50 Best Plant-Based Salads

Salads have come a long way over the last decade or so. From sad bowls of soggy lettuce to vibrant recipes, packed with texture, flavour and abundance to help nourish your body in the most delicious way. These 50 mouth-watering plant-based salad recipes will revolutionise the way you think about salads. From warm and spicy to creamy and crunchy, there's something here for everyone, whether you're a salad enthusiast or just looking to introduce more veggies and plant-based goodness into your diet. Opting for a salad for a delicious lunch or dinner also has many health benefits, such as:

1. Nutrient-packed goodness

Plant-based salads offer an abundance of essential nutrients. By incorporating a variety of colourful vegetables, you not only satisfy your taste buds but also provide your body with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, all of which support your body. From optimising immune function, to boosting skin health, energy levels and even your mood. Leafy greens for example, are packed with iron and vitamin K, while red peppers deliver a potent vitamin C punch. Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, a formidable antioxidant, and carrots are brimming with beta-carotene, promoting excellent vision. The more you diversify the ingredients in your salad, the broader the spectrum of nutrients you’ll take in, meaning better health.

2. Fibre

As well as being packed with vitamins and minerals, salad-ingredients are also packed with fibre, and fibre is your digestive system's best friend. It aids in maintaining regularity, keeps your feeling full, helps stabilise your blood sugar levels and boost your energy levels. Legumes like chickpeas, lentils, and black beans are fibre and protein powerhouses, making them brilliant salad additions (roasting lentils is a very delicious way to use them). Quinoa is another salad superstar, again packed with both protein and fibre, as are nuts and seeds. These ingredients transform your salad into a hearty, fulfilling meal that keeps you energised throughout the day.

3. Gut health & diversity

The gut microbiome plays a crucial role in our overall health, and a diet rich in plant-based salads can promote a diverse and thriving gut ecosystem. For optimum gut health we want to aim for about 30 different plant-based foods a week, and salads help get you there. Lots of our recipes have 8+ plants in them, getting you ¼ of the way to what you need in just one meal! Leafy greens, along with other veggies like broccoli and artichokes, are prebiotic foods that nourish the beneficial bacteria in your gut. Fermented foods like sauerkraut and kimchi can add a tangy twist to your salads while providing probiotics that further support gut health. A happy gut means better digestion, enhanced immunity, and even a positive impact on mental health.

4. Long-term health

Studies have shown that a diet rich in plant-based foods can lower the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer. The fibre and antioxidants in salads contribute to these protective benefits, making them a vital component of a health-conscious diet.

5. Sustainability

Beyond personal health benefits, embracing plant-based salads contributes to a more sustainable and ethical food system. Choosing vegetables and legumes over animal products reduces the environmental impact of food production. It conserves water, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and minimises land use. By making salads a staple in your diet, you're taking a step towards a more compassionate and eco-friendly lifestyle.

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Plant-based salads are not just a summer affair; they are a year-round delight. They offer a colourful and tasty way to introduce a variety of vegetables, pulses, and fibre into your diet, boosting your overall health and well-being. The 50 salad recipes included here are just the tip of the iceberg. Experiment with different ingredients, dressings, and toppings to create your own unique salad combinations. From warm and comforting to zesty and refreshing, there's a plant-based salad for every palate. Take a look at some of our favourite salads below including, our Avocado Magic Salad, Crispy Lentil, Squash & Yoghurt Salad and our Aromatic Peanut Salad Bowl; Make every meal a celebration of flavours, colours, and nutrients by embracing the delicious world of plant-based salads!

Creamy Super Green Salad
Sides
35 mins

Creamy Super Green Salad

This creamy salad is the perfect recipe for spring. The dressing, based on our beloved classic magic salad dressing, is boosted with spinach for a bright colour and goes brilliantly with the crispy croutons, crunchy seeds, chunks of potatoes, green veggies and fresh leaves.

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Chopped Tomato, Basil & Olive Salad
Sides
20 mins

Chopped Tomato, Basil & Olive Salad

This simple, throw-together salad is low on effort and big on flavour. For speed, the spiced chickpeas are cooked in the same time that it takes to prepare the vegetables. The addition of fragrant basil and chopped black olives also makes this summery salad decidedly moreish.

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Tahini Cauliflower Salad
Mains
55 mins

Tahini Cauliflower Salad

We’ve taken our much-loved sesame cauliflower bites (truly one of the best things that’s ever come out of our kitchen!) and transformed them into a delicious, balanced meal that’s perfect for summer gatherings with friends. The tahini sauce doubles up as a creamy salad dressing and is also used to coat the cauliflower bites — saving you time!

