9 High Protein Vegan Salads

Many of us are finally experiencing some warm summer weather, and eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables is an easy way to top up your hydration and enjoy lighter meals at this time of year.

Read more: 10 Vegan Summer Recipes

Lots of salad is also in season right now, which means that any shoots, stems, and leaves that you buy – or grow yourself – are going to be tastier and more nutrient-dense. But hitting your macronutrients – think protein, carbohydrates, and fats – is also important, and that’s why the vegan salads included below are bolstered with protein-rich ingredients.

Here are nine high-protein vegan salads for summer.

High protein vegan salads

Like so much of the English vocabulary, the word “salad” originates in the French “salade,” which in turn comes from the Latin “salata,” or “salted” – a helpful hint for anyone who still thinks salads have to be unseasoned and uninspiring to be nutritious.

The below recipes are anything but, and include delicious and nutrient-dense ingredients such as vegan halloumi, beans, peanuts, rice, pistachios, and of course, fresh veggies.

Vegan halloumi salad

While there are now a few different brands of store-bought vegan halloumi, this recipe from BOSH! features a high-protein homemade option. Flavor firm tofu with nutritional yeast, lemons, olive oil, mint, garlic powder, and salt for an authentic-tasting plant-based halloumi.

“If you ask us, salads should have big, punchy flavors and a robust, satisfying bite,” write BOSH! founders Henry Firth and Ian Theasby. “They should please your palate and your stomach in equal measure. This salad does both of those things perfectly.”

Find the recipe here.

Couscous salad jar

Maya Leinenbach at FitGreenMind created this couscous salad jar as a quick, easy, and nutritious recipe. Like the previous dish, it features tofu as a good vegan source of protein, and because it’s served in individual jars it’s particularly useful for batch cooking weekday lunches ahead of time. It’s served with a maple, harissa, and hummus dressing.

Find the recipe here.

Lentil and broccoli summer salad

Lentil and broccoli vegan summer salad served on a rectangular platter — Natlicious Food Combine lentils and broccoli for this particularly hearty salad recipe

This recipe from Natali Eleftheriou of Natlicious Food combines high-protein lentils with broccoli for a hearty and filling salad. It’s seasoned with an orange, garlic, mustard, apple cider vinegar, and maple dressing which makes it sweet, pungent, and sharp all together.

Find the recipe here.

Mexican bean salad

Elisa Rossi of Happy Skin Kitchen writes: “I love this Mexican-inspired salad because it’s just bursting with flavor, it’s super simple, quick, and it lasts well in the fridge for a few days, making it a great option for packed lunches too.”

Find the recipe here.

Crunchy peanut salad

A large plate of vegan crunchy high protein peanut salad — Natlicious Food Combine crushed peanuts with edamame beans in this crunchy salad

Another one from Natlicious Food, this crunchy peanut salad is high in protein thanks to a combination of crushed peanuts, quinoa, and boiled edamame beans. The dressing combines olive oil, soy sauce, maple syrup, lemon juice, ginger, garlic, and peanut butter.

Find the recipe here.

Nutty rice salad

Nourishing Amy’s Amy Lanza combines a “delicious mix of brown rice, sweetcorn, peas, [and] fresh rocket with chewy dried apricots, tropical coconut flakes, and chopped nuts” for this unusual and tasty vegan salad recipe. It can be served warm or cold.

Find the recipe here.

Vegan lentil salad

Photo shows a large bowl of colorful, high-protein lentil salad — The Garden Party This salad from Rachel Steenland features affordable, high-protein tinned lentils

Rachel Steenland from The Garden Party created this colorful vegan lentil salad recipe. It’s filling enough to work well as a meal by itself, or it can be paired with something else as a nutritious side. You can use any canned lentils you have to hand or substitute in a dried variety for some extra fiber.

“This chilled lentil salad is served at room temperature or cold, and it makes the perfect meal or side dish,” says Steenland. “Dressing and lots of fresh vegetables and herbs make it a tasty and healthy way to enjoy this powerhouse pulse.”

Find the recipe here.

Halloumi pistachio salad

A bowl of vegan halloumi salad made with tofu — BOSH! Another salad recipe from BOSH!, this one also includes tofu-based halloumi

Another halloumi salad from BOSH!, this version combines well-seasoned tofu with pistachios for extra protein and their deliciously nutty, buttery flavor.

”Just before we went vegan, halloumi was having a moment in the spotlight,” write Firth and Theasby. “We loved halloumi, so we decided to make a super convincing vegan version using tofu! This recipe is fantastic, the flavors and texture of the “halloumi” is perfect and it’s complemented perfectly by the zippy salad. Wonderful!”

Find the recipe here.

Easy three-bean salad

three bean salad made with chickpeas, kidney beans, black beans, apple pieces, and a tangy vinegar dressing — Dreena Burton This three-bean salad includes chunks of apple and a tangy dressing

“This easy three-bean salad replaces onion for green onion and green beans for chickpeas for a fun twist on the classic that incorporates extra protein into the salad,” writes Dreena Burton, recipe creator and author of Let Them Eat Vegan. “Topped with a tangy dressing and served cold as a side at picnics or potlucks, it’s an incredibly versatile salad. Not taking it anywhere? Have it with tortilla chips and guacamole or simply add it to your lunch or dinner.”

Find the recipe here.