How to Make Your Own Salad (and Dressing)

To make your own salad is pretty empowering. You no longer have to rely on restaurant offerings of a slice of tomato and cucumber with limp lettuce. But also are free from the (very expensive) bagged salads in supermarkets, and dressings often made with dairy ingredients.

This homemade vegetable salad with garlic (The Simple Veganista) combines cucumber, peppers, tomatoes, onion and garlic, in a homemade lemon Dijon mustard oil dressing.

Read our post on food safety for people and pets (many foods including onion, garlic and spices are unsafe near animal friends). It’s best to just bin allium scraps (onion, garlic, leeks, shallots, chives) as like tomato/citrus/rhubarb scraps, acids could harm compost creatures. 

For tinned ingredients, pop lids inside cans (or pop ring-pulls back over holes) to avoid wildlife getting trapped). 

Simple Tomato, Onion & Cucumber Salad

This simple tomato, cucumber & red onion salad (Broke Bank Vegan) is a step up from the ‘slice of lettuce, cucumber and tomato) for a side salad. Made with Roma, cherry or grape tomatoes, the recipe also uses fresh herbs, garlic, Dijon mustard, seasoning, vinegar/lemon juice for tang  and olive oil.

To skin a tomato, place a small cross in the bottom, cover with boiling water for 30 seconds, drain and pour cold water over. Due to lycopene (a red phytochemical) they are good for prostate issues – if you get up all night to pee, try a tomato soup or salad!

Tomato & Artichoke Salad (with chickpeas)

This Tomato & Artichoke Salad with Chickpeas (Short Girl, Tall Order) is a refreshing summer lunch recipe, making use of fresh tomatoes and canned artichoke hearts, along with tinned chickpeas for protein and calcium.

Homemade Vegan Pasta Salad

This vegan pasta salad (Exploring Vegan) combines with vegan mayo and vegan honey, along with Dijon mustard, and a variety of veggies (carrots, onion, bell pepper and celery). Garnish with scallions. Use plastic-free pasta!

A Simple Vegan Greek Salad Recipe

This vegan Greek salad (The Simple Veganista) is a tasty filling salad made with cucumber, red pepper, tomatoes, red onion, oregano and parsley, with lemon and kalamata olives. And tinned chickpeas (always pop lid tins inside or ring-pulls back over before recycling, to avoid wildlife getting trapped).

You can make your own vegan feta cheese (Madeleine Olivia). Or buy it (Fetamorphosis and Kinda Co Greek Style).

A Recipe for Homemade Vegan Potato Salad

This German Potato Salad (The Simple Veganista) is made with baby potatoes and fresh dill, combined with crunchy cucumber and peppery caraway seeds, in a stone-ground mustard and apple cider vinegar dressing.

Homemade Vegan Salad Dressing Recipes

Virgin Olive oil is better for salad dressings health-wise than for cooking (rapeseed oil is better). Some people say we should not eat oil at all (and get all fat from real foods – i.e olives over olive oil). There are debates.

Try these fruity salad dressings (The Veg Space) including raspberry vinaigrette.