Vegetarian Chopped Power Salad with Creamy Cilantro Dressing

Photo: Brie Passano

Active Time:25 minsTotal Time:25 minsServings:4Jump to Nutrition Facts

Active Time:25 minsTotal Time:25 minsServings:4

Active Time:25 mins

Active Time:

25 mins

Total Time:25 mins

Total Time:

Servings:4

Servings:

Jump to Nutrition Facts

Jump to recipeChopped salads are all the rage, and ourVegetarian Chopped Power Salad with Creamy Cilantro Dressingis going to become one of your favorites. This salad is packed with fiber from the greens, vegetables, quinoa, chickpeas and pepitas—you’ll have no trouble reaching your daily fiber goals with this salad. You’ll also bank a healthy amount of plant-based protein from the quinoa and beans, which will ensure you are satisfied after you eat this salad. And with any salad, it’s all about the dressing; this creamy cilantro dressing is perfectly tangy with buttermilk and apple cider vinegar—a delight for your taste buds. Keep reading for our expert tips on what to use if you don’t have buttermilk, herbs to substitute if you don’t like cilantro and more!Tips from the EatingWell Test KitchenThese are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too!Consider purchasing prepackaged cut vegetables to save time. However, you want all ingredients the same size, so this may require additional slicing or chopping.You can opt for a chef’s knife to chop vegetables to a consistent size or try using the half-moon blade mezzaluna.If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own with milk and lemon with our2-Ingredient Homemade Buttermilk.If you don’t like cilantro, parsley is a good substitute, as is basil, mint or dill.Nutrition NotesKaleis still a favorite in the green department because it truly is a workhorse in nutrition. It’s low in total calories and carbohydrates, so it’s great for many different dietary patterns. It’s a source of calcium, magnesium and potassium, which makes this an excellent greens choice for heart health. It is also high in vitamin K, which is essential for blood clotting—this is important to understand for anyone taking blood-thinning medication.Chickpeasare an extremely versatile bean from hummus to vegetarian main dishes. They are a source of plant-based protein and fiber in this salad—two nutrients that are essential in the diet, but also very important for anyone with weight loss goals. Canned chickpeas can have additional sodium added during processing, so if you are trying to reduce the total amount of sodium in your diet, just give them a quick rinse after draining.Bell peppersdon’t just give color to this salad; they also pack in nutrition. Gram for gram, bell peppers have more vitamin C than an orange. Vitamin C doesn’t get much attention, but we need vitamin C every day. It helps maintain your immune system, and it’s important to keep your skin healthy.Quinoais a whole grain that is packed with nutrition, so it’s a good choice to mix in with any salad. It’s also one of the few plant-based foods that is a complete protein, meaning it contains all of the same essential amino acids as an animal-based protein. To top it off, you’ll get fiber and antioxidants, which both can help your gut fight inflammation throughout the body.

Jump to recipe

Chopped salads are all the rage, and ourVegetarian Chopped Power Salad with Creamy Cilantro Dressingis going to become one of your favorites. This salad is packed with fiber from the greens, vegetables, quinoa, chickpeas and pepitas—you’ll have no trouble reaching your daily fiber goals with this salad. You’ll also bank a healthy amount of plant-based protein from the quinoa and beans, which will ensure you are satisfied after you eat this salad. And with any salad, it’s all about the dressing; this creamy cilantro dressing is perfectly tangy with buttermilk and apple cider vinegar—a delight for your taste buds. Keep reading for our expert tips on what to use if you don’t have buttermilk, herbs to substitute if you don’t like cilantro and more!Tips from the EatingWell Test KitchenThese are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too!Consider purchasing prepackaged cut vegetables to save time. However, you want all ingredients the same size, so this may require additional slicing or chopping.You can opt for a chef’s knife to chop vegetables to a consistent size or try using the half-moon blade mezzaluna.If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own with milk and lemon with our2-Ingredient Homemade Buttermilk.If you don’t like cilantro, parsley is a good substitute, as is basil, mint or dill.Nutrition NotesKaleis still a favorite in the green department because it truly is a workhorse in nutrition. It’s low in total calories and carbohydrates, so it’s great for many different dietary patterns. It’s a source of calcium, magnesium and potassium, which makes this an excellent greens choice for heart health. It is also high in vitamin K, which is essential for blood clotting—this is important to understand for anyone taking blood-thinning medication.Chickpeasare an extremely versatile bean from hummus to vegetarian main dishes. They are a source of plant-based protein and fiber in this salad—two nutrients that are essential in the diet, but also very important for anyone with weight loss goals. Canned chickpeas can have additional sodium added during processing, so if you are trying to reduce the total amount of sodium in your diet, just give them a quick rinse after draining.Bell peppersdon’t just give color to this salad; they also pack in nutrition. Gram for gram, bell peppers have more vitamin C than an orange. Vitamin C doesn’t get much attention, but we need vitamin C every day. It helps maintain your immune system, and it’s important to keep your skin healthy.Quinoais a whole grain that is packed with nutrition, so it’s a good choice to mix in with any salad. It’s also one of the few plant-based foods that is a complete protein, meaning it contains all of the same essential amino acids as an animal-based protein. To top it off, you’ll get fiber and antioxidants, which both can help your gut fight inflammation throughout the body.