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Harissa Sweet Potato Salad
Mains
40 mins

Harissa Sweet Potato Salad

This is such a simple salad to make which makes it perfect for an easy midweek lunch. The harissa and lime juice taste delicious mixed through the roasted paprika sweet potatoes, with the rocket adding a hint of freshness to the whole dish.

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Crispy Tofu Salad Bowl
Mains
20 mins

Crispy Tofu Salad Bowl

Searching for the perfect meal? This vibrant salad bowl could be just the answer. Packed with fresh, crunchy vegetables and drizzled with a rich dressing, this crispy fried tofu is both indulgent and nourishing.

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Creamy Bruschetta-Style Salad
Mains
20 mins

Creamy Bruschetta-Style Salad

Creamy, crunchy, sweet and spicy, this speedy salad has it all. Sweet roasted tomatoes, crunchy sourdough, fresh basil and butter beans are layered onto a bed of creamy, garlicky yoghurt, then finished with a drizzle of balsamic and a sprinkling of chilli flakes.

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Crunchy Peanut Indonesian-Style Salad
Mains
30 mins

Crunchy Peanut Indonesian-Style Salad

Inspired by the traditional Indonesian salad Gado Gado (meaning ‘mix mix’), this fresh crunchy salad is a celebration of textures and flavours. A medley of seasonal vegetables is tossed with an incredible sweet and spicy peanut sauce that really does make the dish.

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Sunshine Pasta Salad
Mains
20 mins

Sunshine Pasta Salad

This vibrant pasta salad looks and tastes like sunshine on a plate. The creamy tofu-based sauce is made with turmeric, lemon and mustard; then tossed with pasta, yellow peppers and sweetcorn — full of flavour and ready in 20 minutes. Bellissimo!

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Peanut Satay Aubergine Salad
Mains
45 mins

Peanut Satay Aubergine Salad

This salad is packed full of flavour and is deliciously filling. The thick, creamy peanut satay sauce coats the roasted aubergines and chickpeas, with the spring onions adding a crunch and the edamame beans adding some freshness. We like to make a big batch of the sauce and keep it in the fridge for quick and simple dinners, it's perfect to mix through stir-frys or roasted veggies.

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The Ultimate Spring Salad
Sides
45 mins

The Ultimate Spring Salad

An Italian twist on the potato salad with sun-dried tomatoes and basil, this recipe is a great way to use up any leftover roast potatoes — they add a satisfying crunch to this simple salad.

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Mango, Cucumber & Hazelnut Salad
Mains
25 mins

Mango, Cucumber & Hazelnut Salad

We're obsessed with the mix of flavours and textures in this salad. The way the sweet chunks of mango come together with the refreshing little pieces of cucumber, creamy bites of avocado, spicy slices of fresh chilli, crunchy toasted hazelnuts is a dream and sesame dressing is heavenly.

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Kale Caesar Salad
Mains
35 mins

Kale Caesar Salad

Caesar salad is such a classic dish, made even more delicious here by the use of kale in place of lettuce. The baked chickpeas give amazing crunch and texture, whilst the cashews make such an incredibly creamy sauce.

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Sesame & Broccoli Noodle Salad
Mains
30 mins

Sesame & Broccoli Noodle Salad

This is a firm favourite for a simple lunch or dinner. The creamy sesame dressing tastes delicious mixed through the roasted broccoli and noodles. This is also a great recipe to make if you've got lots of spare vegetables lying around the house, as you can easily mix through anything you have.

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Aubergine BLT Salad
Mains
45 mins

Aubergine BLT Salad

A plant-based BLT? You’d better believe it. This salad version uses flavour-packed aubergine slices as the ‘bacon’ and is piled high with crispy chickpeas, croutons, tomatoes and gem lettuce. Enjoy as a delicious light lunch or side — we love it.

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Creamy Green Salad
Mains
15 mins

Creamy Green Salad

This salad is filled with so much texture and flavour. The creamy tahini dressing coats the fresh leaves, with the crunch of the crispy roasted chickpeas and the soft avocado bringing it all together so nicely. We love to serve this with hummus, but it's also delicious on its own.

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Tofu, Avocado & Kale Salad
Mains
20 mins

Tofu, Avocado & Kale Salad

Looking for a tasty dish, guaranteed to power you through a busy day? This quick and easy salad is big on flavour and combines protein, healthy fats and fibre, leaving you feeling satisfied and full of energy.

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Lentil & Potato Salad
Mains
5 mins

Lentil & Potato Salad

This salad is so much more than the sum of its parts. The lentils, capers and potatoes, tossed in a zingy mustard dressing, make this fresh, flavourful meal a hearty working lunch or summer dinner. This recipe uses leftovers from dinner on day 2 of the plan.

