This delicious salad recipe was inspired by my latest travels to Los Angeles. It's a vegan haven that's for sure, but on so many menus I came across a vegan chop salad. It usually didn't have as much variety as I've included in my rendition but it was fresh and filling. Feel free to add any other chopped up veggies that you like too!
So many people complain about eating salads, but it's really not rocket science! I always make sure to use ingredients that I genuinely enjoy eating. If you hate celery, don't add celery! It's that simple! Dressing is also a huge factor of what makes or breaks a bowl of greens. This creamy herb dressing is a real winner, and when tossed throughout the salad makes every bite is hella tasty!
vegan chop salad with creamy herb dressing
Here's a refreshing and filling summer salad you can prepare for the week ahead! Paired with a creamy herb dressing, I promise you'll be reaching for seconds.
Print
Pin
Rate
Servings: small salads
Ingredients
creamy herb dressing
- ½ C cold pressed olive oil
- ⅓ C water
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ C nutritional yeast
- ¼ C hemp hearts
- 1 teaspoon fresh dill
- 1 teaspoon fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
kale
- 8-10 C kale, stems removed
- ½ lemon, juiced
- pinch sea salt
dressed chickpeas
- 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
salad
- 1 avocado, diced (use ¼ of the avocado per salad)
- 1 ½ C corn kernels (either 2 left over cobs, cut off, or frozen thawed)
- 1 C chopped cucumber
- 1 ½ C chopped cherry tomatoes
- 1 ½ C chopped celery
- 1 crown broccoli, chopped in florets (approximately 1 ½ C)
- 1 green onion, finely chopped
- ½ C nut and seed mix (pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, hemp hearts)
Instructions
- Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a high-powered blender until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to assemble salad.
- Finely chop kale into ribbons/shreds. Massage with lemon juice and sea salt with your hands for a few minutes until the kale has softened and wilted.
- In a bowl, combine chickpeas with lemon juice, parsley, cayenne, sea salt and ground black pepper to taste until well combined. Refrigerate until ready to assemble the salad.
- Prepare the rest of your vegetables for the salad. Make sure all of the vegetables are cut to uniform pieces.
- Assemble the salad by combining kale, prepared vegetables, and chickpeas. Drizzle with as much creamy herb dressing as desired.
Notes
You can store all the components separately in the fridge and assemble salads to go every day of the week for lunch/dinner.
Lisa
This has quickly become one of my favorite go to salads. Super filling with a dressing to die for. My carnivor husband love it too! Loving all your recipes and videos!
Lauren Toyota
thanks Lisa! So glad you can share it with your husband too 🙂
Laura Lee
Wow...I love this dressing! Its perfect because it dose not contain soy which my husband has a sensitivity to and it does not contain cashews which are very expensive, so I try not to buy them. My husband and I do not like dill or parsley so I decide to add 1/4 tsp coriander powder instead.
I use this dressing to make a ceasar salad. I just add equal amounts of chopped kale and romaine hearts, green onions, coconut bacon flakes and gluten free croutons (I have celiac disease). The brand of gluten free croutons I buy are actually too crunchy. Their like trying to chew on a rock. Not sure if all gluten free brands are like this. I would suggest for people wanting to try this version of ceasar salad to add your croutons to the dressing and let them soak for a round 15 minutes in it before adding the dressing to your salad. That will make the croutons less crunchy. I have never tried your caesar salad recipe, because my husband does not like garlic very much.
Thanks so much for this wonderful dressing. You've made me excited to have salads again.
Ellesha Wanigasekera
This dressing is the BOMB. Much smoother than a cashew dressing. Salad is excellent too, very filling and flavourful.
Taylah
Oh my god. I never comment on recipes, but I have to for this recipe. This salad and dressing are the fucking bomb. I'm eating it right now, I'm getting pretty full, but I'm definitely going eat the rest.
Kudos Lauren!
Diane
I’m so hungry right now and cannot wait to try this salad and dressing!!