A vegan version of the viral Tiktok hot girl summer salad, this version is made with tofu instead of eggs. It's a slight variation on a classic chopped salad and so good for summer picnics and work lunches! Topped with homemade zesty Italian dressing.

For some more great pack-and-go salads, try my raw carrot salad, protein-rich vibrant rainbow salad, or spicy vegan chickpea salad.

A rectangular glass container filled with vegetable chopped salad.
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Ingredients

With simple to find, everyday ingredients, this is a good go-to salad. Making your own dressing takes less than 5 minutes and it'll last the whole week.

Chopped salad ingredients with labels.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

  • Cucumber: an English cucumber is easiest to find and tastes great, but garden cucumbers and other varieties also work.
  • Red onion: if you're really sensitive to raw onion, this can be left out (see below for a tip on reducing sharpness).
  • Pepperoncini: these are usually sold pickled. Sub another pickled vegetable if preferred.
  • Tofu: smoked tofu adds a nice flavour element but plain firm tofu or another flavoured tofu can be substituted.
  • Sunflower seeds: use another seed if you'd like. Pumpkin seeds and hemp hearts are both good, and nuts like sliced almonds can be used too.

How to Make Chopped Salad

Cucumber chopped salad steps 1 to 4, preparing ingredients and mixing.

Step 1: chop the vegetables into roughly equal sizes.

Step 2: place all of the vegetable ingredients and tofu into a mixing bowl.

Step 3: mix to combine.

Step 4: add the vinaigrette and mix again, then store or serve.

Top Tips

  • No need to peel: most of the fibre and many of the nutrients are contained in the peels of fruits and vegetables, so keep that peel on the cucumber!
  • Soak the onion: if you're sensitive to raw onion, try soaking it for about half an hour in ice water. This will make them less sharp and acidic, and also less likely to cause heartburn.
  • Toast those seeds: sunflower seeds taste like nothing raw, but will add a nice nutty, toasty flavour if you give them a quick cook in a hot, dry pan. Or buy them already toasted!

How to Store

Make Ahead: not only can you make this salad ahead, but it can taste even better if made the day before! It's a great option for packed lunches because the onion tastes better on day two or three and the cucumber holds up so well.

Storage: keep the mixed salad (with dressing added) in a sealed container in the fridge for 4-5 days.

Close up of a chopped salad with cucumber, red onion, and sunflower seeds.

FAQ

What is the difference between salad and chopped salad?

Unlike a green salad, a chopped salad has all of the vegetables and other ingredients cut into fairly uniform sizes before being mixed with the dressing.

Are chopped salads healthy?

Depends on what you put in them, but a vegetable-packed chopped salad is bound to be high in fibre and nutrients like vitamin C!

Why is chopped salad so good?

Cutting the vegetables into small pieces makes for plenty of surface area, so the dressing covers everything more effectively. This makes for an extra tasty salad.

If you make this Hot Girl Summer Salad or any other vegan salads on Wholehearted Eats, please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe. For more WHE, follow along on Instagram or subscribe for new posts via email.

Recipe

A rectangular glass container filled with vegetable chopped salad.
Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Hot Girl Summer Salad

A vegan version of the viral hot girl summer salad, this version is made with tofu instead of eggs. It's a slight variation on a classic chopped salad.
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Servings: 2 people

Equipment

  • 1 Large mixing bowl

Ingredients

  • 1 large large English cucumber diced
  • 1 green bell pepper diced
  • ¼ medium red onion finely diced
  • ½ pack smoked tofu diced, about 100 grams
  • 5 tablespoons toasted sunflower seeds
  • ¼ cup pepperoncini peppers sliced
  • Sea salt to taste
  • Black pepper to taste
  • 4-6 tablespoons zesty Italian dressing

Instructions

  • Add the cucumber, bell pepper, onion, tofu, sunflower seeds, pepperoncini, salt, and pepper to a large mixing bowl. Mix to combine.
    1 large large English cucumber, 1 green bell pepper, ¼ medium red onion, ½ pack smoked tofu, 5 tablespoons toasted sunflower seeds, ¼ cup pepperoncini peppers, Sea salt, Black pepper
  • Add the dressing and mix again, then serve or transfer to sealed containers to keep in the fridge for up to five days.
    4-6 tablespoons zesty Italian dressing

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 166kcal
5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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