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Wild Rice & Tomato Salad
Mains
40 mins

Wild Rice & Tomato Salad

This is such a fresh and vibrant salad. I love how the crunchiness of the toasted almonds contrasts against the juiciness of the peppers and tomatoes. It works really well as a side dish at dinner parties, but is equally delicious just by itself.

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Spicy Harissa Magic Salad
Mains
30 mins

Spicy Harissa Magic Salad

We love this spicy take on our magic dressing. Full of protein, it transforms any plate of vegetables into a hearty, satisfying meal. If you are sensitive to spice you can reduce the amount of rose harissa, or try another of our magic dressing variations.

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Avocado Magic Salad
Mains
15 mins

Avocado Magic Salad

We love this simple bowl of black beans, rice and veggies drizzled with our creamy avocado magic dressing. Full of protein, fibre, and healthy fats, this main course salad is guaranteed to satisfy.

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Roasted Cauliflower & Chickpea Salad
Mains
40 mins

Roasted Cauliflower & Chickpea Salad

This salad is a great mid-week dinner, it’s super speedy and only has five simple ingredients, plus olive oil and salt. The roasted cauliflower tastes delicious with the cumin chickpeas, creamy chunks of avocado and fresh coriander.  

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Courgette, Olive & Pine Nut Salad
Mains
35 mins

Courgette, Olive & Pine Nut Salad

This salad is packed full of so much flavour - it's the perfect side to any dinner spread, or BBQ in the summer time. The acidity of the olives, tastes delicious with the rich olive oil and roasted courgettes.

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Rainbow Orzo Salad
Mains
15 mins

Rainbow Orzo Salad

Tucking into this fresh crunchy rainbow salad will no doubt fill work colleagues with envy. The addition of mint, pomegranate and pistachios takes a simple salad up a notch, making it a brilliant workday lunch that’s worth getting excited for.

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Simple Tomato & Chickpea Salad
Mains
10 mins

Simple Tomato & Chickpea Salad

This is such a simple salad to make for lunch during a busy week. The balsamic and olive oil bring the flavours together and taste delicious with the fresh tomatoes and parsley. We love to enjoy this with a side of fresh rocket drizzled in balsamic vinegar and our butter bean and artichoke dip.

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New Potato, Red Onion & Olive Salad
Mains
35 mins

New Potato, Red Onion & Olive Salad

This potato salad is packed full of flavour and texture from the marinated red onion and crispy roasted new potatoes. We love to serve it alongside a spread of salads or on its own with chunks of avocado mixed through and a drizzle of tahini.

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Miso Aubergine Rice Noodle Salad
Mains
15 mins

Miso Aubergine Rice Noodle Salad

This perfectly balanced bowl of leftover noodles makes an amazing lunch. The sweet and juicy mango, crunchy toasted peanuts, rich and meaty aubergine, fresh herbs and spicy chilli all combine to make this bowl extremely satisfying.

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Roasted Cauliflower & Aubergine Salad Bowl
Mains
40 mins

Roasted Cauliflower & Aubergine Salad Bowl

A fabulous lunch or dinner, this traybake salad is delicious hot straight from the oven, or cold the next day. Reserving the cauliflower leaves is optional but it’s a great way to add colour and texture, as well as reducing food waste.

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Peanut & Wild Rice Rainbow Salad
Mains
30 mins

Peanut & Wild Rice Rainbow Salad

Try this colourful salad with crunchy raw vegetables, topped with a creamy peanut dressing, roasted peanuts and punchy pickled chilli. Full of incredible textures, bold flavours and minimal fuss, it makes for an easy lunch or supper.

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Creamy Guacamole Salad
Mains
15 mins

Creamy Guacamole Salad

This vibrant, crowd-pleasing salad is a textural delight and perfect for any gathering. Avocado is featured chopped in the salad and blitzed through the sauce, adding an extra creamy element.

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Jennifer Aniston Salad
Mains
20 mins

Jennifer Aniston Salad

When we heard that Jennifer Aniston ate a version of the same salad every day for 10 years on the set of Friends we knew it had to be good. While we can’t verify exactly what Jen put in hers we feel that this homage is pretty delicious — the perfect workday lunch.

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Crispy Lentil, Squash & Yoghurt Salad
Sides
45 mins

Crispy Lentil, Squash & Yoghurt Salad

This main-course salad is an all-rounder: it has elegance for entertaining; is simple enough for busy weekdays; and hits the spot as a dinner dish. The toasted spicy lentils are also a game changer, giving every bite a satisfying crunch.

