Oh, salads. They should be easy to throw together for a healthy mid-day meal, but they’re actually pretty easy to screw up. Add too many toppings and you’re eating way more than you planned for; don’t add enough and you’re absolutely starving again by the time 2 o’clock rolls around. What’s a hungry vegan to do?
When it comes to building a healthy, nutritious salad that will fill you up and keep you satisfied for hours – turn to protein. In addition to fibrous veggies and healthy fats, experts recommend squeezing at least 15 grams of protein into every meal. While this may sound like a lot, there are some easy ways to sneak more hunger-fighting protein into you salads with little-to-no extra effort or prep.
For example…
Instead of wimpy iceberg lettuce, go with spinach (1 gram of protein per cup) or kale (2 grams of protein per cup). Add some chia seeds to your vinaigrette (1 gram of protein per tablespoon) and instead of croutons, top your greens with roasted chickpeas (7 grams of protein in ½ cup). For an extra layer of crunch, add two tablespoons of chopped almonds (another 4 grams of protein.) Toss in ¼ cup of cooked quinoa and you tack another 2 grams of protein onto your salad.
Have you been adding? If you sat down to eat the hypothetical salad above (1 cup of kale, ¼ cup of quinoa and ½ cup roasted chickpeas, topped with a chia seed vinaigrette and chopped almonds), you’d be looking at a whopping 16 grams of protein – and not a single animal product in sight. Victory!
If you’re inspired to kick your salad routine up a notch, keep reading. We rounded up a whole bunch of protein-packed vegan salads that promise to keep lunchtime interesting, delicious and satisfying.
15 Delicious Protein-Packed Vegan Salads
Vegan Italian Chopped Salad
This Vegan Italian Chopped Salad is a riff on a Midwestern favorite - Portillo's chopped salad. With plenty of fresh veggies, roasted chickpeas, pasta (yum), and a crowd-pleasing balsamic vinaigrette, this one is going to be a hit at your summer potlucks!
Protein: 9.1g
15-Minute Buffalo Tempeh Salad Bowls
From Simply Quinoa
Protein: 21 g
Refreshing Marinated Tempeh Salad
From Full of Plants
Protein: 27g
Lentil and Wild Rice Salad with Summer Vegetables
Protein: 8.5g
Blissed-Out Thai Salad with Peanut Tempeh
From Minimalist Baker
Protein: 21 g
Curried Chickpea Avocado Salad
Give your tired lunch a little kick with our curry chickpea avocado salad! It's the ultimate gluten-free, vegan lunch with curry, almonds, golden raisins and avocado.
Protein: 7.9g
High Protein Salad
From Contentedness Cooking
Protein: 11g
Tofu Salad
From a Couple Cooks
Protein: Approx. 10g
Blackened Tempeh and Charred Corn Salad with Chipotle Ranch Dressing
From My Darling Vegan
Protein: 13g
Cold Peanut Noodle Salad
From: Savory Tooth
Protein: 17g
Warm Quinoa Salad with Apple and Kale
From: Happy Healthy Mama
Protein: 8.5g
Thai Salad With Sesame Peanut Sauce
My Darling Vegan
Protein: 13g
Warm Acorn Squash, Lentil, & Quinoa Salad with Sage Dressing
From Veganosity
Protein: 14g
Greek Power Salad
From The Mostly Vegan
Protein: Unknown but looks good!
Smoked Tofu Kale Salad With Creamy Vegan Cashew Dressing
From Lauren Vacula
Protein: Unknown
Amy Katz from Veggies Save The Day
So many delicious salads here! Thank you for including my Buffalo Ranch Chickpea Taco Salad!
Taj
thanks, great list! Will be making some of these. Great ideas to add chickpeas, or kale to increase the protein content. Hemp seeds would be good too
Liv
oh this looks so good I will have to make a few of these awesome recipes.
xoxo liv