• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Cozy Peach Kitchen
  • home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Nutrition & Lifestyle
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Cookbook
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • Recipes
    • About
    • Cookbook
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Salads and Salad Dressings

    Vegetarian Chef's Salad

    Published: Jul 18, 2022 · Modified: Jul 26, 2022 by Cassidy Reeser · This post may contain affiliate links.

    13 shares
    jump to recipe

    This vegetarian twist on chef's salad features crisp romaine, plant-based chicken tenders, and a handful of refreshing vegetables. It comes together in just about 20 minutes and is super easy to customize!

    Overhead view of white bowl filled with salad ingredients.

    As much as I enjoy ultra-nutritious kale salads and spinach salads, it's hard to beat a chef's salad made with crisp romaine, vegetarian chicken tenders, and ranch dressing.

    File this one under "childhood favorites" like chili mac and sloppy joes, which I still gladly eat as an adult.

    When I was a kid, chef's salads were my favorite thing to order at restaurants. They are traditionally made with julienned meats like turkey, chicken, and ham, along with hard-boiled eggs. I no longer eat meat, but I still love making a giant chef's salad for lunch or dinner.

    If I was a chef, this would be my chef's salad. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

    Recipe features

    • Balanced: Nutritious veggies and seeds are paired with chef's salad classics like hard-boiled eggs, meatless chicken tenders, and cubed cheddar cheese.
    • Versatile: This recipe has a lot of ingredients as-is, but it is really easy to swap out ingredients to make this chef's salad your own.
    • Texture: There are a lot of textures going on here, from crispy romaine wedges to creamy cheese and pops of sunflower seeds.
    • I like to use my vegan ranch dressing recipe, but you can easily use store-bought ranch to save on time.

    Ingredients and customization

    Labeled ingredients to make chefs salads.
    • Romaine hearts: I usually roughly chop one romaine heart per salad. I like that the hearts have a mix of crunchy pieces and leafy pieces.
    • Cherry tomatoes: These add a great pop of acidity and color. Grape tomatoes also work well.
    • Vegetarian "chicken": I usually use Quorn chicken nuggets or Beyond chicken tenders. They are best if chopped up into bite-sized pieces.
    • Seeds: Roasted pumpkin seeds and roasted sunflower seeds are a great way to add texture and a touch of salt. These are two ingredients that I always have on hand for salads and to use as toast toppers.
    • Ranch dressing: Feel free to do homemade ranch or storebought. My chipotle ranch also goes really well here.
    • Cheddar: I prefer sharp cheddar. I buy a block of cheddar and dice it into cubes. Colby jack is another good option.
    • Peppers and cucumber: Green pepper is my go-to for chef's salads, but snacking peppers also work well here. Diced cucumber is a very refreshing addition.

    Recipe tips and variations

    • This recipe makes two large chef's salads. It can easily be doubled or cut in half depending on how many you are serving. These are best served immediately.
    • Other good additions are avocado, carrots, hemp seeds, sliced mushrooms, croutons, and crispy chickpeas.
    • Make this meal vegan by using my vegan ranch dressing, omitting the hard-boiled egg, and using your favorite vegan cheese alternative.
    • If you don't love ranch dressing as much as I do, this salad also goes well with lemon vinaigrette, a simple balsamic vinaigrette, or tahini dressing.
    Close up of white bowl filled with salad ingredients.

    Looking for more salads?

    • Overhead view of white bowl filled with caesar salad and a lemon half.
      Vegetarian Caesar Salad with Cashew Ceasar Dressing
    • White bowl filled with pasta salad, half a lemon, and a wood serving spoon.
      Balsamic Pasta Salad with Marinated Vegetables
    • Close up of arugula in an arugula salad.
      Arugula Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
    • Kale and butternut squash salad on a white plate with bowl of sliced apple in the background.
      Warm Kale Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash

    Did you try this recipe? You can leave a star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ in the recipe card or a review in the comments section below. I always appreciate your feedback! Or check out my new cookbook and follow along on my YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest, or sign up for my newsletter!

