Vegan Hippie Salad + “Cheesy” Cilantro Dressing

We’re getting real crunchy with this salad! Superfood greens, veggies, chickpeas, and a tangy cilantro “cheesy” hemp seed dressing, this salad has everything you need for a healthy lunch option!

Where are my hippies at?

Okay, this salad isn’t technically for hippies, it’s for all the people out there who are craving a super healthy salad.

And what do I mean by super healthy salad?!

I mean, it’s loaded with only the best of the best ingredients. We’re talking healthy veggies, protein, and fats. All wrapped up in a vegan salad.

Not all salads are created equal. Some are loaded with so many unhealthy ingredients and blanketed in an equally unhealthy dressing.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but a caesar salad that’s just romaine, croutons, parmesan cheese, and fattening dressing is hardly healthy.

This hippie salad is the perfect vegan salad for lunch that’s beyond satisfying.

All good salads start with a hearty bed of greens. Not all greens are created equal and since we’re getting hippie here, let’s talk about the healthiest greens.

What are the healthiest greens:

• Spinach
• Chard
• Kale
• Arugula
• Watercress
• Microgreens (not ideal for a salad base, but are awesome on top of salads or even sandwiches and wraps)

Add these lettuces are pretty accessible in major grocery stores so it shouldn’t be too hard to get any of these varieties.

Building a salad isn’t rocket science either. I like to pick 2-3 vegetables that are in season. Another perk of shopping in season are the ingredients are usually cheaper!

In the photos, I used tomatoes and cucumbers which are my personal favorite salad companions, but there’s so many veggies out there you can include.

The bottom line for veggies – you don’t have to love all vegetables! Select the ones you love and I promise you will be far more excited to have a salad for lunch.

Vegetables for Salad:

• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Shredded carrots
• Onion
• Tomatoes
• Cucumbers
• Beets
• Chopped celery
• Mushrooms
• Peas

Vegan protein for salads:

• Beans (chickpeas, black beans, great northern beans, etc)
• Quinoa
• Farro
• Tofu (I like cutting mine into square and baking)
• Tempeh (this article has great ways on how to prepare tempeh)
• Baked tofu bites (seriously, I love these nuggets on a salad!)
• Veggie burger (store bought or homemade)
• Sweet potato

How to make your own dressing:

Simply toss all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth,

For real, that’s it.

For this “cheesy” cilantro dressing, you’ll need:

• Nutritional yeast
• Cilantro
• Garlic
• Hemp seeds
• Olive oil
• Lemon juice
• Salt and pepper

Healthy toppings for a salad:

We all love croutons for that crunch, but they aren’t always the healthiest option. Stick to whole foods instead:

• Sliced almonds
• Pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
• Chopped nuts (cashews, pecans, walnuts)
• Sunflower seeds
• Hemp seeds

Meal prep tips for salad:

• Put your lettuce and hard veggies in containers at the start of the week. What I mean by hard veggies is broccoli, carrots, etc.
• Any vegetables that have high water content (like tomatoes and cucumbers taste best when they are added the day of).
• Add quinoa, beans, or any protein on top of the greens and vegetables. You can do this at the start of the week.
• Always always always put your dressing on right before eating. You don’t want to put the dressing on days before. No one likes a soggy sad salad.
• Lastly, add your toppings and enjoy!

Meal prepping containers are also super handy. Just saying!

If you tried this vegan hippie salad, let me know in the comments below and share a photo using #mindfulavocado. I’d love to hear from you! Want to see more recipes? Let’s get social! CONNECT WITH ME on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest to see what I’m currently cooking up!

If you like this vegan salad recipe, you’ll LOVE:
Kale Salad with Carrot Ginger Dressing
Vegan Taco Salad
Summer Market Salad

Vegan Hippie Salad

This wholesome and healthy salad is perfect for lunches on the go. Healthy and raw ingredients plus an easy homemade dressing recipe, you can't go wrong with this salad idea!

5 from 5 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: American, Gluten Free, Healthy, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword: healthy vegan salad, meal prep lunch ideas, raw vegan salad

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 4 salads

Calories: 372kcal

Author: Amanda

Ingredients

• 4-6 cups greens arugula, spinach, kale, etc.
• 1 cup grape tomatoes quartered
• 1 cucumber sliced and quartered
• 1 avocado sliced
• 1 can chickpeas rinsed and drained

"Cheesy" Cilantro Dressing:

• 2 Tablespoons hemp seeds
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste

Toppings:

• hemp seeds

Tools:

• food processor

Instructions

• Add greens to a large bowl. Add chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumbers, and avocado.
• Add all ingredients for dressing in a food processor. Blend until smooth. Add water to thin if needed and adjust salt and pepper to taste.
• If eating right away, mix salad with dressing and top with hemp seeds. Serve immediately.
• If meal prepping: Put greens and chickpeas in containers and store in the fridge. When ready to eat, add tomatoes, cucumbers, avocado and top with dressing and hemp seeds before eating.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving (1/4 recipe) | Calories: 372kcal | Carbohydrates: 26.9g | Protein: 10.5g | Fat: 27.2g | Saturated Fat: 4.3g | Sodium: 289mg | Potassium: 879mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 3.4g | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 0.7mg

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