Spring Vegetarian Salads

in

Now that the weather is getting warmer here in Portland it is definitely time to switch up our meal planning to include lighter dishes to enjoy out on the back patio. I personally loves salads as long as they include some form of protein to keep me full. All of the below fill that requirement and are also delicious and easy to make, meaning I will be adding these to my weekly rotations!

What are some of your favorite vegetarian salads? Let me know in the comments!

Mediterranean-Chickpea-Salad-1-1.jpg

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE DRESSING:

  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper

FOR THE SALAD:

  • 3 cups chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 pint halved cherry tomatoes
  • 1 English cucumber, seeded and chopped
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup sliced black olives
  • 1 cup crumbled feta

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients.
  2. Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl.
  3. Add the dressing to the salad bowl, and stir to combine.
  4. Allow salad to sit for at least 10 minutes in the refrigerator for the flavors to come together. Serve cold.

Recipe via Simply Whisked

Chopped-Southwestern-Salad-2.jpg

Spicy Southwestern Chopped Salad

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE SALAD:

  • 2 sweet potatoes
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 heaping teaspoon each cumin and chili powder (plus a sprinkle of cayenne if you like it hot)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 14-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 14-ounce can sweet corn, rinsed and drained
  • 1 romaine heart, chopped

FOR THE DRESSING: 

  • half an avocado
  • 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 cup cilantro leaves and stems
  • 1 small clove of garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • a squeeze of lime juice

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Peel the sweet potatoes and chop into bite-sized pieces. Mix the olive oil, cumin, and chili powder together in a small bowl. Brush mixture on sweet potatoes. Roast for 10 minutes. Stir or shake the pan. Turn heat up to 425, and roast for another 10-15 minutes. Check, stir, and bake until the sweet potatoes are just barely roasty-brown on the outside. Season with salt and pepper.
  2. Meanwhile, pulse all the dressing ingredients in a food processor until mostly smooth.
  3. Toss the beans, corn, lettuce, and sweet potatoes with the dressing. Serve with chips and/or the other half of the avocado for extra yum!

Recipe via Pinch of Yum

Sweet-Potato-Noodle-Salad-1-4.jpg

Chipotle Sweet Potato Noodle Salad

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE SWEET POTATO NOODLE SALAD: 

  • olive oil
  • 2 sweet potatoes, spiralized!
  • 4 ears sweet corn (kernels cut off the cob)
  • 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 cup chopped fresh greens – spinach, micro greens, arugula, whatever
  • 1/2 cup pepitas

FOR THE DRESSING:

  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 2 individual chipotle peppers, canned in adobo sauce
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 teaspoon agave or honey
  • juice of one orange
  • juice of one lemon or lime
  • generous pinch of salt

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Heat a little bit of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the sweet potato noodles and toss for a minute or two until softened. See notes.
  2. Wipe the skillet out so it’s dry. Add the corn kernels and turn the heat to medium high. Toss around in the pan every few minutes until roasted-looking. See notes.
  3. Toss the noodles, corn, cilantro, and pepitas together. Save a little of each ingredient for topping the salad if you want it to be extra pretty.
  4. Pulse the dressing ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Taste and adjust to your liking.
  5. Toss with the salad ingredients and you’re good to go!

Recipe via Pinch of Yum

thaisalad2.jpg

Thai Cashew Chopped Salad

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE SALAD: 

  • 4 cups Romaine, chopped
  • ½ head red cabbage, chopped
  • ½ cup sliced carrots
  • ½ cup edamame, shelled
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 3 green onions, chopped
  • ½ cup cashews (I used honey roasted)

FOR THE DRESSING:

  • ⅓ cup peanut butter
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 3 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 teaspoon sesame oil
  • Water to thin

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. In a small bowl whisk together the peanut butter, honey, ginger, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Add water 1 Tablespoon at a time until you have your desired consistency.
  2. In a large bowl, combine romaine, red cabbage, carrots, edamame, red and yellow bell pepper, green onions, and cashews. Toss.
  3. Drizzle on the ginger peanut sauce and serve.

Recipe via The Recipe Critic

make-ahead-party-perfect-garden-veggie-tortellini-pasta-salad-peasandcrayons-0498.jpg

Garden Veggie Tortellini Pasta Salad

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 (9 oz) package regular cheese tortellini
  • 1 (9 oz) package spinach cheese tortellini
  • 1 green bell pepper
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1/2-1 cup corn (steamed from frozen/fresh or canned)
  • 1 heaping cup grape/cherry tomatoes
  • 4 oz cheddar cheese, cubed
  • optional parsley and/or green onion for a tasty burst of color + garnish

FOR THE DRESSING:

Instructions

  1. Bring a medium-large pot to boil over high heat and cook tortellini per package instructions. 
  2. Tortellini Tip: when cooking fresh chilled ravioli, start with a rolling boil on high, add pasta, then decrease heat to medium-low simmer to prevent pasta breakage.
  3. While your pasta cooks, whisk together your dressing by combining the ingredients and whisk (or pop it in a mason jar and shake) until well combined. Ingredients will separate naturally, simply whisk/shake again before pouring and you're good to go!
  4. Chop your peppers and tomatoes and prep your corn. If using canned corn, simply drain and rinse. Fresh or frozen will require a quick steam and you're good to go!
  5. Once tortellini is tender and al-dente, strain in a colander and rinse briefly with cold water. Pour into a large bowl and add your veggies, cheese, parsley.
  6. Stir or shake dressing well and pour HALF the dressing over your salad. Cover and allow to chill. This step allows your pasta and veggies to soak up some of the delicious flavor from the dressing which almost acts as a marinade here.
  7. Ready to eat? Drizzle a little extra dressing over the salad (both will keep  in an airtight container for approx. 4 days) and give it a taste. Add extra if desired or dive right in!

Recipe via Peas and Crayons

Crunchy-Asian-Ramen-Noodle-Salad-Recipe-1.jpg

Crunchy Asian Ramen Noodle Salad

INGREDIENTS:

SALAD INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 (16-ounce) bag coleslaw mix
  • 2 (3-ounce) packages of ramen noodles*, crumbled (you will not use the seasoning packet)
  • 1 cup shelled and cooked edamame
  • 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
  • 1 mango, peeled, pitted, and julienned (or diced)
  • 1/2 cup thinly-sliced almonds
  • 1/2 cup thinly-sliced green onions (scallions)

FOR THE DRESSING:

DIRECTIONS:

TO MAKE THE SALAD:

  1. Heat oven to 425°F. Spread the crumbled ramen noodles and sliced almonds out on a baking sheet, and stir a bit to combine. Bake for about 5 minutes, or until the almonds and noodles are slightly toasted and golden. Remove baking sheet, and give the mixture a good stir to toss. Then return it to the oven and toast for an additional 3 minutes. Keep a very close eye on the mixture so that it does not burn. Remove and set aside.
  2. Add ingredients (including the vinaigrette) together in a large bowl, and toss until combined.
  3. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. (This salad is much better eaten the first day, as the noodles lose their “crunch” the longer it sits, and the avocado may brown a bit. Still, it’s perfectly edible and enjoyable even after a few days!)

TO MAKE THE VINAIGRETTE:

  1. Whisk all ingredients together until combined.

Recipe via Gimme Some Oven