Very original single-dish summer salads (with vegetable protein)

The trick to making a full summer salad is to add vegetable protein. We give you recipes to prepare delicious, complete and healthy salads for lunch or dinner.

With the heat you do not want to cook so much, you want more cool and fast things, and that does not have to mean eating worse. We can make complete summer salads to serve them as a single dish, without repeating, and without always being lettuce and tomato.

The trick for a salad to be complete is to add protein ingredients such as legumes and derivatives (tofu, textured soy, tempeh, etc.) and other ingredients that give us more satiety, such as pickles and nuts, along with cereals, raw or cooked vegetables and a touch of fresh dressing that is not always limited to oil and vinegar.

With a few ingredients that we can find in any supermarket we can prepare very good salads, satiating and rich in vegetable proteins. Take a look at the original summer salad recipes that we propose:

• Mediterranean-style pasta salad
• Chickpea salad and American tempeh
• German potato salad with tofu
• Sinatun Salad
• Aragonese salad with bulgur
• Levantine salad with smoked tofu
• Grilled peach salad with cashew feta
• Crispy lentil and watermelon salad
• Mexican corn salad
• Chickpea and cucumber salad with dill sauce

MEDITERRANEAN-STYLE PASTA SALAD

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked pasta (chickpeas, lentils, or soybeans)
• 200 g extra firm hard tofu
• 1 lettuce bud
• A handful of canons
• 6-8 cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup pitted black olives
• 1/2 red onion or spring onion

For the dressing:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• pinch of cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika
• fresh basil, parsley or cilantro leaves

Preparation:

1. Cut the tofu into cubes and put it in a bowl with the pasta.
2. Wash the bud well and cut it into 5 or 6 pieces. Undo the leaves at the bottom so that a block is not left.
3. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Cut the olives in half.
4. Cut the onion or spring onion into thin slices.
5. Mix it all in a bowl or salad bowl.
6. Add the ingredients of the dressing while stirring well.
7. Try it and rectify salt or lemon if you see it necessary.
8. Serve cold.

(Recipe by Virginia Garcia)

CHICKPEA SALAD AND AMERICAN TEMPEH

Ingredients:

• 200 g cooked and drained chickpeas
• 200 g tempeh
• 200 g cabbage
• 1 carrot
• 1 apple
• 3 tablespoons regular sauerkraut or red cabbage (drained)
• 50 g peeled walnuts

For the sauce:

• Half of the chickpeas
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon tahini
• 50 ml vegetable drink (whatever you want, but not sweet)
• 1/2 teaspoon old-fashioned mustard
• 1/2 garlic clove
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Preparation:

1. Julienne the tempeh or grate it with a large hole grater.
2. Chop the cabbage, carrot and apple into julienne.
3. Mix it all in a bowl. Add half of the chickpeas, sauerkraut and walnuts.
4. To make the sauce beat the chickpeas with the mixer adding little by little the tahini, olive oil, vegetable drink, mustard, garlic and lemon juice. There should be an easy-to-mix cream, such as a soft mayonnaise or liquid cream. Try it and adjust salt to your liking.
5. Pour the sauce over the top and serve cold.

(Recipe by Virginia Garcia)

GERMAN POTATO SALAD WITH TOFU

Ingredients:

• 800 g cooked or steamed potatoes
• 300 g smoked tofu
• 1/2 red onion
• 1/2 cup pickled pickles (drained)
• fresh chives

For the dressing:

• 3/4 cup vegetable mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon old-fashioned mustard
• 1 tablespoon tahini
• 3 tablespoons vegetable broth (liquid, homemade) (optional)
• A small bunch of fresh dill

Preparation:

1. Chop the onion thinly. If you want it to be softer, leave it in a bowl with cold water and a splash of lemon.
2. Chop the pickles too.
3. Cut the tofu into cubes.
4. Chop a handful of dill and mix it in a bowl with the vegetable mayonnaise. Add the mustard, tahini and broth little by little (optional) while stirring. Leave it in the fridge.
5. If your potatoes have skin, peel them.
6. Cut the potatoes into cubes like those of tofu or a little larger so that they do not fall apart.
7. Put the potatoes in a bowl and add the tofu, onion (drained if you left it in water) and pickles and mix carefully.
8. Add the dressing and mix it well.
9. Chop the chives and put it on top. Chop the rest of the dill and decorate with it too (optional). Try it and rectify salt if you see it necessary.
10. Serve cold.
11. What you have left, store it in a closed container in the fridge, it will last you 3-4 days.

