Quick And Easy Chopped Salad - A Use What You Have Recipe
Easy chopped salad recipe is perfect for using up whatever veggies in your fridge - no lettuce needed. A delicious healthy alternative to regular salad. Use the variations all year around!
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 261kcal
Ingredients
Salad:
- 3 to 4 cups chopped vegetables like carrots, onions, corn, tomatoes, zucchini, etc.*
- 1 cup cooked beans white, black, garbanzo, etc.
- 1/2 cup green or black olives**
- 1/4 cup cheese feta, queso fresco, Parmesan, blue, grated cheddar, etc.
Basic Garlic Herb Vinaigrette:
- 1/4 cup vinegar rice, white wine, cider, balsamic, etc.
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon herb of choice like basil, thyme, or rosemary
- 1 clove garlic, minced
Instructions
Make Salad:
- Add vegetables to a large serving bowl as you chop them into similar, bite-sized pieces.
- TIP: any vegetables that need to be softened can be blanched while chopping the other vegetables: boil water, add the cut vegetable for 30 seconds, remove to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking, and drain before adding to the bowl of salad ingredients.
- Add any other ingredients you choose, beans, olives, cheese, etc.
Make Vinaigrette and serve:
- Combine all vinaigrette ingredients in a bowl or jar and mix well. Toss the vegetables with the vinaigrette and serve.
Notes
*Vegetable Ideas: onions, carrots, peppers, tomatoes, kale, etc.; lightly blanch vegetables like cauliflower and green beans.
**Or artichoke hearts and/or marinated mushrooms.
Make-Ahead Tip: Store this salad in an airtight container - or multiple containers or mason jars for weekly meal prep - in the fridge for 4-6 days, depending on the ingredients.
Chopped Salad Variation Ideas:
- Asian: sliced snap peas, carrots, bean sprouts and green onions dressed with a sesame oil vinaigrette.
- Tex-Mex: corn, black beans, tomatoes, black olives and peppers dressed with a southwest vinaigrette (see under "more variations").
- Greek: tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, feta, kalamata olives and garbanzo beans with a lemon herb vinaigrette.
- Winter: blanched cauliflower, carrots, onions, and kale dressed with a honey mustard vinaigrette.
- BLT Ranch: tomatoes, onions, red beans, and crumbled bacon mixed with Homemade Ranch Dressing and served on a bed of chopped lettuce.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 261kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 258mg | Potassium: 219mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 4712IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 1mg
