Sides, Vegan Food

Vegan Summer Salad with Strawberries, Feta and Balsamic Greens

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This Vegan Summer Salad with Strawberries, Feta and Balsamic Greens is the perfect side dish for a BBQ, outdoor picnic or dinner at home, enjoyed on the patio. It’s also a wonderful side dish for date night! With mixed greens, a burst of sweet strawberries in each bite, tangy dairy-free feta, onions and balsamic dressing, this salad is sure to be a hit!

Let’s get excited about summer early this year with this sweet, fresh and delicious vegan summer salad! Spinach and arugula topped with fresh sliced strawberries, vegan feta and onion. The dressing is a super simple, yet so tasty balsamic vinaigrette! Strawberries are great for a mid-morning energy boost or (my fav) a healthy evening snack! Greg and I have been eating strawberries every night after dinner. And did you know, a serving of 8 strawberries has the same amount of Vitamin C as an orange?! Learn more at California Strawberries.

And if it’s not summer where you are, you can at least pretend it is with this vibrant and flavourful salad! It’s the perfect dish to pair with your favourite vegan pasta, protein (like tofu!), or a grain bowl.

Why You’ll Love This Flavourful Vegan Summer Salad with Strawberries, Feta and Balsamic Greens

  • Goes with anything. This light side salad is very flavourful and yet it will still go with just about anything. Pair it with a pasta dish like this vegan red wine pasta or anything else you enjoy. If you’d like to make this salad a meal, add your favorite vegan protein like baked tofu or crunchy roasted chickpeas and you could even add some cooked quinoa or couscous to make it more satisfying.
  • Simple and fresh ingredients. Vibrant and delicious, this vegan summer salad is a celebration of summer flavours. From the juicy strawberries to the peppery arugula and crunchy onion, everyone will love the flavours and textures in this salad.
  • Enjoy any time of the year! Luckily, you can find the fresh produce in this vegan summer salad year round. While strawberries are best in the summer, this salad packs enough flavour to make up for less flavourful fruit. This salad would be a great choice for date night, especially when paired with another romantic dish.

Key Ingredients and Substitutions

  • Baby spinach: You can use any baby greens you like for this vegan summer salad. Regular (long stem) spinach will work too, just give it a good chop before adding it to the salad.
  • Arugula: I love the light peppery bite arugula gives this salad! If you want a more subtle kick, use baby arugula (or just use a little less arugula and more spinach).
  • Strawberries: Pick the reddest, juiciest strawberries you can find! If you can’t get strawberries, blueberries would be a lovely option. In winter, citrus may be easier to find. Those little mandarins would be a perfect fruity element in this salad.
  • Red onion: This adds crunch and a little more bite which contrasts well with the sweetness of the berries and the tanginess of the vegan feta. If you dislike red onions, just use more green onions.
  • Green onion: Also known as scallion or spring onion, this adds so much freshness, I recommend not skipping this element!
  • Vegan feta cheese: I used VioLife brand, but if you have a hard time sourcing vegan cheese where you live, you can make your own vegan feta cheese!
  • Olive oil: Use a good extra virgin olive oil here, or you can skip it if you don’t want to use oil. Of course, you can use any salad dressing you like! I just love oil and vinegar for this simple vegan summer salad.
  • Balsamic vinegar: Again, use a balsamic vinegar you love the taste of here. If you don’t like balsamic, any other vinegar you like (such as champagne vinegar or sherry vinegar) would work perfectly. White balsamic is more mild than red balsamic vinegar, or there are different fruit flavours of vinegar that are wonderful, such as strawberry blonde balsamic from California Balsamic, for example.
  • Fresh lemon juice: I highly recommend fresh squeezed lemon juice if you can, but bottled will work in a pinch. If you can find the Italian Volcano brand, that’s a very delicious organic bottled lemon juice.
  • Salt and fresh cracked black pepper: To taste!

How to Make Vegan Summer Salad with Strawberries, Feta and Balsamic Greens

  1. Assemble the salad. Add greens to a large platter or serving bowl. Top with strawberries, onion and vegan feta.
  2. Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and salt and pepper until combined.
  3. Dress and serve. Drizzle dressing on salad, and toss to coat. Serve.

Ideas for Serving

If the weather is warm where you are, serve this vegan summer salad alongside at cookouts, barbecues, outdoor picnics, or dinner on the patio or deck. It would be amazing served as a side dish to summer mains like BBQ Mushroom Subs, BBQ Chickpea Wraps or this Double Smash Bruschetta Burger!

Date night is also the perfect occasion for this vegan summer salad, even if date night happens to fall in the middle of winter. Try serving this salad alongside cozy mains like Vegan “Scallop” Cream Sauce Pasta, vegan steak with garlic butter or Vegan Pumpkin Alla Vodka Pasta.

How to Store

Like most salads, this dish is best eaten the first day. Undressed salad may be kept for 1-2 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator, though the delicate greens and cut strawberries will deteriorate the quickest.

It’s best to keep the whole elements on hand and assemble the salad each day you’d like to eat it. Luckily this recipe takes less than 10 minutes to make!

Recipe FAQs

Is there a substitute for vegan feta cheese?

Try other vegan cheese you enjoy in the salad, or just skip it! You can also add a diced avocado or a few sliced pitted kalamata olives for a bit of richness.

What other fruits are good in a vegan summer salad?

If you don’t have strawberries or just want to try something different, try other juicy summer fruits like sliced peaches or nectarines, whole blueberries, diced pineapple or mango, or any other fruit you enjoy.

Can I eat this salad in the winter?

Luckily most of the ingredients can be found even in the winter. If the strawberries in your area don’t taste great, though, there are plenty of winter fruits that will be delicious! Try citrus (those little mandarin segments are perfect for salad), diced apples, diced pears, or any other in season fruit you enjoy. If it’s early enough in winter, you may be able to find pomegranates or persimmons which are also delicious in a winter salad.

Can I turn this side salad into a main dish?

Absolutely! I’d add a protein, a starch, or both! Crispy tofu, baked tempeh, seitan chunks, roasted chickpeas, or your favourite store bought vegan chicken product would be lovely on it. Try our easy vegan chicken recipe if you want to make your own. For starches, try cooked quinoa, couscous, farro, or your favourite grain. Roasted potatoes or sweet potatoes are also a good option!

Can I make the dressing oil-free?

Sure, but I’d recommend swapping it with a nut-based dressing to keep the richness in the salad. You can accomplish this by blending the balsamic vinegar and lemon juice with the salt and pepper and avocado, soaked raw cashews, or soaked raw sunflower seeds (you may need a bit of water to blend). Taste and adjust as necessary.

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Vegan Summer Salad with Strawberries, Feta and Balsamic Greens


  • Author: Liv B
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings as a side

Description

With mixed greens, a burst of sweet strawberries in each bite, dairy-free feta, onions and balsamic dressing, this salad is sure to be a hit!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups lightly packed baby spinach
  • 2 cups lightly packed arugula
  • 10 strawberries, sliced
  • ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp chopped green onion
  • ¼ cup crumbled vegan feta (I used VioLife)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Add greens to a large platter or serving bowl. Top with strawberries, onion and feta.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and salt and pepper until combined.
  3. Drizzle dressing on salad, and toss to coat. Serve.

Notes

  • If you don’t have strawberries or just want to try something different, try other juicy summer fruits like sliced peaches or nectarines, whole blueberries, diced pineapple or mango, or any other fruit you enjoy.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes

Keywords: vegan summer salad, vegan salad

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