    📖 Recipe

    Close up of white bowl filled with salad ingredients.
    Print Recipe
    5 from 1 vote

    Vegetarian Chef's Salad

    This meatless twist on chef's salad features plant-based chicken tenders, crisp romaine lettuce, and a handful of veggies and seeds.
    Prep Time5 minutes mins
    Cook Time15 minutes mins
    Total Time20 minutes mins
    Servings: 2 servings
    Author: Cassidy Reeser, MS, RD

    Ingredients

    • 2 large eggs
    • 6 ounces plant-based chicken tenders or nuggets see note #2
    • 4 cups romaine leaves see note #1
    • 1 ounce sharp cheddar cubes
    • ½ cup cherry tomatoes sliced in half
    • ½ small cucumber diced
    • ½ small green bell pepper diced
    • 2 teaspoons roasted pumpkin seeds
    • 2 teaspoons roasted sunflower seeds
    • 3-4 tablespoons ranch dressing

    Instructions

    • Make the hardboiled eggs by placing two eggs in a pot. Cover with 1 inch of cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover, remove from the heat and set aside 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the water, then cool in ice water. Peel and slice before adding to the salad.
    • Cook the vegetarian chicken tenders or nuggets according to package instructions. After cooking, chop into bite-sized pieces.
    • Divide lettuce between two large bowls. Divide the remaining ingredients between each bowl. Adjust amounts to taste.
    • Toss with ranch dressing just before serving. Enjoy!

    Video

    Notes

    1. Romaine: I buy romaine hearts and roughly chop them. One romaine heart usually makes about 6 cups.
    2. Chicken nuggets: I use Beyond or Quorn brand, but also enjoy Gardein.
    3. Hard-boiled eggs can be made and refrigerated for up to a week before using.

    Instagram icon

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @cozypeachkitchen on Instagram and hashtag
    #cozypeachkitchen

     

    More Vegetarian Salad Recipes

    • Overhead view of white bowl with brown rim filled with edamame salad next to a pink cloth.
      Edamame Salad with Peanut Dressing
    • White bowl filled with farro salad and a gold fork on a beige background.
      Summer Farro Salad
    • Green bowl filled with macaroni salad and a wood-handled spatula.
      Veggie-Packed Vegetarian Macaroni Salad
    • Glass carafe filled with pink dressing next to two strawberries and a pink cloth.
      Strawberry Balsamic Dressing
    13 shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    No Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Smiling portrait of a woman holding a bowl of grits and tofu.

    Hi, I’m Cassidy! I’m the registered dietitian behind Cozy Peach Kitchen, a food and nutrition blog sharing easy vegetarian recipes for every occasion.

    More about me →

    Trending now

    • Overhead view of gray bowl filled with green pasta and cherry tomatoes.
      Vegan Avocado Pesto Pasta
    • Close up of creamy macaroni and cheese
      Stovetop Gouda Mac and Cheese
    • Chickpeas, sweet potato, and spinach in a bowl with quinoa.
      Sweet Potato Quinoa Bowls with Almond Dressing
    • Slice of quinoa casserole on a white speckled plate with a gold fork.
      Vegetarian Black Bean Quinoa Casserole (Dump and Bake!)
    • Gray speckled ceramic bowl showing separated quinoa, chickpeas, pita chips, cucumber and tzatziki sauce.
      Mediterranean Quinoa Bowls with Balsamic Chickpeas
    • Gold spoon dripping peanut sauce off of it.
      Peanut Stir Fry Sauce

    Fall favorites

    • Overhead view of white bowl of quinoa salad next to a wood serving spoon, pumpkins, and a checked orange cloth.
      Roasted Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad
    • Overhead view of black skillet with orzo and butternut squash.
      One Pot Orzo with Roasted Butternut Squash
    • Overhead view of black skillet filled with pumpkin spaghetti and a speckled metal serving spoon.
      Creamy Vegan Pumpkin Pasta
    • Gray bowl filled with farro, delicata squash, and other grain bowl ingredients with a black handled gold fork.
      Fall Grain Bowls with Roasted Delicata Squash
    • White bowl filled with tortellini and butternut squash on a pink background
      Tortellini with Ricotta and Butternut Squash
    • Glass mug filled with an orange slice, star anise and cider with a pumpkin in the background
      Bourbon Spiked Mulled Apple Cider

    Check out my new cookbook

    Cookbook cover showing a bowl with tofu, green beans, rice, with text reading "Vegetarian for Dinner" and book description.

    Vegetarian for Dinner includes 60 meatless meals for both new and experienced vegetarians, with sections featuring comforting bakes, balanced bowls, breakfast for dinner, and lighter soups & salads.

    LEARN MORE

    Footer

    Logos

    Footer

    About

    • Privacy Policy and Disclaimer
    • Accessibility Statement

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Work with Cassidy

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 Cozy Peach Kitchen®. All rights reserved.