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Warm Cauliflower, Kale & Chickpea Salad
10 mins

Warm Cauliflower, Kale & Chickpea Salad

Plenty of nutritious ingredients come together to make this deliciously satisfying salad. Packed with fresh, fibre-rich vegetables, plus chickpeas for a dose of plant-based protein, it’s a super-healthy option that you’ll easily have on repeat. (This recipe uses leftovers from dinner on day 1 of the plan.)

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Pickled Peach Salad
Sides
60 mins

Pickled Peach Salad

This summer-in-a-bowl salad is full of fresh flavours and makes a great weekday lunch. Pickling the peaches helps preserve a taste of summer, whatever the weather — add to salads, sandwiches and wraps for an extra dose of sunshine.

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Bejewelled Kale Salad
Mains
30 mins

Bejewelled Kale Salad

Could there be a more delicious, beautiful way of enjoying veggies this winter? In this satisfying main meal salad, the butternut squash and quinoa are conveniently cooked in one pan — saving both time and washing up. Then simply toss everything together and lunch is served. You can eat this warm, freshly made; or leave it to cool.

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Marinated Green Bean Salad
Sides
80 mins

Marinated Green Bean Salad

This marinated bean salad is the perfect dish to enjoy with a spread of summer salads and dips. The beans taste delicious mixed through the sliced peppers and spring onions, with the lime and tamari drizzle adding such a burst of flavour.

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Courgette Pasta Salad
Mains
15 mins

Courgette Pasta Salad

This courgette pasta salad is so simple to make and tastes delicious. It's a great dish to make ahead of time and keep in the fridge until ready to serve. We love to enjoy it on the side of a big spread of food, it's ideal for BBQs in the sun or packed lunches.

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Coronation Chickpea Salad Bowl
Mains
5 mins

Coronation Chickpea Salad Bowl

This satisfying salad comes together in just a few moments but makes no compromise on flavour. It is full of fibre, protein and phytonutrients thanks to its bright and vibrant colours.

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Caramelised Pecan & Squash Salad
Mains
45 mins

Caramelised Pecan & Squash Salad

This delicious salad is so much more than the sum of its parts — sweet roasted squash, crunchy toasted pecans and fresh kale all combine to make a supremely satisfying lunch.

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Spicy Tomato Pasta Salad
Mains
20 mins

Spicy Tomato Pasta Salad

You can’t get much easier than this. A simple, satisfying and budget-friendly lunch or dinner, this pasta salad is big on flavour and makes the most out of store cupboard heroes.

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Aromatic Peanut Salad Bowl
Mains
60 mins

Aromatic Peanut Salad Bowl

This salad has the most perfect mix of Asian inspired flavours and textures. The sweet potato is deliciously sweet and filling, while the cucumber adds an amazing freshness to the dish. We love the peanut dressing, its creamy, with an amazing hint of zesty lime and hot fresh chilli.

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Greek-Style Orzo Salad
Mains
15 mins

Greek-Style Orzo Salad

This fresh, vibrant Greek-inspired salad comes together in just 15 minutes, making it the perfect midweek meal. The tofu adds a hit of protein, while the mix of veg adds brilliant flavour, with a lovely saltiness from the olives. Orzo keeps well too, so the leftovers serve as a great on-the-go lunch the next day.

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Asparagus, Potato & Avocado Salad
Mains
25 mins

Asparagus, Potato & Avocado Salad

This is our staple spring salad when the weather gets warmer and asparagus comes into season. We love the combination of potatoes and asparagus, especially when they’re tossed with rocket, as you get that distinctive peppery flavour in each bite. It's ideal served with a big bowl of creamy hummus for an easy lunch.

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Harissa & Almond Pearl Barley Salad
Mains
20 mins

Harissa & Almond Pearl Barley Salad

Crunchy roasted almonds, garlicky tomatoes, soft pearl barley and fresh herbs are mixed together with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar to create this delicious salad. We love to enjoy it as a side or on its own with a dollop of sun-dried tomato hummus.

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Simple Marinated Avocado & Miso Salad
Mains
70 mins

Simple Marinated Avocado & Miso Salad

This simple salad is so easy to make and packed full of flavour. We love to serve it alongside fluffy quinoa and an edamame bean dip, but it's also great enjoyed by itself or mixed with chickpeas and sunflower seeds.

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Nutty Sweet Potato & Quinoa Salad
Mains
35 mins

Nutty Sweet Potato & Quinoa Salad

This is a very quick salad recipe, which makes it perfect for midweek dinners. The tamari almonds add a delicious crunch to the whole dish, while the cooked sweet potatoes are soft and taste amazing with the quinoa. We love to mix through almond butter, lemon juice and creamy tahini to bring the whole dish together.

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