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Mediterranean Chopped Salad with Homemade Dressing

April 20, 2023 by curryandvanilla Leave a Comment

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This easy to make, Mediterranean style crunchy, refreshing, filling, versatile and addictive chopped salad has become THE favorite salad in our house!

Mediterranean chopped salad

This addictive "chop, shake and mix" kinda salad is so good, you will love to dig into a large bowl for brunch, lunch, dinner or even as a snack like I did...a delicious anytime salad wouldn't you say?

The crunch of celery and romaine with the zing of onions, that delightful bite of protein rich edamame in contrast to just right cooked pasta is to die for!

Along with bite sized carrots, cucumbers and radish all encased in a tangy, mildly sweet, bit zingy and delicious dressing, (what my son calls, “the perfect dressing”), has been on repeat in our house the last few days!

The small bite sized bits of the veggies ensure that zingy dressing envelopes more area and every inch of the salad making your salad meal super delicious!

So easy to make….just chop, add easy homemade dressing, mix and enjoy!

The best part is, it can be made ahead keeping the salad veggies (as well as pasta if using) and dressing separate and then mixing just before serving or eating; a boon to busy home cooks and perfect to make ahead and serve at parties or get togethers!

Mediterranean Chopped Salad

WHAT IS ANYTIME SALAD

This chopped salad is literally an anytime salad as I have had it as a complete meal for lunch, brunch as well as a mid morning snack…that good!

You can enjoy it along with your regular meals as a side salad or as it has pasta and protein rich edamame, it can become a complete meal too!

The only cooking you will need to do is boiling the pasta and edamame, that too if using them in the salad.

It has all our favorite vegetables any salad can have too; carrots, radish, cucumbers, onions, celery and crunchy Romaine lettuce chopped into small bite sized pieces.

Feel free to customize using veggies you like or have (of course need to be a salad worthy one) and make it your own.

Just mix the chopped veggies, cooked pasta and dressing; dig in!

Mediterranean chopped salad

WHY IS THIS A VERY VERSATILE SALAD

You do not have to use all the veggies I have mentioned or used.

Use your favorite and what you have in the fridge. But our most favorite in this addictive salad is crunchy celery, so try and add some if you can find it at your grocers!

Don’t love pasta? Then do omit it and use only vegetables.

Love chickpeas or any other beans? Then use that instead of edamame. Why, maybe some cubed tofu or paneer would be wonderful too!

Dressing too is customizable. Make it just savory and omit the sweetener or use any odorless cooking oil instead of olive oil. Basically, you need a dressing that suits your family. This mix and shake kinda delicious dressing is just one you can build on.

Toss the veggies, pasta with dressing and serve immediately!

Or toss the veggies in a bowl, prepare the dressing in a jar or bottle and then chill separately in the fridge; mix as much as you want just before serving.

Make just for 2 or for a crowd. Coated with a mildly sweet, just right spicy, tangy and refreshing homemade dressing, everyone is going to come back for more.

My recipe is just a blank canvas for you to build on.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE MEDITERRANEAN CHOPPED SALAD:

Romaine Lettuce: I love the crunchiness of these salad leaves and they tend to not sog up or wilt in the salad that easily. You can use any you like. Just cut them into bite sized pieces.

Persian or English Cucumbers: Love the addition of this in most of my salads as they are mostly seedless and you can eat them with the skin. Try and use mostly seedless cucumbers, but if you cannot find them, deseed your regular cucumber and then use.

Celery: Chop and add for that amazing crunch in every spoonful of salad!

Cherry Tomatoes: Love these cuties..just halve and add. Or, you can use any other variety you  love or can find. Just chop them into bite sized pieces.

Carrots: Peel and chop into bite sized pieces or bits.

Red Radish: Optional but adds more additional crunch, color and flavor.

Edamame: These are immature soy or soya beans; an excellent source of plant protein, full of vitamins and minerals and a protein factor in this salad. I am so in love with the texture and flavor of this but you can substitute with any cooked beans or legume….it can be chickpeas, black beans, white beans or even paneer or tofu!

Pasta: Pasta is another favorite in my salads. This is optional but if you love pasta like me, try and use al dente cooked bite sized pasta like rotini, macaroni, small shell here etc.

For the Dressing:

Olive oil: Like in any Mediterranean dressing, extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is the best to use but you can substitute with any odorless oil like vegetable oil too.

