Healthy Vegan Salad Recipes

Prep four days' worth of high-protein vegan lunches using just four easy ingredients from Trader Joe's, including one of our all-time favorite salad mixes--Cruciferous Crunch--as a base. Because this salad mix is hearty, you can dress these bowls up to 24 hours before serving to allow the flavors in this healthy chopped salad to marry.

This colorful and healthy cranberry salad will brighten up any Thanksgiving spread. It's sweet but not overly so, with juicy oranges, crunchy walnuts and crisp celery and apples. It's easy to make and can be prepped ahead--plus, you can use fresh or frozen cranberries, which extends the season of this salad. We call for Honeycrisp apples, but Gala or Fuji would also work well. Serve this cranberry salad with your Thanksgiving turkey, of course, or try it with chicken or pork any time of year.

Inspired by the classic mojito cocktail, this festive and healthy fruit salad gets zing from rum, lime and mint. The optional piment d'Espelette--a sweet, spicy ground pepper from the Basque region of France--adds a hint of heat that's a nice contrast to the sweet fruit. Look for this spice at specialty stores, well-stocked markets or online. You could also swap in chile-lime seasoning blend (such as Tajín) for a similar subtle kick or omit the spice altogether. Feel free to skip the rum if you prefer an alcohol-free salad. With or without the rum, this salad has summertime backyard BBQ written all over it.

Swapping tofu for the bread in these meal-prep Caesar salad bowls bumps up the satiety factor with 18 grams of protein. These crispy tofu croutons originally appeared in Lauren Grant's recipe for Diabetic Living magazine (see Associated Recipes). Lacinato kale, also known as dinosaur kale or Tuscan kale, has flat, dark green-blue leaves--and its tenderness makes it perfect for eating raw, like in this salad.

This easy grilled eggplant salad is the healthy side dish you'll want to serve all summer long. It comes together in just 25 minutes and can be served warm or at room temperature, so it's equally suited to casual parties and weeknight dinners. The combination of eggplant, cherry tomatoes, red peppers, red onions and fresh herbs makes for a salad that's full of bright flavors and colors. Serve it with grilled chicken or fish or as part of a vegetarian mezze platter with dips like hummus and pita bread.

This simple green salad is easy to modify according to your tastes or what's in season. If you serve the dressing on the side, you can always package up the leftover greens and veggies without fearing slimy, wilted greens the next day.

Serve this summery strawberry spinach salad alongside soup or a half sandwich, or top with grilled chicken or roasted salmon for a complete and easy healthy meal.

The homemade balsamic reduction is the key to this healthy grilled eggplant and summer squash salad. It's easy to make but watch the vinegar as it reduces; it can burn easily. If you have any left over, drizzle it on strawberries.

This healthy cucumber-avocado salad takes just five minutes to prep. Lime juice and fresh herbs boost the bright flavors in this crunchy and creamy salad that's a perfect side dish for grilled chicken, fish or steak. This recipe calls for an English cucumber, which doesn't have to be peeled, but regular cucumbers work well too--just peel them before slicing.

Enjoy this fresh-tasting and healthy slaw with Asian flavors as an accompaniment to grilled chicken and fish. If you have a mandoline-style vegetable slicer, use it to slice the radishes easily, but you can also slice them by hand. Using an assortment of colored radishes makes an interesting presentation. Like broccoli, Brussels and other crucifers, radishes boast potent plant compounds credited with anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties. The easy sesame dressing is great on all sorts of salads and veggies, such as spinach, broccoli or asparagus.

Layering colorful chopped fruits in a straight-sided trifle bowl gives a refreshing fruit salad a stunning presentation. It's a company-worthy brunch recipe and would also be a star at any potluck picnic.

A splash of prosecco and a little orange juice transform a fresh fruit salad into the perfect brunch dish. To make ahead, prepare the fruit as directed, but don't combine with the mimosa dressing until just before serving so the bubbly maintains its fizz.

This easy salad recipe makes a stunning side dish for anything you've got cooking for dinner. The bright flavor of the citrus pairs perfectly with peppery arugula and avocado, plus a bit of jalapeño for a slight kick.

The mild flavor of deliciously soft (but still surprisingly crunchy) wood ear mushrooms is a perfect canvas for the vinegary marinade in this healthy salad. This recipe uses dried wood ears, so make sure you soak them overnight the day before.

Inspired by cool cucumber salads, this easy salad recipe calls for salting the raw kohlrabi to tenderize it. Then it's tossed with a sweet, salty and mouth-tingling marinade for a delicious and easy side dish you'll crave.

This roasted vegetable and fruit salad gets infused with flavor from quinoa that's cooked with fresh ginger, garlic and a hit of turmeric. Serve it alongside a roast chicken, then mix the leftovers together for lunch. Your future self will thank you.

This throw-together slaw is prepped in just 20 minutes and chilled for either 2 hours or an entire day, to allow the lemony-cilantro dressing to work its magic. It's great whether you have just a couple of hours to prepare your meal or a full day before company comes.

In summer, when your garden is producing lots of fresh vegetables and herbs, whip up this fresh and healthy salad. Crisp-tender corn and beans, crunchy cucumber, and sweet cherry tomatoes are combined in a heavenly basil vinaigrette, resulting in a gorgeous and delicious side that works well with any main dish.

Jalapeño chile peppers add a pleasant spice to this chilled corn salad. If you like things a bit more spicy, leave in some of the seeds from the peppers.

Zesty radishes, tasty tomatoes and protein-rich chickpeas are a winning combination in this chilled salad recipe that's great for packed lunches or a picnic.