bite sized pieces
- ½ cup slivered almonds optional
- ½ cup tofu feta cheese optional
Strawberry Vinaigrette Dressing
- 1 cup fresh organic strawberries
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 small shallot
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup or date syrup
- 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
- ½ cup champagne vinegar or substitute balsamic vinegar
- ½ cup water
Instructions
Toasted Quinoa
- If using prewashed quinoa, measure it, transfer it to a medium-sized bowl, and fill it with water.
- Next, pour the contents into a fine-mesh sieve, rinse the quinoa with fresh water, and set it aside.
- When using unwashed quinoa, measure the quinoa and place it into a bowl.
- Then, fill it with clean water and allow it to soak for approximately 20-30 minutes.
- Now, use a wire whisk to swish the quinoa around to remove the soapy residue that comes from the quinoa.
- Next, pour the contents into a fine-mesh sieve, rinse the quinoa with fresh water, and set it aside.
- Using a large non-stick pan, heat the pan to medium-low. Put the rinsed quinoa into the saute pan, creating a thin layer. Shake the pan to level out the quinoa.
- Once the quinoa gets hot, the water is absorbed, and the quinoa starts making a popping noise.
- Keep moving the quinoa around the pan with a wooden spoon until the quinoa grains start to brown. It browns quickly, so don't leave it unattended.
- When the quinoa is brown and smells nutty, please remove it from the pan from the heat and allow it to cool completely.
- Store it in a container with a top in the refrigerator.
Tofu Feta (optional)
Strawberry Vinaigrette
- Add all the ingredients to a blender cup.
- Blend until smooth.
- Cover and place in the refrigerator until chilled.
Preparing the Salad
- Chop the Romain lettuce, kale, red cabbage, and broccoli stalks. Mix and place in the base of a large bowl or platter.
- Now, prepare the rest of the vegetables and strawberries.
- Arrange the vegetables and strawberries on top of the base of the salad
- Add the toasted quinoa and almonds to the salad
- Toss ingredients and serve on individual plates.
- Add a small amount of tofu feta cheese to the center of each salad.
- Serve with the dressing on top or the side.
Notes
- Prepare Tofu Feta Cheese ahead of time.
- Keep the toasted quinoa, nuts, and tofu feta off the salad until ready to serve.
- Make the dressing ahead of time and chill in the refrigerator until dressing the salad.
- Do not dress the salad until serving.
- Keep leftover salad separate from dressing and toasted quinoa and nuts.
- Use a straw to remove strawberry stems.
- Always buy organic strawberries, as strawberries appear on the 2022 Dirty Dozen List.
Nutrition
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂
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