Mediterranean Salad features chopped romaine, shredded red cabbage, crispy cauliflower rice, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, black olives, capers garlic roasted chickpea croutons, and a greek vinaigrette for a light, crisp, and healthy salad.
Look no further than a light summer salad packed with bold Mediterranean flavors. This summer, try making this recipe for Mediterranean Chopped Summer Salad with Crunchy Garlic Croutons. Transport to a European oasis with a zesty greek vinaigrette, crispy cauliflower rice, salty black olives and refreshing cucumbers.
Preparing Mediterranean Chopped Salad takes only 15 minutes. It is perfect for serving as a side salad or a main lunch dish. Make this salad a staple on your weekly recipe rotation. You may already be familiar with this 5 Ingredient Kale Vegan Caesar Salad, Hummus Veggie Wraps or Vegan Chickpea ‘Tuna’ Salad. All are delicious and light summer dishes.
Next, I will show you step-by-step instructions and the ingredients you’ll need to prepare this tasty and refreshing salad.
Ingredients You’ll Need:
I love to admire the beauty of the natural organic ingredients used in this salad. Beautiful and healthy vegetables make up the majority of this Mediterranean Chopped Summer Salad. The vibrant colors make this dish a work of art and truly encompass the beauty of the Mediterranean.
- Romaine lettuce – or use your favorite leafy greens such as spinach or arugula.
- Shredded purple cabbage
- Cucumber – I use english cucumber because there are less seeds
- Red onion
- Black olives – or you can use kalamata olives.
- Roasted red peppers
- Cherry tomatoes
- Capers – classic Mediterranean salty flavor
- Cauliflower – for the crispy cauliflower rice
- Chickpeas – for the roasted garlic croutons
- Olive oil + Rice vinegar – for the dressing
- Garlic powder +salt + pepper – just a sprinkle to taste
How To Make Mediterranean Chopped Summer Salad
- Start by making the Garlic Chickpea Croutons. Preheat the oven to 400F. Next, rinse and drain a can of organic chickpeas and pat them dry with a towel. Place the chickpeas onto a large baking tray lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle the chickpeas with garlic powder and salt. Place them in the oven for 10 minutes. Toss the chickpeas and bake for another 10-15 minutes until crispy and golden brown.
Make the Crispy Cauliflower Rice
- Make the Crispy Cauliflower Rice. Rinse one head of cauliflower with water to remove excess dirt. Use a towel to pat dry. Next, cut the cauliflower in half from the bottom stem up to the top. On a slight slant, cut the florets off to make mini bite size pieces. On a flat surface, use a large knife and chop the cauliflower into tiny pieces to form rice.
- Finally, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large pan or cast iron skillet. Add in the cauliflower rice and stir for 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir for 5 minutes until the cauliflower turns lightly brown and crispy.
- Prepare the Greek Vinaigrette. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil and rice vinegar. You can also substitute with red wine vinegar and add a tablespoon of lemon juice. Whisk the oil and vinegar together. Then, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Prep the produce. Chop the purple cabbage, lettuce, cucumbers, olives, red onion, roasted red pepper and cherry tomatoes.
- Assemble the Mediterranean Chopped Summer Salad. In a large bowl, add the lettuce and cabbage to the bottom. Top with cucumber, roasted red peppers, capers, tomatoes, onion, kalamata olives, crispy cauliflower rice, and garlic chickpea croutons. Drizzle with the vinaigrette and toss!
How To Store & Meal Prep Mediterranean Chopped Salad
- Refrigerator: This salad will store perfectly in the fridge for up to 5 days. Store the Greek Vinaigrette separately from the produce. Drizzle the dressing on the salad when you are ready to serve.
- Meal prep: Mediterranean Chopped Summer Salad can be packed for meal prep and stored in multi-use glass containers for easy to-go meals. You can store the salad and dressing separately and toss together before storing.
Serving Suggestions
- Sandwich: Mediterranean Chopped Salad pairs perfectly with Roasted Red Pepper Chickpea Salad Sandwich or with One Pot Easy Pasta.
