A lettuce free chopped salad that’s perfect for meal prep or packing for your work lunch. Packed full of flavour and nutrition, with no soggy leaves to worry about!
![Chopped salad of cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, parsley and chickpeas on an oval platter](https://nourisheveryday.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/No-Lettuce-Chop-Salad.jpg)
By complete coincidence, I’m posting this no lettuce chopped salad recipe just after Australia experienced an exponential increase in the cost of lettuce – an iceberg lettuce was selling for more than 10 dollars!
However, that’s not the main reason I decided to create this recipe. This one is for the meal-preppers and/or those who like to take a packed lunch along to work. Both situations where salads can pose a bit of a problem, as salad leaves can wilt pretty quickly and go soggy and gross.
![No Lettuce Chopped Salad of cucumber, cherry tomato, capsicum, red onion and chickpeas on a small white ridged plate](https://nourisheveryday.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/No-Lettuce-Chop-Salad-6.jpg)
Let’s face it, eating vegetables is fundamentally important, and most of us could do with eating more of them (the overwhelming majority of adults do not consume enough). Having a delicious, easy salad prepped in advance and ready to eat is a great strategy for increasing your intake.
So please, make this no lettuce easy chopped salad and love yourself some vegetables.
![White oval platter with a chop salad of cucumber, tomato, capsicum, onion, chickpeas and parsley](https://nourisheveryday.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/No-Lettuce-Chop-Salad-3.jpg)
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS NO LETTUCE SALAD
There’s a bit of room to be flexible with ingredients here – I want to make it easier to eat your veggies, not harder:
- Lebanese cucumber – these are my favourite cucumber with delicate skin and a sweet flavour. But of course, if you have another variety on hand… whack it in
- Red capsicum – possibly obvious, but please feel free to use a different colour
- Cherry tomatoes – can be swapped for any kind of mini tomato, or use regular tomatoes and dice them
- Spanish onion – you could also use a couple of spring onions if you prefer that for flavour
- Flat leaf parsley – could be swapped for some fresh mint, or alternatively a pinch of dried Italian herb mix if you haven’t got fresh herbs to hand
- Tinned chickpeas – can be swapped for another tinned legume such as butter beans or kidney beans, or a bean mix
- Apple cider vinegar – balsamic vinegar also works really well in this dressing
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Maple syrup – or honey
- Dijon mustard – sometimes called French mustard
- Seeded mustard – also known as whole grain mustard
- Salt
![Serve of a chopped salad on a small white ridge plate, salad contains cucumber, tomato, capsicum, chickpeas, red onion and parsley](https://nourisheveryday.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/No-Lettuce-Chop-Salad-4.jpg)
HOW TO SERVE THIS CHOPPED SALAD
If you just need a light meal, the salad can be served on it’s own, but for something a bit more filling I’d recommend adding something alongside.
For a packed lunch, try adding in a tin of tuna or salmon, or 2 boiled eggs.
If you have a bit more flexibility to prepare something, this salad is lovely with any kind of grilled meat or fish. Like cheese? Grilled halloumi or a generous crumble of feta would be awesome.
For a plant-based option you could add felafel, a chopped up veggie burger patty or some pan-fried tofu strips. A sprinkle of hemp seeds as well wouldn’t be a bad idea.
![Chop salad on ceramic oval platter with wooden serving spoons and oil dressing](https://nourisheveryday.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/No-Lettuce-Chop-Salad-2.jpg)
This is a beautifully simple recipe brimming with flavour thanks to the maple-mustard dressing. Don’t skimp on that part!
If you make this recipe let me know, drop me a comment and let me know how you served it! Or, take a pic and tag me on Instagram -> @moniquecormacknutrition 🙂
p.s. Need a bit more salad inspo? You may also like these substantial salads/bowls which can be made in advance:
- Roasted Beetroot Grain Bowl with Feta
- Honey Roast Pumpkin Quinoa Salad
- Sweet Potato, Pea and Feta Salad
![No Lettuce Easy Chopped Salad Recipe by Nourish Every Day](https://nourisheveryday.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/No-Lettuce-Chop-Salad-2-360x361.jpg)
No Lettuce Easy Chopped Salad
Ingredients
- 3 Lebanese cucumbers quartered lengthways and then sliced into 1 cm thick pieces
- 1 large red capsicum seeds and top removed, cut into 1 cm x 1 cm square pieces
- 1 punnet cherry tomatoes sliced in half
- 400 gram tin chickpeas strained and rinsed
- ¼ Spanish onion finely sliced
- Handful flat leaf parsley roughly chopped
Instructions
- Add the Lebanese cucumber, capsicum, cherry tomatoes, chickpeas, Spanish onion and parsley to a large bowl. Toss to combine.
- To make the dressing add the apple cider vinegar, olive oil, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, seeded mustard and sea salt flakes to a glass jar. Place the lid on securely and shake vigorously until ingredients are well combined.
- Add as much dressing as desired to the salad and toss to combine. Reserve any leftover dressing in the jar in the fridge for future use.
Nutrition
![Recipe pin image of No Lettuce Easy Chopped Salad](https://nourisheveryday.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Template-Recipe-PIN.jpg)
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