Italian Chopped Salad | Kathy’s Vegan Kitchen

While eating out with friends recently at an Italian restaurant, I ordered an Italian chopped salad. Of course, the authentic Italian restaurant had no other option for me than a salad I had to alter. Since I knew where we were eating beforehand, I ordered an Italian chopped salad without meat, cheese, or egg (vegan).

Once my salad arrived, I almost laughed out loud. My sad display of a salad was filled with lettuce, chickpeas, cucumber, and red onion. I’m not Italian, but really?

Did I mention my poor excuse for a salad was $15.00? Or, I could add chicken and salmon for another $7.00 (ha)!

So, I decided to create an incredible vegan Italian chopped salad recipe worthy of being served in a restaurant that I would be proud to serve. 

WHAT’S IN AN INCREDIBLE ITALIAN CHOPPED SALAD? 

First, a chopped salad is “chopped,” so everything is the same size, making it easy to eat and disperse the dressing evenly. 

With that being said, I think a proper  Italian Chopped Salad should have the following ingredients:

• Romaine Lettuce
• Radicchio
• Roasted Asparagus
• Red Onion
• Celery
• Grape Tomatoes
• Cucumber
• Kalamata Olives
• Pepperchini Peppers
• Roasted Asparagus
• Chickpeas
• Fresh Parsley
• Fresh Basil
• Grilled Herb Marinated Tofu
• Vegan Parmesan Cheese
• Oil-Free Homemade Dressing

The key to a perfect vegan Italian chopped salad, for instance, is to include a theme of Italian-based ingredients that all work together in harmony.

So, let the chopping begin. To get my veggies all the same size, I use my favorite vegetable chopper. Not only does it save time, but it also makes cuts all the vegetables in uniform sizes. 

To toss or not to toss?

Some people, like my daughter, prefer everything separated into separate areas in the bowl. (Did I mention I bought her an adult divided plate for Christmas?) While others prefer a tossed salad. Both options, of course, are up to your preference. 

I do recommend you do not dress the vegan Italian chopped salad until right before serving. And, if you are food prepping for the week, make sure you keep the dressing separate. No one likes a soggy salad. 

WHAT IS RADICCHIO?

To get the best results, I suggest marinating the tofu overnight. But, a few hours will suffice if you don’t plan. 

Once grilled, I decided to chop the tofu into bite-sized pieces like the rest of the salad for Italian chopped salad. 

HOW TO MAKE AN OIL-FREE VEGAN ITALIAN DRESSING

Subsequently, people seem to struggle with making oil-free dressings. As a general rule, I suggest removing the oil and replacing it with water. Then, replace any other unnecessary ingredients, such as sugar, with a healthier sweetness, and add additional fresh herbs. 

• â…“ cup of water
• â…“ cup red wine vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 3 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

I also make two other Italian dressings that I adore if you want to try a different recipe as an alternative to the dressing recipe provided:

Once you start experimenting with different combinations, oil-free dressings are more comfortable than you think. But don’t forget to write them down. I started this blog to remember what I made because I couldn’t find my written-down versions of recipes. My sister, however, is a much better-keeping at track of her recipes. 

SERVING THE VEGAN ITALIAN CHOPPED SALAD

Another suggestion I have for Italian chopped salad is to serve Vegan Parmesan Cheese as a bonus. Also, I add fresh chopped parsley to bring it all together. As I mentioned earlier, the choice of serving the salad tossed or not is up to you.  

Not only did I choose to toss my Italian chopped salad, but I also served it with some crunchy whole-grain bread. And, just for the record, my vegan Italian chopped salad was WAY BETTER than the one I ate at the authentic Italian restaurant. 

Although I made an Italian chopped salad as an entree, you can also serve it as a side dish. Here are some suggestions of entrees to serve with:

Vegan Italian Chopped Salad

Kathy Carmichael

Italian chopped salad is full of different flavors brought together with herb-marinated tofu and a tangy oil-free dressing.

Prep Time 20 mins

Total Time 20 mins

Course Salad

Cuisine Italian

Servings 6 servings

Calories 166 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Oil-Free Italian Dressing

Instructions

 

GRILLED HERB MARINATED TOFU

• Drain and press extra-firm tofu using a tofu press.

• Then, cut tofu into 6 equal-sized pieces.

• Whisk all marinade ingredients together.

• Pour â…“ of the marinade in an air-tight container, and add half the tofu on top of the marinade.

• Pour another â…“ of the marinade on top, add another row of tofu, and top with the remaining marinade.

• Place covered in a refrigerator for 12 hours.

• When ready to grill, preheat grill to medium-low or 400 degrees.

• Place marinated strips of tofu on the grill, rotating 4 times in 4-minute increments. This is so you get beautiful grill marks.

• Return the tofu to the container with the remaining marinade, and let cool to the touch.

• Remove tofu from the container, and cut into bite-sized pieces, or leave it in strips if you prefer.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS

• Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

• Chop the rough ends off the asparagus.

• Cut asparagus into bite-sized pieces and place them on a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.

• Baked for 15 minutes; remove from oven, and allow to cool.

OIL-FREE ITALIAN DRESSING

• Whisk all ingredients together.

• Store in eh refrigerator and stir before dressing the salad.

• DO NOT dress the salad until you are ready to serve.

• The dressing can be individually applied to salads or tossed in a large salad.

• Just remember, any left-over dressed salad will be soggy, so I recommend packing salads individually with the dressing on the side if meal prepping for lunches.

Notes

• Italian salad can be meal prepped ahead of time, but do not dress until right before serving.
• Serve with bread or soup
• Tofu recipe is optional, but great if serving as an entree
• Italian chopped salad can be served as a side salad with your favorite Italian entree or bowl of soup

Nutrition

Calories: 166kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 11gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 928mgPotassium: 1110mgFiber: 8gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 10648IUVitamin C: 47mgCalcium: 158mgIron: 5mg