Vegan Italian Chopped Salad with Zesty Dressing
A flavor-packed Italian-style chopped salad with zesty oil-free dressing. Tasty, bold flavors plus a garbanzo bean boost!
AuthorKaitlin - The Garden Grazer
Prep Time:20 mins
Total Time:20 mins
CourseSalad
CuisineGluten-Free, Italian-Inspired, Oil-Free, Vegan
Servings4
- 1 large head romaine lettuce
- 15 oz. can garbanzo beans
- 1 cup jarred artichoke hearts (about 8 hearts)
- 1 cup roasted red pepper (about 2 large peppers)
- 1 medium carrot
- 1/2 small red onion
- 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives
- Other additions: tomatoes, cucumber, vegan provolone, pepperoncini
For the oil-free Italian dressing:
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 3 Tbsp. vegetable broth or water
- 1-2 cloves garlic (finely minced)
- 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp. dried basil
- 1/8 tsp. salt
Make the dressing: In a bowl combine all dressing ingredients and whisk to combine. Add more salt, or pepper if desired. Set aside.
Chop romaine and finely dice onion. Add to a large bowl.
Remove excess liquid from artichoke hearts, roasted red pepper, olives, and chop. Add to bowl.
Shred or shave carrot. Rinse and drain beans. Add both to bowl.
Whisk dressing again and pour desired amount over salad (we usually use the entire dressing). Toss well to combine. *However if not serving immediately, see suggestions below.
*Serving: After dressing is mixed with entire salad, it’s best eaten within a day. (Otherwise it gets soggy.) To prepare ahead of time, simply store salad and dressing separately and combine before serving.
Dressing: Since the dressing is oil-free, it runs a bit thinner. If you prefer a thicker dressing, feel free to add chia seeds or arrowroot powder to slightly thicken. Once the dressing is added to the salad, the flavors should really pop. If it’s a little dull, simply add a touch of salt.
Yield: Makes about 4 large salads, or 8 smaller side salads.
Calories: 201 kcal | Carbohydrates: 23 g | Protein: 7 g | Fat: 10 g | Saturated Fat: 1 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2 g | Potassium: 320 mg | Fiber: 8 g | Sugar: 2 g | Vitamin A: 3930 IU | Vitamin C: 29 mg | Calcium: 93 mg | Iron: 3 mg