Warm Roasted Veggie Salad

This lettuce-less salad is a current obsession! It’s by far my favorite plant-based recipe to date.

I, however, cannot take all the credit here. This recipe was adapted from a New York Times food contributor Samin Nosrat’s roasted veggie salad that she featured on her netflix documentary Salt Fat Acid Heat.

Why do I love this dish?!

• It’s satisfying and filling on it’s own as an entree

• It’s a delish way to increase your fiber intake

• It’s rich in polyphenols and antioxidants thanks to all that color and fresh/dried herb!

• It’s a power-packed flavor combo that any veggie-averse friend will love! :)

Makes 4-6 servings!

What You Need:

• For the Salad:

  • 4 large carrots (multicolored if you can find em’!)

  • 1 small head cauliflower

  • 1 small head romanesco (or broccoli)

  • 2 pints brussels sprouts (~3 cups)

  • 2 cans Eden Foods white cannellini beans 

  • 1 T dried herbs-I like a mix of rosemary, oregano and basil but you can use what you have!

  • ½ cup sheep’s feta or goat cheese

  • extra virgin olive oil

  • salt (less if you’re using a salty cheese like feta)

  • 1/2-3/4 cup fresh herbs-I recommend dill, parsley and cilantro

  • Simple Vinaigrette (below)

• Simple Vinaigrette:

• 1 small/medium shallot-diced

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• salt and fresh black pepper

How You Do It:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F

2. Wash and prep all veggies

   1. Halve the brussels

   2. Slice the carrots into halves or quarters and in half length-wise (similar to if you were preparing carrot sticks)

   3. Trim the stems off of the cauli and romanesco and then cut into thick slices like steaks

3. Toss brussels in a few tablespoons of oil and some salt and pepper; place on a baking sheet (make sure not overlapping)

4. Place the carrots in the same large bowl and toss, adding more oil as needed to coat; add a little salt and pepper and then place on another baking sheet if not enough room (you will likely need 2-3 baking sheets!)

5. Place the cauliflower and romanesco steaks onto a baking sheet, brush each side with olive oil and season with salt and pepper

6. Place all vegetables into oven and cook until tender and caramelized, about 26 to 30 minutes. Set the timer for 15 and then check and rotate and remove veggies as needed (some will take a little longer than others)

7. While veggies roast-prepare the beans and vinaigrette

   1. Place both cans of beans+liquid from the cans into a large pot; add an additional 1/2 cup water

   2. Add the dried herbs and cover; turn up to high heat and bring to a bubble then reduce to a simmer for 10-15 minutes (the beans are already cooked, we are just infusing some of the herbal flavor!)

   3. Whisk together all dressing ingredients in a large bowl; add just a dash of salt and pinch of pepper to taste

8. When veggies are golden around the outside and fork tender remove from the oven

9. Chop fresh herbs coarsely

10. Assemble the salad on a large platter or individual plates for serving:

    • layer the cauliflower/romanesco steaks, carrot and brussels sprouts

    • drizzle with the dressing and then spoon the warm beans overtop

    • add crumbled feta/goat cheese and then sprinkle with fresh herbs and serve right away!

    I’m drooling as I write this…PS this recipe is even more delicious leftover-keep leftovers in the fridge for ~3 days :)

Tips:

• I like Eden Foods brand of beans because they are pressure cooked before canning and have added kombu seaweed-both of which make the beans easier on digestion. If you cannot find this brand I recommend using sprouted beans, pressure cooking them or soaking them overnight in water + a splash of apple cider vinegar (rinse after!) before cooking (whether dried or canned) to help ease digestion.

• If you can tolerate some dairy, I recommend crumbled goat or sheep feta. If not, I recommend a store-bought minimally processed dairy free cheese like Treeline brand

-My recipe adapted from food writer and chef Samin Nosrat