You see them on Insta. You enjoy them at restaurants. Colorful, flavorful salads are fun to look at, make and eat! While salads aren’t only for vegans, it’s surprising that so many salad recipes contain dairy. If you’re craving more greens and veggies in your day the dairy-free way, Vevan has you covered! Check out how to enjoy dairy-free salad all year round.
Is there dairy in salad?
Salads come in many varieties and in all seasons, especially based on which fresh vegetables are available. Traditionally, a salad is a mix of raw or cooked vegetables, often seasoned and mixed with dressing, but salads can also be filled with fruits or pasta, and even find their way onto the dessert menu. If you’ve gone dairy-free or are even seeking to reduce the dairy in your diet, what should you look out for in a restaurant salad or Tik-Tok trend to avoid that moo moo stuff?
- Cheese – feta, goat cheese, shredded mozzarella, Parmesan… all of these delicious toppings add creaminess and flavor to popular salads. It’s rare to find a salad without cheese! Luckily, you can enjoy your favorite salads topped with Vevan’s dairy-free cheeses!
- Dressing – ranch, creamy Italian, and trendy green goddess contain ingredients like sour cream, yogurt, and buttermilk, none of which are friendly with dairy-free eating.
- Whipped cream – found in grandma’s ambrosia or those summer picnic treats, whipped cream is a key ingredient mixed into many sweet salads.
With something so rooted (pun intended) in green goodness, salads have become dairy’s playground. If you’re a fan or wannabe lover of salads and have gone dairy-free, you can still whip up and indulge in a delicious concoction, no matter the season!
Dairy-free salad for winter
When temperatures drop, it’s typical to reach for a blanket, cup of hot cocoa, and comfort food. With holiday stress and not enough sunlight, people tend to spend more time inside being sedentary, often packing on a few extra pounds during colder months.
Our Delicious Dairy-Free Holiday Salad is filled with the colors and flavors of the season! With a base of roasted cauliflower, toasted hazelnuts, raisins, red and green grapes, and stacks of our Vevan Mozza-Melts grace this salad in a chorus of yumminess, sure to make your spirits bright. Tossed in a maple dijon dressing and topped with pomegranate arils, this salad is a crowd-pleaser for any holiday gathering. Consider topping with bits of candied bacon for an added crunch and kick of protein.
Planning a meal? Try pairing this salad with these other winter favorites – filled with all the comfort you need and none of the dairy!
Dairy-free salad for spring
Spring into a new season by trading heavy carbs for hearty greens! Salads are the perfect way to embrace a new rhythm and fresh dinner ideas.
Start with a take on a classic Caesar salad with our Grilled Tempeh & Mozza Crisps Caesar Salad. Atop a chopped bed of romaine, add some crunch with croutons, grilled tempeh, and homemade crisps using Vevan Mozza-Shred. Toss with your favorite vegan Caesar dressing and enjoy as a side or main dish.
Salad on the go? Try our Curried Chickpea Salad rolled into pinwheels for the perfect picnic lunch. After mashing 2 cans of chickpeas, add in chopped veggies like celery and carrots (maybe a bit of purple cabbage for color), plus some raisins and cashews, P’Jack-Shred, mayo, and spices. Top a tortilla with a handful of spinach, spread the chickpea salad, roll, and slice into pinwheels. Watching calories? Skip the tortilla and enjoy over a bowl of your favorite mixed greens.
Dairy-free salad for summer
With beach season in full swing, it’s time to really bust out your salad spinner and enjoy the seasonal bounty of your garden or local farm market. Be a lean, mean green machine in no time!
This Summer Glow Green Goodness Salad will have you glowing! Get your green on with chopped kale, slice granny smith apples, chopped broccoli, green beans, and snow peas. Mix it all together and top with our lime and maple dressing and some Mozza crisps for a super crunchy, super satisfying salad.
Keep things light with our dairy-free Summer Caprese Salad! Best served as an app or even quick lunch, this recipe calls for garden fresh basil, tomatoes and zucchini paired with slices of our smooth, creamy Vevan Mozza. Drizzle with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon and you have a dish that sizzles.
Dairy-free salad for fall
When the days start to shorten and the nights start to cool, don’t give salad the cold shoulder. These dairy-free salad recipes for fall will have you coming back for more.
Have an Insta-worthy dinner with this Fresh Fiesta Cobb Salad! This hearty dish relies on red and green cabbage for its base. Build it up with all the fixin’s – black beans, sliced avocado, corn, grated onion, diced tomato, and more. Give it a kick with a few sprinkles of P’Jack-Shred and our homemade avocado lime dressing!
Dinner is a breeze with this Make Ahead Couscous Salad. Cherry tomatoes, cucumber and olives mix with couscous, Mozza-Melts, and Mediterranean-inspired flavors to create a healthy, convenient meal that may just become a new go-to.
Dairy-free eating is always in season
Winter, spring, summer or fall – you can have it all when it comes to dairy-free salad. Work a few of these recipes into your rotation and enjoy getting your green on sans dairy.
What’s your favorite dairy-free salad? Share your recipes using our lineup of dairy-free cheeses on Instagram and be sure to tag us @vevan.foods.
BUTTON Cheese for every dairy-free salad
Want more recipes? Download our cookbook and let us meal plan for you!
