- 1 sm. clove garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
- 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp sweetener, such as agave (optional)
- sea salt, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
To make the dressing, add the minced garlic to a small bowl or jar. Add the sherry vinegar followed by the olive oil. This dressing is meant to be rather tart; however, the amount of vinegar and oil can be adjusted to your liking.
Next, whisk or shake the jar to combine the ingredients. Then taste for seasoning adding sweetener, salt, and pepper to taste.
Step 2: Preparing Your Mise en Place
- 1 bunch kale, cleaned and torn into bite-sized pieces
- 2 to 3 cups romaine lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup broccoli florets*
- 1 cup diced cucumber
- 1/2 cup sm. dice red onion
- 1 cup cooked chickpeas (1 - 15 oz can)
- 20 grape tomatoes, sliced into rounds or in half
- 1/4 cup Kalamata olives, sliced
When preparing your mise en place, just keep in mind that all the ingredients should be roughly around the same size so you get a nice mouthful of everything together when you eat the salad.
With that said, be sure that the broccoli florets, cucumbers, and tomatoes are not cut too big. If needed, check out the attached images for reference.
Step 3: Assembling the Salad
- 1/4 cup fresh herbs (such as parsley and/or basil)
- 2 to 4 tbsp Plant-Based Parmesan
To assemble the salad, add the kale to a large bowl and add a couple of tablespoons of the vinaigrette and gently toss and scrunch the kale with your hands.
Next, add the romaine, broccoli, cucumber, red onions, chickpeas, and another tablespoon or so of the vinaigrette. Gently toss to combine the ingredients.
Next, add the tomatoes, olives, and fresh herbs. If using fresh basil, which is really nice, simply tear the leaves into big pieces and add to the salad. For the parsley, just roughly chop and add it to the salad. Note that the herbs add a ton of flavor here so don’t be too shy with them.
If desired, add a couple of tablespoons of Plant-Based Parmesan and toss again.
Lastly, taste for seasoning, adding a bit of salt, pepper and/or dressing as needed. Note: Depending on the actual amount of salad and ingredients in your particular salad and how you like your salad dressed, you may, or may not have any leftover dressing — any leftover dressing will keep for a few days in the refrigerator.
This delicious salad makes a great meal — especially if served with Crumbled Tempeh — or it can be served as a refreshing and healthy side.
While the particular ingredients for this salad really make it something quite delicious, feel free to experiment with the ingredients. For example, we have also made this salad with raw cauliflower instead of the broccoli and it was equally delicious. We have also added diced peppers and they were also great. In terms of toppings, diced avocado is also a really great addition to this salad.