Build Your Own Vegan Chef Salad Bar

A build your own vegan chef salad bar is great for meal prepping or a party! follow this recipe as a guide for a tasty entree of fresh greens, veggies and protein.

recipe originally published March 11, 2016

 

DIY Salad Bar

Now that farmer's markets are open again and vegetable gardens are bursting with fresh produce, the perfect answer is to build your own chef salad bar. A huge bowl filled with fresh veggies and topped with warm protein is the perfect answer to what's for lunch.

Who loves salad like I do?

As a side salad, pretty much anything will do.

For an entree salad, I have some requirements. I need protein with my crisp cool greens. A variety of textures and flavors, and plenty of fresh veggies. And sometimes fruit.

This is my guide for serving a DIY salad bar for a party, AND a plan for your weekly meal prep for quick and easy weekday meals.

 

Why is it called a chef salad?

Supposedly, customers started requesting that Chef Seydoux add cuts of meat, cheese, and hard-boiled eggs to his house salad. Because it was such a popular request, the hotel honored the chef by calling it a chef's salad.

What is in a salad bar?

Every salad bar is a little bit different. But, when it comes to a chef salad bar, you can expect to find lettuce, chopped tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, carrots, and different colored bell peppers. Some may also include olives, pickles, croutons, and shredded cheese.

This vegan chef salad bar includes fresh spinach, a fresh organic spring mix, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, tofu, vegan cheese, avocado, and dressing. 

What dressing goes on a chef salad?

Traditionally, either a ranch dressing or Thousand Island dressing would top your chef salad bar. In this recipe, I've included our Celery Ranch Dressing which is super easy to make and so delicious.

It's the perfect dressing for a healthy chef salad bar. It is gluten, oil, and soy-free. 

 

Salad meal prep - can I make this ahead of time?

This easy chef salad bar is an easy meal prep idea. Simply put individual serving salads in airtight containers and store them in the refrigerator. Then, prepare the tofu and the dressing ahead of time. But, don't add them to the salad until you're ready to serve it.

Keep individual serving size containers of each of these in the refrigerator on top of the larger salad containers. When it's time to eat, everyone can grab their own salad and toppings and dinner is served. You can have this salad for lunch or as a side for dinner.

You can keep this salad in the refrigerator in airtight containers for three days. Just be sure not to add the tofu, cheese, or dressing until right before you serve it.

How can I have a salad bar party?

This vegan chef salad bar would be perfect for a party. You can make the base of spinach leaves and organic spring mix ahead of time and let everyone fill their bowls with this base. 

Then, set out bowls of fresh chopped veggies for people to add to their salad. And, leave extra toppings like tofu, salad dressing, and croutons. You might want to try our goat cheese croutons. Or, these smoky, sweet crunchy chickpeas would be delicious on top as well. You could even add a bowl of vegan goat cheese and let people add some to their salad as a topping. 

 

More delicious salad recipes

If you're craving more easy salad recipes like my vegan chef salad bar, try a few of my other favorites. You can never have too many entree salad recipes:

• Vegan cranberry chicken salad
• Mediterranean lentil salad
• White bean antipasto salad
• Roasted garlic raspberry salad
• Green Goddess chopped salad
• Vegan buffalo wing salad
• Lemony Brussels and kale chiffonade salad

 

Did you make this chef salad bar? 

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Yield: one salad or a whole salad bar

Build Your Own Vegan Chef Salad Bar

Print

Ingredients

• 14-28 ounces plain tofu cubes / Crispy Air Fried Tofu / seasoned baked tofu
• 1 large bunch fresh baby spinach, washed
• 1-2 containers fresh organic spring mix
• crumbly vegan cheese (goat cheese or cream cheese)
• 1 pint fresh cherry tomatoes, washed
• 1-2 heads fresh broccoli, washed and trimmed
• 1 -2 fresh whole avocado
• 1-2 cups Celery Ranch Dressing
• sunflower seeds or other nut
• sea salt and fresh cracked pepper

Instructions

Prep Salad Bar Ingredients

1. Prepare tofu.
2. Chop or rip salad greens into bite size pieces.
3. Using fork, crumble cheese into small pieces (or grate a shreddable cheese).
4. Chop or break broccoli trees into small bite size pieces.
5. Remove pit from avocado. Slice into strips or cubes.
6. Prepare dressing.

Salad Bar Assembly

1. Slice tofu and place in serving bowl / plate, with serving fork.
2. Arrange greens and spinach into large serving bowls with serving forks / tongs.
3. Add crumbled / grated cheese to small bowls, with small serving spoon.
4. Set cherry tomatoes in serving container with small serving spoon / fork.
5. Add broccoli pieces to serving bowls with serving utensil.
6. Leave sliced / cubed avocado in "shell" on a serving plate, or remove from "shells" and transfer to serving plate, with serving utensil.
7. Pour dressing into at least two pouring vessels, sitting on a plate to catch drips.
8. Pour sunflower seeds / nuts into small bowls, with small serving spoons.
9. Set out salt and pepper grinders / shakers.
10. Stack plates, napkins, and forks on one end of salad bar.

Single Salad Assembly

1. Layer spinach and spring mix greens in bowl.
2. Top with remaining ingredients and dressing.
3. Enjoy immediately!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 304Total Fat: 7gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 171mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 14gSugar: 6gProtein: 18g

nutrition calculations results vary by calculator, are for informational purposes only, and are not intended to replace medical advice or treatment.

 

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