(Recipe by Virginia Garcia)

SINATUN SALAD

Ingredients:

For textured soybeans:

• 1 cup thin or medium textured soybeans
• 1/2 sheet nori seaweed
• a piece of kombu seaweed (approx. 5x5cm)
• 4 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon sage
• pinch of black pepper and white pepper powder
• 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon flax oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

For the rest of the salad:

• 2 tablespoons capers (drained)
• 200 g ripe cherry tomatoes
• 1 celery stalk
• 100 g sweet corn
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• 1/2 cucumber

For the dressing:

• 3 tablespoons vegetable mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon tahini
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1-2 tablespoons water (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• a pinch of ground black pepper
• A small bunch of parsley

Preparation:

1. Toast the nori seaweed in a pan or over the fire (careful not to burn it) until crispy. Put it by hand in a bowl or bowl.
2. Add 2 cups of very hot water, kombu seaweed, soy sauce, sage, peppers, smoke, oils, salt and sesame seeds and mix it.
3. Pour the textured soy into the mixture, stir well and let it hydrate (about 15 minutes). You can also leave it overnight for more flavor.
4. Once the textured soy is hydrated, remove the kombu seaweed and drain the textured soy very well (you can leave it in a drainer with some weight on top, like a couple of dishes for example).
5. Cut cherry tomatoes into halves or quarters.
6. Cut the celery into not very thick slices.
7. Chop the pepper into squares.
8. Chop the cucumber into cubes.
9. Drain the corn well.
10. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl together with the textured soybeans already drained.
11. Apart mix the ingredients of the dressing well, adding a little water if you see it necessary (according to the consistency you want).
12. Add the dressing and mix well.
13. Leave it in the fridge until serving.

(Recipe by Virginia Garcia)

ARAGONESE SALAD WITH BULGUR

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup bulgur
• 200 g cooked (and drained) white beans
• 250 g cooked potato (skinless)
• 1/2 onion
• 5-6 romaine lettuce leaves
• 1 small cucumber
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 cup green and black olives

For the dressing:

• olive oil
• vinegar
• salt

Preparation:

1. Let the bulgur soak with 1 cup of boiling water.
2. Cut the potato into slices or cubes and put it in a bowl.
3. Cut the onion into thin slices. Add the ingredients as you cut them.
4. Cut the lettuce into medium pieces.
5. Cut the cucumber into medium slices.
6. Chop the garlic very finely.
7. Cut the tomatoes into 6 parts.
8. If the olives are pitted you can leave them like that or cut them in half.
9. Add the beans and bulgur and mix everything well.
10. Season to your liking with oil, vinegar and salt.
11. Leave it in the fridge until serving.

(Recipe by Virginia Garcia)

LEVANTINE SALAD WITH SMOKED TOFU

Ingredients:

• 200 g smoked tofu
• 1 bunch of parsley (about 100 grams)
• 3-4 mint or mint leaves
• 2 tomatoes
• 1/4 cup bulgur (or 1/2 cup cooked quinoa)
• 1 red Italian pepper
• 1/2 spring onion or sweet onion
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• the juice of half a lemon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon 7 Lebanese spices

Preparation:

1. Let the bulgur soak with 1/2 cup of boiling water for 15 minutes. Then leave it in the fridge.
2. Finely chop parsley and peppermint.
3. Chop the tomatoes into cubes, the pepper in julienne or squares, and the onion very thin.
4. Drain the tofu and dry it well with kitchen paper.
5. Grate it with a grater of large holes in the bowl with the parsley and peppermint and mix it well.
6. Add the rest of the ingredients, including bulgur (or quinoa) and mix well.
7. Adjust salt to taste.
8. Leave it in the fridge until serving.

(Recipe by Virginia Garcia)

GRILLED PEACH SALAD WITH CASHEW FETA

Soaking: 4 hours – Preparation: 20 minutes – Cooking: 10 minutes

Summer fruit is a great complement to salads because of its juicy texture. Peaches are ideal. They can be prepared grilled or raw for a faster version.

Feta cheese is easy to make at home, but we can also buy it. The same salad is very rich with raw blackberries instead of peaches.

Ingredients (4 people):

• 200 g canons or other green leaves
• 2 peaches
• Olive oil for cooking
• 1 handful of pine nuts

For cashew feta:

• 140 g raw cashews
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lemon
• 1-2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon white miso
• salt

For the vinaigrette:

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup or a pinch of stevia
• 1 teaspoon mustard
• black pepper
• salt

Preparation:

1. To make cashew cheese, you have to let them soak. To make it, throw them in a bowl, cover with water and leave at room temperature for about 4 hours. If you are in a hurry, pour the cashews in a pot, cover with water, bring to a boil and cook for about 15 minutes.
2. To make the cheese, drain the cashews well. Add to a food processor along with the rest of the ingredients and crush until you get a paste with pieces. If necessary, add another tablespoon of water. Try the taste and save.
3. To make the salad, first prepare the vinaigrette. Pour all the ingredients into a bowl and beat with the help of a fork. Try the taste and save.
4. Wash the canons and divide into 4 plates.
5. Wash the peaches, cut in half and remove the bone. Cut into quarters and each into porridge. Prick the peach with oil.
6. Heat an oil-free griddle skillet. Throw in the pine nuts and toast. Remove the sprockets from the pan and store.
7. Cook the peach gachos on the sides, about 2 minutes per each. Let cool a little.
8. To finish the salads, place the peaches on the leaves, over the feta, pour the vinaigrette and sprinkle with the pine nuts.