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too!

Nutrition Notes

Cook Mode(Keep screen awake)Ingredients½cupchopped cilantro¼cupbuttermilk¼cupmayonnaise2tablespoonschopped shallot1tablespooncider vinegar¼teaspoonsalt¼teaspoonground pepper6cupstorn lettuce2cupsfinely sliced stemmed kale1(15 ounce) canchickpeas, rinsed2mediumcarrots, sliced1mediumred or yellow bell pepper, diced1cupcooked quinoa⅓cuproasted unsalted pepitas

Cook Mode(Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

½cupchopped cilantro

¼cupbuttermilk

¼cupmayonnaise

2tablespoonschopped shallot

1tablespooncider vinegar

¼teaspoonsalt

¼teaspoonground pepper

6cupstorn lettuce

2cupsfinely sliced stemmed kale

1(15 ounce) canchickpeas, rinsed

2mediumcarrots, sliced

1mediumred or yellow bell pepper, diced

1cupcooked quinoa

⅓cuproasted unsalted pepitas

DirectionsCombine 1/2 cup cilantro, 1/4 cup buttermilk, 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons shallot, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a mini food processor. Process until well blended.Combine 6 cups lettuce, 2 cups kale, 15 ounces chickpeas, 2 sliced carrots, 1 sliced bell pepper and 1 cup cooked quinoa in a large bowl. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss well to coat. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup pepitas before serving.To make aheadThe Creamy Cilantro Dressing (Step 1) can be assembled about 3 days before serving. However, be aware that the ingredients may taste stronger the longer it sits. Salad ingredients can be chopped the day before serving and placed in individual airtight storage containers.Frequently Asked QuestionsChopped salads gained popularity in the 1950s in Beverly Hills when chef Jean Leon began serving them to patrons, including Hollywood stars, at the La Scala restaurant, which continues to offer them today.A chopped salad is best enjoyed the day you make it. However, it can stay fresh and crisp and last 2 to 3 days if you store the ingredients separately in an airtight container lined with paper towels to prevent excess moisture.This salad is hearty enough to be enjoyed as a meal, which makes it perfect with focaccia, breadsticks or dinner rolls, such as ourSlow-Cooker Honey Whole-Wheat RollsorSpicy Seeded Rolls. It also pairs nicely with a thin-crust white pizza or ourTwo-Ingredient Dough Margherita Pizza.There are so many ways to use up a container of buttermilk. We think it elevatespancakesand waffles, as well as ourCranberry Buttermilk Pierecipe,Buttermilk Biscuits,Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes with White PepperandButtermilk Fried Tofu with Smoky Collard Greens.EatingWell.com, September 2021; updated October 2022

