Meet Alex Caspero
Alex Caspero is a Registered Dietitian, New York Times Bestselling Plant-Based Chef and mom of two. She aims to cut through the nutrition noise by providing real-life, nourishing tips for body and mind. Learn more about Alex.
Vegan Italian Chopped Salad Recipe! Packed with plant-based protein, homemade Italian dressing, tofu feta, artichoke hearts, peppers and more. Perfect for summer!
This hearty Italian chopped salad recipe is what I want all my summer meals to look like.
It’s how I prefer to eat from now until September: lots of fresh, crunchy produce, creamy marinated white beans, hearty tofu and the perfect tangy Italian dressing on top. Not to mention cubes of crusty sourdough croutons to soak all of the tomato juices and dressing up with.
Does it get any better? This Italian chopped salad recipe is easy enough for a weeknight meal, but also a great meal-prep recipe for simple lunches throughout the week.
To be fair, I rarely make this salad the same way twice. Don’t worry, I’ve tested and written the recipe for you to follow along with but also know that there is a lot of flexibility when it comes to crafting the perfect Italian chopped salad.
Make a batch of my tangy Italian dressing to start. You’ll be using it as a dressing and also as a quick marinade for the baked tofu cubes and the white beans. To make things even more simple, you can batch my tofu feta and marinated white bean salad ahead of time. From there, combine both of them with whatever produce you’ve got lying around (juicy tomatoes are a must when they are in season) and more dressing. Croutons are a bonus!
For meal-prep, I prefer to make everything and then store in separate containers: tofu, beans, chopped lettuce, tomatoes and peppers, and dressing. Right before serving, mix and match to your hearts content!
You can prep all of the ingredients ahead of time, but I don’t recommend dressing it until right before you get ready to eat.
This recipe is a huge crowd-pleaser! It’s also really simple to double (or triple) depending on who you are feeding. In the summer time, one of my favorite meals is my fresh tomato sauce and pasta with this Italian chopped salad. That menu is bursting with fresh produce, naturally plant-based and incredible delicious. It’s always a winner.
The combination of the marinated white beans, peppadew peppers and tofu is really what makes this salad so special. If you don’t want to do the baked tofu, then I highly recommend a batch of my tofu feta on top. It’s a bit more involved, but you can make the tofu feta ahead of time to simplify the meal.
Peppadew peppers are my favorite here as they add the perfect amount of tang and sweetness. They can also be a little hard to find. If you can’t source them, then I recommend subbing in either fresh chopped red bell pepper or roasted red bell peppers.
Dressing matters! I highly recommend my homemade Italian salad dressing for optimal flavor and marinade. If you sub in another salad dressing, then you may have mixed results.
If you make this Italian Chopped Salad, make sure to come back here to rate it and leave a review. Your feedback helps other readers and seeing you make my recipes makes my day! You can also share on social media using the hashtag, #delishknowledge
PrintVegan Italian Chopped Salad! Packed with plant-based protein, homemade Italian dressing, baked tofu, artichoke hearts, peppers and more. Perfect for summer!
I also love this salad when I have a batch of my tofu feta and marinated white beans already prepped. If you have those, then just toss with lettuce, artichoke hearts, croutons and peppers.
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