(Recipe by Marketa Kadlecova)

CRISPY LENTIL AND WATERMELON SALAD

Preparation: 15 minutes – Cooking: 30 minutes

For a contrast of textures, the salad has crispy lentils, which are prepared in the oven. But if you don’t feel like lighting the fire, that’s okay. Add the simply cooked lentils.

Ingredients (4 people):

• 200 g beluga lentils
• half watermelon
• 200 g arugula
• 1 cucumber
• 1 handful mint
• 50 g roasted and salted pistachios
• 4 tablespoons coconut yogurt
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• a pinch of garlic powder
• a pinch of onion powder
• salt

For the vinaigrette:

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons Modena vinegar
• black pepper
• salt

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees.
2. In a bowl mix the well-drained lentils with the oil and spices. Pour on a baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes until crispy.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the salad. Cut the watermelon into slices, remove the skin and cut it into cubes. Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise and into half-moons. Wash and dry the arugula and mint.
4. Prepare a simple vinaigrette by mixing the oil with the vinegar and salt.
5. In four dishes divide the arugula and mint leaves, put the watermelon cubes and cucumber on top, and pour the vinaigrette on top. Sprinkle with lentils and pistachios and garnish each dish with 1 tablespoon of coconut yogurt.

(Recipe by Marketa Kadlecova)

MEXICAN CORN SALAD

Preparation: 15 minutes – Cooking: 7 minutes

Sweet corn is at its peak in August and September and can be found in the markets. Dare with fresh corn instead of the typical preserves to prepare this Mexican salad. It is ideal to take to excursions, picnicks or barbecues. If we are preparing the barbecue, we can prepare the corn on the barbecue.

Ingredients (4-6 people):

• 4 small ears of corn
• 200 g cherry tomatoes
• 2 ripe avocados
• 200 g cooked red beans
• the green part of 2 spring onions
• 200 g fresh cilantro
• Corn chips baked for serving
• salt

For the vinaigrette:

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 garlic clove
• half a teaspoon cumin
• a pinch of smoked paprika
• 1 jalapeño chopped
• salt

Preparation:

1. Fill a large pot with water, add salt and bring to a boil. Add the corn cobs and cook for about 5-7 minutes. Let cool.
2. Prepare the vinaigrette. Peel and chop the garlic and carefully chop the jalapeño. You can also use dried chili. In a bowl mix all the ingredients.
3. Cut the green part of the sliced spring onion and the cherry tomatoes in half. Open the avocados, remove the seed, remove the pulp and cut into cubes. Wash the cilantro and remove the leaves and itching.
4. With the help of a knife remove the kernels from the corn and throw them into a bowl. Add the well-drained beans and the rest of the vegetables. Mix, add the vinaigrette and mix again.
5. Serve with a couple of corn chips.

(Recipe by Marketa Kadlecova)

CHICKPEA AND CUCUMBER SALAD WITH DILL SAUCE

Preparation: 15 minutes

Cucumber and dill is a classic combination in pickles. This is a crude version of the same. Adding chickpeas, turn the salad into a complete dish. If you want to serve the salad as a starter, avoid chickpeas.

Ingredients:

• 4 buds
• 400 g cooked chickpeas
• 2 cucumbers
• 2 celery sticks
• 1 red apple
• half a spring onion

For the vinaigrette:

• 150 g vegan Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons dill
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• pepper and salt

Preparation:

1. First prepare the vinaigrette. Peel and chop the garlic. Chop the dill. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Try the taste and save.
2. To make the salad, wash the buds, cut into strips and place as a base on 4 plates.
3. Dice cucumbers (most of their nutrients are on the skin and it’s best not to peel them, but if you find it too difficult to digest, you can peel them. Cut the apple into quarters, remove the seeds and cut into cubes of the same size as cucumber, cut celery into strips. Chop the spring onion.
4. In a bowl, pour the chickpeas well drained, add the cucumbers, celery, apple and spring onion. Salt and pepper, add the sauce and mix well.
5. Serve on top of the buds.