Balsamic Vinegar: If you have it, you must use that. It gives the dressing a wonderful tangy yet sweet tone. But if you cannot, use regular vinegar or even apple cider vinegar.

Lemon juice: Any salad gets that extra oomph and freshness with freshly squeezed lemon juice; so do add some fresh lemon juice here too!

Sweetener: Dressings get that extra flavor when you add a bit of sweetener to balance the flavors. I love using honey or even maple syrup but here, to keep it plant based, I have used date syrup which is now easily available either in stores or online.

Dried herbs: Use mixed herbs or even just dried oregano leaves.

Garlic: You can use garlic powder but it does not give the flavor and freshness that fresh garlic gives. Grate a clove or two in the dressing.

Mustard: Dijon mustard is perfect to add in any salad dressing but this time as I did not have any, used a grainy mustard paste (both available in stores or online). You can use any bottled mustard you can find. Do add it as it gives a wonderful flavor as well as helps emulsify the dressing.

Salt: Either plain table salt or Himalayan pink salt.

Black pepper powder: Just a dash to spice things up.

Mediterranean chopped salad

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:
Once you have chopped the veggies, boiled the pasta/edamame (and cooled), whisked the dressing in a jar or bottle; you can toss them together and enjoy the salad immediately.

But if making a large batch (to last the whole week or for a large crowd), mix a large bowl of the veggies and pasta, remove only how much as you need (for 1, 2 or more people) in a bowl, add just enough dressing to coat them and serve immediately.

(We serve as much of the salad ingredients in a bowl when ready to eat and individually pour the dressing; how much or how little as each of us wants).

Mixing both and letting it sit will make the salad soggy which is not what you want!

This delicious homemade dressing stays good in the fridge for at least a week, so make a large bottle of it and store in the fridge. Use this in any salad.

Once you make this Mediterranean Chopped Salad, you and your family will definitely be craving for more!

Do try this foodie friends and your summers or for that matter any time of the year will be a bit refreshing and more enjoyable!

Enjoy and Happy Eating!

Time to Print and Save the recipe:

Mediterranean chopped salad
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Mediterranean Chopped Salad with Homemade Dressing

Full of veggies and pasta in a zingy, mildly sweet homemade dressing, this has become our favorite anytime salad to enjoy gleefully
Course Brunch, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine Mediterranean
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings 8
Author Vanitha Bhat

Ingredients

FOR THE DRESSING:

  • ½ cup extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoon ground mustard
  • 2-3 tablespoons date syrup or any sweetener
  • 2-3 cloves of minced or grated garlic
  • ½ teaspoon mixed herbs
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
  • 1 to 1 ½ teaspoons Pink salt or to taste

FOR THE SALAD:

  • 1 cup pasta I used rotini pasta; cooked al dente and cooled
  • 1 ½ cups cherry tomato halved
  • 1 heart romaine lettuce trimmed and chopped into bite sized pieces (about 3 cups)
  • ½ cup red radish chopped
  • ½ cup chopped red onions
  • ½ cup chopped celery
  • 1 cup chopped English cucumber
  • 1 cup edamame

Instructions

TO MAKE THE DRESSING:

  1. In a small bottle or jar, add the oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, grated garlic, herbs, date syrup, grainy mustard, salt and pepper.

  2. Close the jar and shake well for about 10 seconds to emulsify the dressing.
  3. Set aside.

TO MAKE THE SUMMER SALAD:

  1. In a large bowl, combine all the chopped salad ingredients, including pasta and edamame if using.

  2. If serving immediately, pour the dressing, mix well and serve.
  3. But if serving later or in portions, spoon as much of the salad ingredients needed to finish at that time in a separate bowl and add the required amount of dressing; as much as needed.

  4. Toss gently and serve.

Recipe Notes

  • Store any leftovers in an airtight container in your fridge; dressing and veggies separately. Mix only as much of the salad and dressing as needed.
  • Dressing lasts for at least a week or two so feel free to make a large batch (double or triple the amounts) and use it with any salad or even as a marinade.
  • Other salad options are chickpeas, beans, paneer, tofu etc.
  • For more deliciousness, you can stir in chopped walnuts, chopped dates or even raisins just before serving; some of my salad favorites!
  • Feta cheese bits too add a lovely savory hit in the salad. Again, sprinkle just before eating!
  • Enjoy and Happy Eating!

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