Buddha bowl salads are a great way to use simple ingredients to make healthy meals. I love making them for an easy lunch. Spicy chili oil gives a kick to this vegan recipe and air fried tofu cubes gives it a rich flavor. Blanched broccoli gives it crunch. Cherry tomatoes and aragula leaves give it a bitter sweet punch. There is a common misconception that vegan diet does not have enough protein. There are many vegan high protein recipes which help you live better.
Plant-based eaters can make high-protein salads apart from delicious vegan lentil, chickpeas. You can also make delicious recipe for soup and easy salad from various boiled beans like black beans,white beans,cannellini beans,pinto beans,red & green kidney beans. Low carb summer salads are a delicious way to lose extra weight and look great too!
Meal prepping also becomes a creative outlet They can be made interesting when you play according to season. It can help you subside cravings and also help you avoid eating lunches in boring food courts. Here are some you can try : sprouted green lentils salad, crunchy kale salad, eggplant couscous salad, black barley salad & summer cauliflower pomegranate salad. Other good salad you can try are protein-packed quinoa salad, tangy tempeh salad , potato salad, turkish lentil salad, brussels sprout salad and high protein white bean salad.
Tofu can also be eaten in various ways. Whether its satay tofu , sticky tofu or curried scramble tofu. crunchy broccoli salad with tofu or Hawaiian tofu watercress salad is a great way to have it bento boxes too.
Ingredients
- extra firm tofu (cut them into tofu cubes)
- broccoli
- cherry tomatoes
- chickpeas (boiled)
- aragula leaves
- olive oil ,soy sauce (to cook tofu)
Salad dressing
- Olive oil
- Lemon juice
- Chili oil
- Salt (optional)
See recipe card for quantities.
High protein vegan salad recipe
Equipment
- Air fryer
- steamer
- Food processor / chopper
Ingredients
- 100 gm broccoli florets
- 150 gm boiled chickpeas or 1 cup
- 100 gm cherry tomatoes
- handful aragula leaves
- 200 gm firm tofu cubes / extra firm
- 1 teaspoon olive oil+ soy sauce
Salad dressing
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tbsp. chili oil
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- salt as per taste
Instructions
- Coat the tofu cubes with olive oil, soy sauce ,salt and lemon juice. You may also add chili flakes optionally, for a spicy tofu.
- Mix well. Meanwhile, preheat the air fryer at 160 deg C| 320 deg F for 5 minutes.
- Air fry tofu cubes at 160 deg C| 320 deg F for 8-9 minutes, in a preheated air fryer lined with perforated baking sheet. Keep it aside.
- Meanwhile, steam broccoli florets for 3-4 minutes until al dente. Keep it aside.
- Assemble the Buddha bowl in a salad bowl with chili oil sliced cherry tomatoes and aragula leaves. Mix well to serve together in a bento box pr layer it in a mason jar, if eating on the go. Serve fresh.
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Instructions
- Coat the tofu cubes with olive oil and soy sauce in a bowl.
2. Mix well. Meanwhile, preheat the air fryer at 160 deg C| 320 deg F for 5 minutes.
3. Air fry tofu cubes at 160 deg C| 320 deg F for 8-9 minutes, in a preheated air fryer lined with perforated baking sheet. Keep it aside.
4. Steam broccoli florets for 3-4 minutes or blanch them in hot water for few minutes.
5. Assemble the Buddha bowl in a salad bowl as per picture below along with the dressing of chili oil,olive oil,lemon juice (salt optionsl). Mix well to serve together in a bento box if eating on the go.
Serve fresh.
Hint: Always use the tofu within 4-5 days or as per package instructions, once you open the packet. Always wash your salad ingredients well so that there is no dirt on them.
Substitutions and Variations
- You can grill halloumi or paneer instead of crispy tofu cubes for a vegetarian diet. Non-vegetarians can serve grilled chicken nuggets or meat balls instead of grilled tofu.
- honey mustard sauce or creamy sour cream, greek yogurt are dressing ingredients vegetarians can use.
- You may give a quick toss in apple cider vinegar and maple syrup marinade with some smoky flavor, garlic and black pepper and serve it in a mason jar.
- Cucumbers, red cabbage, red onion, swiss chard, green & red bell peppers.
- Pickled red onions and other leafy greens like baby spinach can also be used as a substituion if you donot have salad leaves.
- Add some cheddar cheese ,feta cheese or dried cranberries as a variation for vegetarians.
- Use a light tangy dressing Lemon Vinaigrette instead of chili oil. Other dips you can use are dijon mustard, peanut butter. You can also serve it with a creamy dressing like peanut sauce and vegan mayonnaise .
- You can replace broccoli with air fried brussels sprouts. Sprinkle some hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds to add an extra dash of Vitamin E.
Equipment
- steamer / pressure cooker
- air-fryer
- chopper / food processor optional
- mixing bowl
Storage
Store the ingredients (chickpeas, tomato, tofu cubes) separately from chili oil. Tofu salad is good for 2-3 days. If you have left over salad, you can still refrigerate in an airtight container and eat it the next day.
Top tip
Always preheat your air fryer.
FAQ
Max 5 days.
It darkens and goes brown in color with a rancid smell.
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this recipe:
vegan mayo
avocado mint dip
Conclusion:
vegetarian high protein salads is a flavorful meal yet a perfect vegan lunch too. After all, we have to choose a healthy meal, every single day to stay fit in the long run. Fresh herbs and plant based protein make a delicious salad recipe, a perfect weight loss recipe too.
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