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    Home » Recipes » Salad

    Summer Chopped Salad with Creamy Herb Dressing

    May 29, 2020 by Kaitlin

    A vegan chopped Summer Salad recipe tossed in a creamy herb dressing. It's so tasty and easy to customize with your own favorite vegetable combinations! (Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free.)

    Plate of summer chopped salad tossed in creamy herb dressing

    This chopped salad is summer in a bowl!

    It's full of bright colors, seasonal flavors, and ultra-fresh goodness.

    Plus you can easily customize it based on your own favorite veggies.

    It's a great dish to make when garden vegetables are at their peak harvest.

    Fresh chopped vegetable ingredients in a bowl

    Ingredients for Summer Salad

    For the salad portion you will toss together in a large bowl:

    • Romaine: Or you can use other mixed greens of choice, but I prefer the crispness of romaine with this recipe.
    • Cucumber: I use English/hothouse cucumbers because I find they are more flavorful. But seedless garden cucumbers work great too.
    • Orange bell pepper
    • Grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes: I like these best with this salad because they are so sweet and flavorful. But you can substitute roma tomato, plum tomatoes, garden tomatoes, etc.
    • Red onion: Or you can substitute green onion for milder flavor.
    • Sweet corn: Either use a cooked fresh ear of corn, canned corn, fire-roasted corn, etc.

    Note: This recipe is adapted from my Southwestern Chopped Salad with Cilantro-Lime Dressing that we simply adore.

    Creamy vegan garden herb dressing in a jar

    Creamy Garden Herb Dressing

    For the dressing recipe, you will need:

    • Avocado: You will need either one small avocado, or half of a large avocado.
    • Fresh parsley
    • Fresh basil: Or substitute other herbs like cilantro, dill, chives, etc.
    • Lemon juice: You will need about one lemon for this recipe.
    • Fresh garlic cloves: Use either one or two cloves depending on how much you enjoy garlic.
    • White wine vinegar: Or substitute with apple cider vinegar if needed.
    • Agave: Or other sweetener of choice.
    • Salt: I use fine grain salt for this recipe. Use as much or as little as desired.

    The creamy herb dressing brings it all together! It's oil-free, slightly tangy, and so fresh and flavorful.

    Fresh salad in a white bowl tossed with creamy herb dressing

    Customizing

    Vegetables: Add other veggies like sugar snap peas, purple cabbage, roasted red bell pepper, kalamata olives, artichokes, or even fresh sprouts.

    Nuts + seeds: Sprinkle in some sunflower seeds, hemp hearts, or other nut or seed of choice.

    Beans: Add garbanzo beans (chickpeas), white beans, or any other beans that sound good. Seasoned vegan bacon crumbles would also be tasty.

    Vegan cheese: Add dairy-free cheese like feta crumbles or vegan blue cheese if desired.

    Storing

    Store separately: If making ahead of time, store the dressing and salad separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. This helps it stay fresh and crisp. Then simply toss together to combine right before serving.

    Vegan chopped salad tossed with herb dressing on a plate with spoon

    For more inspiration, also browse all romaine lettuce recipes or gluten-free recipes.

    Plate of summer chopped salad tossed in creamy herb dressing

    Summer Chopped Salad with Creamy Herb Dressing

    A garden-fresh summer salad tossed in a creamy herb dressing! Easy to customize with your own favorite veggies or whatever is in season.
    4.84 from 6 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Comment
    Prep Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes
    Author: Kaitlin - The Garden Grazer
    Course: Main Dish, Salad, Side Dish
    Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Oil-Free, Vegan
    Servings: 4 medium bowls

    Ingredients

    • 1 large head romaine (or other mixed greens of choice)
    • 1 cucumber (I use English/hothouse)
    • 1 orange bell pepper (or carrot)
    • 6 oz. grape tomatoes
    • 1/3 cup red onion (or green onion for milder flavor)
    • 1 1/2 cups cooked sweet corn
    • Optional additions: garbanzo beans, sugar snap peas, sprouts, purple cabbage, sunflower seeds, etc.

    For the Creamy Garden Herb Dressing:

    • 1 small avocado (or 1/2 large)
    • 1/3 cup fresh parsley (thick stems removed)
    • 1/3 cup fresh basil (stems removed)
    • 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon, or more to taste)
    • 1-2 cloves garlic (minced)
    • 1 1/2 tsp. white wine vinegar
    • 1 tsp. agave (or other sweetener)
    • 1/8 tsp. salt (more to taste)
    • 3 Tbsp. water to thin (more as needed to desired consistency)

    Instructions

    MAKE THE DRESSING:

    • Puree all dressing ingredients in a small food processor or blender until smooth (scraping down sides with spatula as needed.)
    • Add more water if needed, a little at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. (More salt, lemon juice, sweetener, etc.)

    PREPARE THE SALAD:

    • Roughly chop romaine and place in a large bowl.
    • Dice cucumber and bell pepper. Halve/quarter tomatoes. Finely dice red onion. Add to bowl.
    • Add corn to bowl. Then pour desired amount of dressing over top and toss well to combine. (Alternatively, you can store salad and dressing in separate containers in the fridge until ready to serve.)

    Notes

    Yield: This can also serve about 6 as a small side dish.
    Customizing: This salad is highly versatile, so try it with your own favorite veggie combinations. (We also love adding garbanzos and clover sprouts.)
    Corn: Use grilled or fire-roasted corn for added flavor as well.

    Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)

    Nutrition Facts
    Summer Chopped Salad with Creamy Herb Dressing
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    183
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    9
    g
    14
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    6
    %
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    5
    g
    Potassium
     
    725
    mg
    21
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    27
    g
    9
    %
    Fiber
     
    7
    g
    29
    %
    Sugar
     
    9
    g
    10
    %
    Protein
     
    5
    g
    10
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    2704
    IU
    54
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    69
    mg
    84
    %
    Calcium
     
    45
    mg
    5
    %
    Iron
     
    2
    mg
    11
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Did you make this recipe?Leave a star rating or comment below!

    If you are enjoying this vegan summer chopped salad recipe, also check out:

    • Vegan Italian Pasta Salad
    • Cucumber Salad
    • Berry Crunch Salad

    Follow The Garden Grazer on Instagram, Pinterest, or Facebook for more updates and inspiration.

    More Vegan Salad Recipes

    • Roasted Red Pepper Dressing (Oil-Free)
    • Roasted Chickpea Salad with Hummus
    • Asian-Style Kale & Tofu Salad with Peanut Dressing
    • Quinoa Chickpea Salad with Dill Dressing

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating:




    1. Janice

      July 10, 2021 at 8:21 am

      5 stars
      Really nice salad for summertime. I added chickpeas. The dressing was fresh and yummy!

      Reply
      • Kaitlin

        July 10, 2021 at 9:08 am

        Great to hear!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Kaitlin!
    I share vegan recipes that are easy & healthy. (Mostly whole food plant-based, oil-free, & gluten-free.) About Me →

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