This salad offers a great medley of flavors and textures, featuring grilled zucchini, squash, portabella mushrooms, asparagus, and red onion on top of spring greens. A drizzle of sundried tomato vinaigrette gives this salad a big burst of flavor.
What Makes This Salad Healthy?
High Fiber Content: The variety of vegetables in the salad, such as zucchini, squash, portabella mushrooms, asparagus, and red onion, provide a healthy dose of dietary fiber. Fiber is crucial for maintaining a healthy gut. We talk a lot about consuming a diverse array of plant fibers to support a balanced gut microbiome. This salad provides at least 8 plant species in one dish (depending on how many lettuces are in the spring greens you use).
Prebiotics: This salad is rich in prebiotics, which are non-digestible fibers that feed the beneficial bacteria in our gut. For instance, asparagus and onions are known to contain prebiotic fibers like inulin, which help to promote the growth of healthy gut bacteria. Mushrooms offer prebiotic benefits as well. Read more about the gut-boosting power of mushrooms.
Antioxidants: Vegetables, especially when grilled, retain their antioxidant properties. Antioxidants help reduce inflammation in the gut, which can support overall digestive health. The sundried tomatoes in the vinaigrette are also rich in antioxidants, which can help protect the gut lining from damage.
Healthy Fats: The olive oil in the sundried tomato vinaigrette provides healthy monounsaturated fats, which help reduce inflammation and promote the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.
Grilled Vegetable Salad Ingredients
For the veggie and salad part of this dish, you’ll need:
- zucchini
- yellow squash
- asparagus
- large portabella mushroom caps
- red onion
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- black pepper
- spring greens
Scroll to the recipe card below for exact quantities.
Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette
Visit this page for the ingredients and instructions for the Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette.
Instructions
Turn your grill or grill pan on to medium heat. Cut all veggies, except for asparagus, to facilitate grilling.
Add cut veggies to a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss together with your hands.
Grill the zucchini, summer squash, red onion, asparagus, and portabella mushrooms (in batches based on size of grill) for 3 to 4 minutes on one side, then flip and grill for roughly 2 more minutes.
Remove veggies from grill and prepare the Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette while they cool.
To serve, add greens to the bottom of a large salad bowl or platter, layer on the grilled veggies, then drizzle with Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette.
Recipe FAQs
Can I use different vegetables?
Yes, you can customize the salad with your favorite vegetables. Good alternatives include bell peppers, eggplant, cherry tomatoes, or broccoli.
How do I store leftovers?
Store the salad and vinaigrette separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. The salad can last up to 3 days, while the vinaigrette can last up to a week.
Can I make this salad ahead of time?
Yes, you can grill the vegetables and prepare the Sun-dried Tomato Vinaigrette ahead of time. Store them separately and combine just before serving to maintain freshness and texture.
What can I serve with this salad?
This salad pairs well with grilled chicken, fish, or tofu for added protein. It can also be served as a side dish for a barbecue or picnic.
Is this salad gluten-free?
Yes, the salad is naturally gluten-free as long as all the ingredients used (including the vinaigrette) are certified gluten-free.
Grilled Veggie Salad with Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1 zucchini, cut in 1" slices
- 1 yellow squash, cut in 1" slices
- 1 bunch asparagus
- 2 large portabella mushroom caps, sliced
- 1 medium red onion, cut in 1/4" slices
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- dash of salt and pepper
- 6 cups spring greens
- Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette
Instructions
- Turn your grill or grill pan on to medium heat. Cut all veggies, except for asparagus, to facilitate grilling.
- Add cut veggies to a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss together with your hands.
- Grill the zucchini, summer squash, red onion, asparagus, and portabella mushrooms (in batches based on size of grill) for 3 to 4 minutes on one side, then flip and grill for roughly 2 more minutes.
- Remove veggies from grill and prepare the Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette while they cool.
- To serve, add greens to the bottom of a large salad bowl or platter, layer on the grilled veggies, then drizzle with Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette.
One Response
Much more exciting than an ordinary salad. Had some leftovers and kept in the fridge for next day.