Blog
Darlene Murphy
8 min read
January 10, 2025
Imagine a plate filled with a sumptuous, crunchy, colorful mix of fresh ingredients that brings joy to your taste buds. Welcome to the zesty world of vegan salads! They are not just boring bowls of lettuce — they're flavor-filled, mouth-tingling masterpieces that are perfect for any occasion. Family lunch? Check. Dinner party with fancy clothes? Double check. Binge-watching your comfort series? Triple check.
And the cherry (or cherry tomato?) on top? The more plant-based foods you include in your diet, the more beneficial they are for your body. Research indicates that 75 percent of young people worldwide are shifting to plant-based eating mainly for sustainability reasons, and we at Forage Kitchen want to make that journey a tasty dream. It's time to grab your salad bowl to toss, mix, and drizzle your way to happiness, so let's go.
A vegan salad is not only a meal; it is like a warm hug filled with veggies, legumes, and nuts — what little nutrient-packed superheroes! For example, take a kale and chickpea salad. This bowl full of iron, protein, and healthy fats keeps your power on high throughout the day. Salads are also your skin’s best friends. No other ingredient can beat the antioxidants from greens like spinach, arugula, etc.
Here’s the scoop: vegan salads are the ultimate eco-warriors. Plant-based meals have a tiny carbon footprint compared to meat dishes — producing one pound of lentils creates 13 times less carbon dioxide emissions than a pound of beef. Salads are saving the planet, one crunchy bite at a time. And, of course, the kindness factor cannot be forgotten; every bowl of salad is an ode to our furry (and feathery) friends.
From casual backyard barbecue parties to black-tie dinners, vegan salads are that one friend who fits in everywhere. One could settle on a festive winter salad with roasted Brussels sprouts and pomegranate seeds during the holidays, while for summer picnics, one could settle on a zesty watermelon-mint combo. The possibilities are endless, and they are all just ridiculously delicious.
The starting point of a great salad is always a strong base. The base can make or break your salad. If your goal is to include more salad meals in your diet, it is important to know what bases work for you and what don’t. Whether it is peppery arugula, crispy romaine, or the more hearty quinoa, it lays the groundwork for the general mood. Feeling like jazzing it up? Throw in some farro or spinach for brownie points.
Do you feel like salads are not satiating enough? Do you feel hungry even after a huge bowl of colorful vegetables? It is because your salads don’t have enough protein. Crispy tofu? Yes, please. Roasted chickpeas? Absolutely. Lentils, black beans, edamame, and tempeh are all good options. A sprinkling of sunflower seeds or slivered almonds gives you a satisfying crunch. And if you want to get real extra; roasted sweet potatoes or caramelized zucchini bring in a sweetness that would have you swooning in delight.
The dressing is the magic that takes the salad from fine to sublime. Think of a killer dressing like the DJ at the party—the one keeping it all together. Do you want creamy tahini or zesty, zingy lemon vinaigrette? Both are crowd-pleasers. And don’t forget the sprinkles now— -dried cranberries, nutritional yeast, or perhaps a handful of crunchy nuts elevate your salad altogether.
The only way to figure out your go-to salad combinations is to try and test them. If you are overwhelmed with what to try, drop by your nearest Forage Kitchen. Experiment with the fresh ingredients with a Make Your Own Bowl and figure out what you prefer.
Hot day? Cool off with a watermelon, cucumber, and mint salad. The sweetness of watermelon meets with the crunch of cucumber, while the mint gives it a zing. Throw a little lime juice and paprika on it, and boom, you have a party in your mouth — sweet, spicy, and, oh, so refreshing.
Feeling the need for something more filling? A bowl of quinoa, roasted sweet potatoes, and black beans dressed in spicy tahini dressing will do. Adding some roasted winter squash from your nearest local farm like we do at Forage can make it even more delightful.
Searching for more inspiration? Try Forage Kitchen’s Cashew bowl – organic black rice, mixed greens, roasted broccoli, 5-spice cauliflower; topped with cucumber salad, sunflower sprouts, toasted cashews, cilantro, green onion, and sesame seeds; dressed with Thai cashew vinaigrette.
Sometimes, simplicity wins. For instance, classic arugula, cherry tomatoes, and red onions, dressed with balsamic glaze and roasted almonds – and there you have it, a salad that packs a tasty punch and is ridiculously easy to make.
This one is a showstopper. Bell peppers, shredded carrots, purple cabbage, and green peas — it's a beautiful technicolor dream. Add a zingy ginger sesame dressing, and this one's as fun as it is flavorful.
Layer chickpeas, avocado, cucumber, and spinach in a mason jar. Top it with lemon vinaigrette and shake when you’re ready to eat — easy, fresh, and totally fab!
Make your classic pasta salad a little bit different with gluten-free fusilli, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and creamy cashew dressing. Rich and savory, perfect for potlucks and picnics — a hearty mouthful for everyone to come back for more.
Batch prep ingredients like chopped vegetables, roasted chickpeas, and cooked grains during the weekends and refrigerate them in air-tight containers. When you are ready to eat, take them out and mix them. They will stay fresh, sorted out, and you will be a salad wizard all week long. It is also helpful to have a few go-to recipes that you can take inspiration from.
It's okay to grab just pre-washed greens or pre-made vegan dressings on busy days. Go for organic whenever possible for quality and nutrition — toward that precious time savings. On days you don’t have time for that, order a vegan salad lunch from Forage Kitchen.
Throw it all in one bowl: greens, protein, toppings, dressing. An entire bowl of kale, chickpeas, creamy sliced avocado, and tahini dressing can be nutritious and incredibly satisfying. Less clean-up and mouthfuls of yummy.
At Forage Kitchen, we take vegan salads seriously (but not too seriously). Our "Build Your Own Bowl" is a haven for salad lovers. With roasted winter squash to fresh seasonal greens, our salad station's got everything you need to come up with your perfect bowl. Our restaurant's transparency about our ingredients gives our customers a reliable dance!
Our winter Harvest Bowl with quinoa, roasted veggies, and tahini dressing? Total crowd favorite. But don't take our word for it. Come see for yourself. We'll have the greens waiting. Dive into vegan salads and let the occasion of a salad celebration become a regular part of every meal!
Darlene is the co-owner of Forage and an expert in restaurant and food marketing, brand development, and public relations for small businesses. She specializes in creating compelling marketing materials, including ad copy, websites, and catalogs, to help brands connect with their audience.
