I am so excited to share this Pine Nut Pesto Salad with you guys today! It's made with simple and clean ingredients, only takes about 5 minutes to make, and it is so flavorful!
The new year is all about healthy eating. However sometimes it can be a struggle to buy all the right ingredients, things go bad, etc. Therefore I was inspired to make this simple, easy, and healthy pine nut salad for you guys!
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Ingredients
I love making this Pine Nut Salad, because I either already have the ingredients on hand, or I can pick them up quickly at any grocery store.
- For The Pine Nut Salad:
- Romaine - Make sure to wash it well before use.
- Cherry Tomatoes - You can use any tomato variety, however I like to use cherry, because they don't get soggy.
- Shallots - If you're not a fan of raw shallots, you can quickly pickle them. Simply slice them and add them to a pan with vinegar and water. Cook until soft, and you'll have pickles onions!
- Pine Nuts - They can be toasted since they are the topping.
- For The Pine Nut Pesto:
- Pine Nuts - Make sure they are raw.
- Avocado - You can also use avocado oil, however I like to use the whole avocado for added fiber and nutrients.
- Basil - Is any pesto complete without basil? I don't think so! I personally love basil, but you can use any herbs, or a variety of herbs to make your vegan pesto!
- Lemon Juice - Adds the perfect tart kick to this pesto.
- Nutritional Yeast - Adds the cheesy flavor to the pesto. No pesto is complete without it in my opinion!
- Garlic Cloves - Another staple in any pesto recipe. It adds the perfect spice and flavor to the recipe.
- Water - I like to add a bitt of water just to get the ingredients blending. You can use oil, or vegetable broth too.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
I am all about quick and easy salads. They make it so easy to eat healthy. This is one of the many reasons I'm obsessed with this Pine Nut Salad. It takes less than 10 minutes to make, it's healthy, and the ingredients are minimal and easy to find in stores!
Begin by roughly chopping the romaine. Slice the shallots into thin slices, and cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Add to a large bowl.
Make the pesto by combining all pesto ingredients together in a small blender and blending until smooth. You may need to add a bit of water to get the mixture blending.
Pour over the salad and toss. Serve and enjoy!
Hint: You can add about 1 teaspoon of your favorite greens powder to this salad for a nutrition boost! This one is my favorite (and the code: "THEALLNATURALVEGAN" gets you 15% off!).
Substitutions
This Pine Nut Salad recipe is one of my favorite recipes, because there are so many substitutions you can make. This is great, because you can find other ways to make it in case you don't have any of the ingredients on hand, or forget to pick them up.
- Nuts - instead of pine nuts you can use walnuts, or cashews. This optional is more affordable, but also less flavorful.
- Lettuce - Instead of romaine lettuce, you can substitute arugula, spinach, or green leaf lettuce.
- Protein - This salad does not contain a high protein content. Therefore if you are looking to make this recipe a complete meal I would recommend adding some white beans (cannelli or great northern beans). However you must keep in mind that if you add beans this will no longer be a raw vegan salad recipe.
Variations
I love how simple this salad recipe is. However if you are looking to spice it up a little, here are some of my favorite variations!
- Pasta - You can easily turn this Pine Nut Salad into a Pine Nut Pesto Pasta salad with two easy changes. Swap out the romaine for your favorite plant based, or gluten-free pasta, and add a handful of arugula to keep the greens!
- Loaded - add your favorite vegetables to this salad to make it loaded! I love adding: broccoli, bell peppers, sprouts, microgreens, and shredded carrots!
- Kid friendly - If you're trying to get your kiddos to eat more vegetables this salad can be a great choice! Add some vegan croutons
Related Raw Vegan Salads:
Equipment
Equipment can always have an impact on the success of a recipe. Although this recipe does not require a lot of equipment, here's my recommended euipment.
- Chefs Knife - Since this recipe requires you to cut up lettuce, I recommend using a full sized chefs knife. I have a couple, but this one is my all-time favorite.
- Cutting Board - If you haven't invested in a large butcher block cutting board, I strongly recommend you do. I have multiple of them, and they've completely changed my life!
- Personal Blender - Any blender will work, however I have found that unless you are making an insane amount of dressing, that small personal blenders work the best. I opt for my $50 Blendjet over my $500 Vitamix when it comes to making salad dressings and sauces.
- Salad Bowl - Any large bowl will work perfectly. I personally love the way a salad looks in a wooden salad bowl!
Storage
Storing salads can be a real challenge. The lettuce can quickly turn soggy, and the rest of the ingredients can dry up at the same time. Therefore how you store salad is crucial.
This Pine Nut Salad is a bit tricky, but it can still be prepped/stored as leftovers.
If you're planning on meal prepping this salad, I recommend storing the dressing separately. However if you have leftovers, and are looking to store this as best as possible, I recommend storing them in air-tight containers. When you're ready to eat, add about ½ tablespoon of water, or cold pressed oil, and shake the container.
This salad will not keep the entire week, so I do not recommend it for meal prep.
Top Tip
Start out slow with the garlic. Since it is raw, it is quite spicy. Therefore a little goes a long way. Start with one clove and make the pesto. If it is not spicy enough add another and so forth until you have achieved the desired taste.
FAQ
When I first went vegan there were a lot of items I assumed were vegan, but honestly wasn't sure about. Pesto is one of those foods. Unfortunately most pestos are not vegan. Parmesan cheese is typically added to pesto which makes it not vegan. However it is very easy to make pesto like the one used in this recipe!
Pine nuts are not one of the most common nuts used. However this probably has to do with their cost, because they're absolutely delicious. Not only are they delicious, but they're a nutrition powerhouse!
Pine nuts are loaded protein, healthy fats, iron, magnesium, fiber, antioxidants and more! I think it's about time this nutritious little nut made it's way onto all our plates.
Pine Nut Pesto Salad
Equipment
- 1 blender
Ingredients
For The Pine Nut Salad:
- 3 heads romaine lettuce
- 1 box cherry tomatoes
- 1 shallot
- ¼ cup pine nuts
For The Pine Nut Pesto:
- 1 bunch basil
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 lemons juiced
- 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- ¼ cup water can sub olive oil or vegetable broth
Instructions
- Begin by roughly chopping the romaine. Slice the shallots into thin slices, and cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Add to a large bowl.
- Make the pesto by combining all pesto ingredients together in a small blender and blending until smooth. You may need to add a bit of water to get the mixture blending.
- Pour over the salad and toss. Serve and enjoy!
Food safety
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Don't take your eyes off what you're doing when using sharp objects
Judith
Such a tasty salad idea! I love the recipe for the vegan pesto 🙂
Any bany
It's worth trying such a refreshing salad recipe. Everyone loved it at my place.
Tina
I really enjoyed the pine nut pesto dressing. I’m gonna try it on a pasta salad next, I think it would be a great combination