Directions

Combine 1/2 cup cilantro, 1/4 cup buttermilk, 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons shallot, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a mini food processor. Process until well blended.Combine 6 cups lettuce, 2 cups kale, 15 ounces chickpeas, 2 sliced carrots, 1 sliced bell pepper and 1 cup cooked quinoa in a large bowl. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss well to coat. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup pepitas before serving.To make aheadThe Creamy Cilantro Dressing (Step 1) can be assembled about 3 days before serving. However, be aware that the ingredients may taste stronger the longer it sits. Salad ingredients can be chopped the day before serving and placed in individual airtight storage containers.Frequently Asked QuestionsChopped salads gained popularity in the 1950s in Beverly Hills when chef Jean Leon began serving them to patrons, including Hollywood stars, at the La Scala restaurant, which continues to offer them today.A chopped salad is best enjoyed the day you make it. However, it can stay fresh and crisp and last 2 to 3 days if you store the ingredients separately in an airtight container lined with paper towels to prevent excess moisture.This salad is hearty enough to be enjoyed as a meal, which makes it perfect with focaccia, breadsticks or dinner rolls, such as ourSlow-Cooker Honey Whole-Wheat RollsorSpicy Seeded Rolls. It also pairs nicely with a thin-crust white pizza or ourTwo-Ingredient Dough Margherita Pizza.There are so many ways to use up a container of buttermilk. We think it elevatespancakesand waffles, as well as ourCranberry Buttermilk Pierecipe,Buttermilk Biscuits,Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes with White PepperandButtermilk Fried Tofu with Smoky Collard Greens.

Combine 6 cups lettuce, 2 cups kale, 15 ounces chickpeas, 2 sliced carrots, 1 sliced bell pepper and 1 cup cooked quinoa in a large bowl. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss well to coat. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup pepitas before serving.

To make aheadThe Creamy Cilantro Dressing (Step 1) can be assembled about 3 days before serving. However, be aware that the ingredients may taste stronger the longer it sits. Salad ingredients can be chopped the day before serving and placed in individual airtight storage containers.

To make ahead

The Creamy Cilantro Dressing (Step 1) can be assembled about 3 days before serving. However, be aware that the ingredients may taste stronger the longer it sits. Salad ingredients can be chopped the day before serving and placed in individual airtight storage containers.

Frequently Asked QuestionsChopped salads gained popularity in the 1950s in Beverly Hills when chef Jean Leon began serving them to patrons, including Hollywood stars, at the La Scala restaurant, which continues to offer them today.A chopped salad is best enjoyed the day you make it. However, it can stay fresh and crisp and last 2 to 3 days if you store the ingredients separately in an airtight container lined with paper towels to prevent excess moisture.This salad is hearty enough to be enjoyed as a meal, which makes it perfect with focaccia, breadsticks or dinner rolls, such as ourSlow-Cooker Honey Whole-Wheat RollsorSpicy Seeded Rolls. It also pairs nicely with a thin-crust white pizza or ourTwo-Ingredient Dough Margherita Pizza.There are so many ways to use up a container of buttermilk. We think it elevatespancakesand waffles, as well as ourCranberry Buttermilk Pierecipe,Buttermilk Biscuits,Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes with White PepperandButtermilk Fried Tofu with Smoky Collard Greens.

Frequently Asked Questions

Chopped salads gained popularity in the 1950s in Beverly Hills when chef Jean Leon began serving them to patrons, including Hollywood stars, at the La Scala restaurant, which continues to offer them today.

A chopped salad is best enjoyed the day you make it. However, it can stay fresh and crisp and last 2 to 3 days if you store the ingredients separately in an airtight container lined with paper towels to prevent excess moisture.

This salad is hearty enough to be enjoyed as a meal, which makes it perfect with focaccia, breadsticks or dinner rolls, such as ourSlow-Cooker Honey Whole-Wheat RollsorSpicy Seeded Rolls. It also pairs nicely with a thin-crust white pizza or ourTwo-Ingredient Dough Margherita Pizza.

There are so many ways to use up a container of buttermilk. We think it elevatespancakesand waffles, as well as ourCranberry Buttermilk Pierecipe,Buttermilk Biscuits,Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes with White PepperandButtermilk Fried Tofu with Smoky Collard Greens.

EatingWell.com, September 2021; updated October 2022

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Nutrition Facts(per serving)362Calories17gFat38gCarbs13gProtein

Nutrition Facts(per serving)

Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen#

Nutrition Notes#

Directions#

To make ahead#

Frequently Asked Questions#

Nutrition Facts(per serving)#