Oh my goodness, Peaceful Dumplings, have I got a salad for you.
I stumbled upon the basic idea of this little gem at an office lunch party. Something about sweet fruits combined with bitter greens makes this a complex flavor party in your mouth. Add in some savory tofu feta and this is a salad fit for royalty. Not only is this probably the most tasty and refreshing salad for summer, it’s also packed full of nutrients to keep your energy up for pool parties, barbecues, and bonfires.
Vegan Watermelon “Feta” Salad
What you need for the Salad:
2C Field Greens– Anything will do. I find that a spring greens mix with arugula, butter lettuce, and mizuna works nicely. Just plain spinach also makes a beautiful salad!
1C Watermelon- Cubed or balls, makes no difference as long as it looks pretty
1/2C Strawberries- Sliced
1/2 of a Red Onion- Thinly sliced
1/2C Walnuts- Roughly chopped
What you need for the Feta:
16oz package of extra-firm tofu- I used Hemp Tofu. This works so well. It actually mimics the texture of feta cheese. You can either cube or crumble this.
1/4C Olive oil
1/2C Red wine vinegar
1T Dried basil
1/2 tsp Dried oregano
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tsp salt
What you need to do:
A day ahead of serving: Whisk together the red wine vinegar, olive oil, basil, oregano, pepper, and salt in a large bowl. Pour the marinade over the tofu and let marinate over night.
Day of serving: Combine all salad ingredients in a large serving bowl. Reserve the marinade from the feta. (This works wonderfully as a dressing.) Chill everything together for at least an hour before serving.
That’s it. Easy, chic, and crazy yummy. Serve along side your favorite barbecue favorites such as grilled veggie skewers, black bean burgers, or grilled portobello caps.
More summer recipes: Chilled Potato Salad with Basil Sorrel Pesto
Also by Krystle: What Kind of Taster Are You?
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Photo: K. Troia-Alvarado
*Feta recipe from How It All Vegan by Sarah Kramer
