I love creating vegan dishes, I love vegan food, but mostly I love vegan people—especially my son! My Meatless Monday Salad is a winner whether you’re plant-based or not—and it’s so important to have a few amazing plant-based dishes in your repertoire. This one is truly spectacular and layered with so many amazing flavors.

Ingredients Needed To Make A Fabulous Meatless Monday Salad.

I am indeed a carnivore, but I’m also a vegetable enthusiast! This fabulous salad starts with base of delicious leafy greens, green cabbage, then we toasted some walnuts, added white sesame seeds, pepperoncini, green onions, and cucumbers.

Even though this salad is vegan I couldn’t resist adding a creamy element. As a gal who loves a feta cheese, being able to incorporate a vegan version into this salad pretty much made my week.

tempeh in a pan

This Meatless Monday meal is packed with vegan protein!

To make sure this Meatless Monday salad was really hearty, we used tempeh as the main source of protein.

Tempeh offers a slightly different texture and flavor than tofu, and its nuttiness is a fabulous addition to the salad.

Teri’s Meatless Monday tip: Make sure to get your tempeh nice and crispy for the perfect crunch in every bite.

Creamy Chive Citrus Dressing Magic Elixir

I absolutely love the crunchy-sweet combination we’ve created, and my Creamy Chive Citrus Dressing Magic Elixir takes it over the top.

You know I love all of the Magic Elixirs I have created; you can see them all by clicking here!

Step by Step How to Make A Meatless Monday Salad

This salad is super easy to assemble and even easier to devour! Let’s go!

Once you have everything ready, toss it all together so you get a little bit of each element in each bite. The result is a light but totally satiating salad that’s great for lunch either at home or on the go. I pack the separate elements in jars then toss them together and eat at mealtime.

It’s a revelation. I just can’t get enough of it!

Looking for more fantastic vegan recipes? Keep scrolling for Teri’s favorites!

There are some really fabulous vegan recipes featured here on nocrumbsleft that I have linked for you below, but the vegan recipes in my bestselling cookbook are a run, don’t walk situation!

The Sweet Potato Crostini with Mushrooms and Cashew Crema was an impromptu recipe creation that was inspired by a bountiful trip to my local farmers market. My friend Justin of the Mushroom Pharm is my local mushroom expert. His fresh mushrooms are exceptional, and his mushroom products are world-class!

While the Plant-Based Chili recipe in my cookbook is a recipe that I created for my kids when they were little, it has proven over the years to be a fan favorite with guests that come to visit too.

When you make your own Meatless Monday Salad, make sure you rate and review it below. If you’re looking for more inspiration, sign up for our Friday Favorites newsletter, and follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok to join in all the fun!

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Finished Meatless Monday Salad

Vegan Meatless Monday Salad

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  • Author: Teri Turner
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings
  • Category: Salads
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Vegan
  • Diet: Gluten Free
Print Recipe

Description

This Meatless Monday Salad is a great vegan option for any meal of the day! It’s light, delicious, and satiating all in one. I can’t get enough of it!

Ingredients

Vegan Meatless Monday Salad

  •   1/2 cup black lentils, but feel free to use your favorite grain
  •   2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  •   8 ounces tempeh, original
  •   2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  •   ½ cup whole walnuts
  •   2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
  •   5 to 7 ounces baby romaine
  •   3 to 4 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
  •   ½ cup thinly sliced pepperoncini
  •   ¾ cup thinly sliced green onions
  •   ¾ cup thinly sliced English cucumbers
  •   3 to 4 ounces vegan feta cheese
  •   1 to 2 avocados, cut into cubes

Vegan Creamy Chive Citrus Dressing

  •   1 cup vegan mayonnaise
  •   4 tablespoons finely chopped chives
  •   3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  •   2 tablespoons minced shallots
  •   1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  •   2 garlic cloves, pressed
  •   1 teaspoon hot sauce
  •   ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
  •   ½ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

To make the dressing: 

In a wide mouth mason jar, using an immersion blender to blend, blend all of the ingredients together until thoroughly combined. Cover and refrigerate. 

Vegan Meatless Monday Salad:

Place the lentils in a colander, to rinse well. In a saucepan, add 1 ½ cups of water and 1 teaspoon of salt. Add the rinsed lentils and bring to a boil. Partially cover the saucepan, lower the heat to a simmer, and cook the lentils 5 to 10 minutes LESS, than the instructions of the package, to achieve a more firm, al dente lentil texture. Remove and drain and set aside to cool.

 

Cut the tempeh in half lengthwise. Then cut into squares.

 

In a large pan, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the tempeh pieces and cook, turning once, until crispy and golden brown on both sides, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.

 

In the same pan, with the same oil, add the walnuts. Stir constantly as they can easily burn. Cook until slightly browned and toasted, about 3 minutes. Add the sesame seeds, stir to combine then quickly remove the nut clusters and transfer them to a small bowl. Set aside.

 

In a large bowl, using your hands, rip the romaine lettuce into pieces and add the cabbage. Sprinkle salt and toss to combine. Add the pepperoncini, green onions, and cucumber and toss. Crumble the vegan feta and add to the salad along with half of the avocado, the nut mixture, ½ to ¾ cup of lentils and tempeh. Toss. Add a decent amount of the Vegan Creamy Chive Dressing and toss again. Add the rest of the avocado and gently toss a final time. Add more salt if needed and enjoy!

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 669
  • Sugar: 7.4 g
  • Sodium: 996.5 mg
  • Fat: 51.6 g
  • Carbohydrates: 40.4 g
  • Protein: 23.3 g
  • Cholesterol: 22.8 mg


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