- Calzones: I love to serve this alongside a heavy dish to lighten it up. Serve with these Vegan Italian Calzones or even with Veggie Lasagna.
- Toppings: Add sliced avocado or crumbled vegan feta cheese for true Mediterranean flavor. I like to squeeze a little lemon juice on top of my salad for extra acidity.
If you try this Mediterranean Chopped Summer Salad recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make. Cheers.
MEDITERRANEAN CHOPPED SUMMER SALAD
Mediterranean Salad features chopped romaine, shredded red cabbage, crispy cauliflower rice, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, black olives, capers garlic roasted chickpea croutons, and a greek vinaigrette for a light, crisp, and healthy salad.
Ingredients
- 2 heads romaine lettuce (or your favorite leafy green)
- 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
- 1 large english cucumber, sliced
- ½ cup red onion, sliced
- ½ cup black olives (or kalamata olives)
- ½ cup roasted red peppers, sliced
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes, sliced
- 2-3 tablespoons capers
- 15.5 ounces canned chickpeas, drained (1 can)
- 1 medium cauliflower
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Garlic Chickpea Croutons:
- Preheat the oven to 400F
- Rinse and drain a can of organic chickpeas and pat them dry with a towel. Place the chickpeas onto a large baking tray lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle the chickpeas with garlic powder and salt. Place them in the oven for 10 minutes. Toss the chickpeas and bake for another 10-15 minutes until crispy and golden brown.
Crispy Cauliflower Rice:
- Rinse one head of cauliflower with water to remove excess dirt. Use a towel to pat dry. Next, cut the cauliflower in half vertically from the bottom stem up to the top. On a slight slant, cut the florets off to make mini bite size pieces. On a flat surface, use a large knife and chop the cauliflower into tiny pieces to form rice.
- Finally, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large pan or cast iron skillet. Add in the cauliflower rice and stir for 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir for 5 minutes until the cauliflower turns lightly brown and crispy.
Greek Vinaigrette:
- In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil and rice vinegar. You can also substitute with red wine vinegar and add a tablespoon of lemon juice. Whisk the oil and vinegar together. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Prep the produce:
- Chop the purple cabbage, lettuce, cucumbers, olives, red onion, roasted red pepper and cherry tomatoes.
Assemble Salad:
- You can assemble the salad in two ways: using a large serving bowl or individual serving bowls. Either way, add the lettuce and cabbage, top with cucumber, roasted red peppers, capers, tomatoes, onion, kalamata olives, crispy cauliflower rice, and garlic chickpea croutons. Drizzle with the vinaigrette and toss!
Notes
How To Store & Meal Prep
- Refrigerator: This salad will store perfectly in the fridge for up to 5 days. Store the Greek Vinaigrette separately from the produce. Drizzle the dressing on the salad when you are ready to serve.
- Meal prep: Mediterranean Chopped Summer Salad can be packed for meal prep and stored in multi-use glass containers for easy to-go meals. You can store the salad and dressing separately and toss together before storing.
Serving Suggestions:
Preparing Mediterranean Chopped Salad takes only 15 minutes. It is perfect for serving as a side salad or a main lunch dish. Make this salad a staple on your weekly recipe rotation this summer. You may already be familiar with this 5 Ingredient Kale Vegan Caesar Salad, Hummus Veggie Wraps or Vegan Chickpea ‘Tuna’ Salad. All are delicious and light summer dishes. Also consider:- Sandwich: Mediterranean Chopped Salad pairs perfectly with Roasted Red Pepper Chickpea Salad Sandwich or with One Pot Easy Pasta.
- Calzones: I love to serve this alongside a heavy dish to lighten it up. Serve with these Vegan Italian Calzones or even with Veggie Lasagna.
- Toppings: Add sliced avocado or crumbled vegan feta cheese for true Mediterranean flavor. I like to squeeze a little lemon juice on top of my salad for extra acidity.
[…] everyone can help themselves. This dish pairs perfectly with my 5 Ingredient Kale Caesar Salad or Mediterranean Salad with Garlic Croutons as side dishes. When I am really feeling nostalgia, I make my Baguettes Recipe and take a big piece […]