Vegan Greek Salad
This chopped vegan Greek salad recipe has bold Mediterranean flavors and contains delicious summer-fresh vegetables in a tangy Greek dressing. Each bite is a fabulous melody of flavors.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 200kcal
Ingredients
Salad ingredients
- 1 bunch romaine lettuce or greens of choice I also enjoy finely chopped kale
- 1 cup cooked brown lentils I used Trader Joe's cooked steamed lentils
- ½ pint grape tomatoes cut in half
- 1 red onion diced
- 4 beets diced (I used Trader Joe's cooked beets) substitute roasted or pickled beets in a can
- 15 ounces chickpeas drained and rinsed (1 can)
- 1 English cucumber diced
- 8 ounces artichokes I used canned in water, drained and diced
- ¼ cup mild banana peppers diced
- ¼ cup Kalamata olives idced
- ¼ cup parsley chopped fine
- ½ cup tofu feta cheese optional
Oil-Free Greek Dressing
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup water
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup or substitute date syrup
- 2 cloves fresh garlic
- 1 teaspoon basil dried
- 1 teaspoon oregano dried
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Hummus Dressing (Alternative Dressing Option)
- 1 recipe Hummus Dressing
Instructions
Salad
- Chop the lettuce into bite-sized pieces and place it on a large platter or in individual salad bowls.
- Add cooked, cooled brown lentils (I used Trader Joe's steamed cooked lentils).
- Chop all the vegetables into the same-sized pieces ( I used a vegetable chopper).
- Evenly distribute the remaining vegetables onto the lettuce and lentils.
- Add optional tofu feta cheese.
Oil-Free Greek Dressing
- Add all the ingredients to a blend, and blend until smooth.
- Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Do not dress the salad in advance unless using kale or cabbage as the base greens in the salad.
Hummus Dressing (Alternative Dressing Option)
- Add all the ingredients to a ball jar, shake, or lace in a measuring cup, and whisk together.
- Place in the refrigerator to chill until using.
Video
Notes
- Sometimes, chopping vegetables becomes a daunting task. Often, people tell me they don't make salads because it takes too long to chop all the vegetables. Some people struggle with chopping due to age or arthritis. For that reason, I always use a vegetable chopper.
- Chopping the vegetables and lettuce into bite-sized pieces makes eating easier and getting all the ingredients in every bite easier.
- Drain and dry artichokes, banana peppers, and kalamata olives (Greek olives) before chopping and adding to the salad.
- Similarly, rinse and drain the chickpeas, allowing them to dry.
- Don't dress a salad in advance unless using kale or cabbage. Firm greens like kale and cabbage do not wilt when dressed in advance. On the other hand, Arugula, Romaine, or more dense greens get soggy if dressed in advance.
- The salad will last 2-5 days undressed in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Calories: 200kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 277mg | Potassium: 666mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 523IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 4mg