10 Best Plant Based Salad Recipes (2024)

Today I want to share something that might come as a bit of surprise.

Can you guess what it will be?

It is about my favorite meal of all times.

And I’m pretty sure you’ll be guessing brownies, cupcakes, puddings, and all kinds of delicious sweet treats.

Am I right?

Well, guess again, because my favorite meal (aside from Green Thickies of course) is the humble salad!

Yes, you read that right, salads are my favorite sit down meals.

Now, don’t make that face because salads are not only incredibly good for you, but they are so deliciously filling and versatile.

You start off with a base of leafy greens and you don’t even need to stick to lettuce here, arugula, kale, spinach, chard… The options are endless.

You top the greens off with a whole array of fresh crunchy veggies.

You then add a bit protein with some hearty beans, lentils, quinoa, or whatever healthy protein source you’re in the mood for.

You follow with some chewy bits of texture – nuts, seeds, unsweetened dried fruits, or even toasted coconut flakes.

Then, for the fun part, you can play around with dressings. Honey mustard, creamy avocado, tahini maple, lemony hummus… You really can’t go wrong with any of these.

So, you have your nutritious greens and veggies, your filling protein, some crunchy bits of texture from the nuts and dried fruit, and a creamy dressing to bring it all together in just one bowl. Not to mention all of the nutrients that you’ll get from eating a simple salad each day. What’s not to love?

I’m sure you can tell by now that salads are really fun to make.

Oftentimes, what I’ll do is I’ll set like a nice little salad bar for lunch or dinner. I’ll put different kinds of greens and I’ll set out a few bowls with freshly cut veggies – usually bell peppers, carrots, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Then, I’ll put forth a small bowl or beans and cooked quinoa or buckwheat and I’ll make a nice assembly of raw nuts, seeds, and dried fruit. Lastly, I’ll make a few dressings and my go-tos are avocado with cilantro and lime (I blend this until it becomes creamy) and tahini with maple syrup and lemon.

The only challenge is now to get my kids to love salads as much as I do!

If you’re looking for some salad inspiration that will make you finally love salads and include them in your daily repertoire, I’ve created a collection with the 10 best salad recipes out there.

10 Best Plant Based Salad Recipes

1) Moroccan Salad Bowl With Preserved Lemons

~Ania, LAZY CAT KITCHEN

2)Vegan Roasted Vegetable Salad With Avocado Dressing

Dressed greens with roasted vegetables (sweet potato, potato, red bell pepper and brussels sprouts) with a creamy avocado dressing.

~Amrita, CRAZY VEGAN KITCHEN

3)Warm Cumin Roasted Carrot, Red Onion And Lentil Salad

This is the best recipe when you want something light but warming! The fragrant cumin seeds give the carrots so much flavour and the lentils are deliciously filling. Big dollops of creamy cashew cheese really bring the whole thing together. It tastes great cold the next day too!

~Ella, DELICIOUSLY ELLA

4)Healthy Tomatoes, Chickpea And Spinach Salad For Healthy Skin

The perfect summer salad – refreshing, spicy and full of flavor. This chickpea, tomatoes and spinach salad is super easy and quick and makes a great healthy lunch, dinner or side dish.

~Stella, BEAUTY BITES

5)Epic Plant-powered Chopped Salad

This epic plant-powered chopped salad is packed with crisp, refreshing veggies and whole food ingredients. It comes together in about 30 minutes (chopping time included) and is made with chopped romaine, arugula, grated zucchini (offers a texture similar to shredded mozzarella cheese—for real!), artichoke hearts, hearts of palm, tomatoes, carrots, chickpeas, sunflower seeds, and the most dreamy basil ranch dressing.

~Ashley, BLISSFUL BASIL

6)Roman Chickpea “Tu-No” Salad

A quick, oil-free dressing is made from tahini, Dijon mustard, and capers. Mediterranean “Roman” flavor comes from a colorful mix of sun-dried tomatoes, bell pepper, olives, and more. This plant-based, gluten-free, vegan recipe is a snap to make, and it gets even better the next day.

~Katie, PLANTS-RULE

7)Fresh Taco Salad From “Love Real Food”

Fresh Taco Salad With Creamy Avocado-lime Dressing

Recipe from Love Real Food by Kathryne Taylor.

~Laura, THE FIRST MESS

8)Simple Vegan Potato Salad

Creamy, vegan potato salad made with tender potatoes, crispy vegetables, and a zesty, garlic-herb cashew sauce! Undetectably dairy-free and so delicious! A hearty, versatile, plant-based side dish.

~Dana, MINIMALIST BAKER

9)Mediterranean Chickpeas Salad with Herb-Citrus Vinaigrette

A flavorful, lite, and healthy dinner salad, in just 10 minutes!!!

~Savita, CHEF DE HOME

10)Crunchy Asian Salad With Peanut Dressing

This crunchy Asian salad with peanut dressing is amazingly tasty, colorful and refreshing, with a lot of crunch and flavor!

~Julia, JULIA’S ALBUM

If you’re looking for healthy, calorie counted salads that take minutes to whip up and guarantee you’ll drop the pounds, look no further than The Leaf System.

If you join this month you’ll get a whole month of Leaf System meals completely FREE. Can’t say fairer than that!

Grab your freebies by clicking here.

Which recipe are you anxious to make right away? Let me know in the comments down below…

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