Health Salad

Name: Health Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 pound sweet potato ((about 1 large)); 1 pound zucchini ((about 3 small)); 2 large carrots; 1 large red bell pepper; 2 small broccoli (heads and stems); Drizzle of olive oil; Salt (to taste); 14 to 16 ounces extra firm tofu (or super firm, pressed, and drained); 1 tablespoon gochujang paste (optional); 4 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar (unseasoned); 3 tablespoons tahini; 1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup; 1 1/2 tablespoons white miso (or mellow miso); 1 1/2 tablespoons tamari (or soy sauce (preferably low sodium)); 1/2 inch ginger (grated); 1 large clove garlic

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Loaded Health Salad packed with antioxidants from raw and cooked veggies, crispy tofu crumbles, and a creamy tahini miso dressing. Vegan, high protein, and gluten-free. This salad is meal-prep friendly and keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Health salad with crispy tofu, roasted zucchini, roasted carrot, roasted broccoli, and miso tahini dressing.

This is 'Health Salad'. There are three main reasons for the name.

Miso is the predominant source of sodium. The evidence that chronic high salt intake can lead to a gradual increase in blood pressure throughout life is clear and consistent. However, salting foods with miso may not have the same detrimental effect. Two bowls of miso soup a day may add a half teaspoon of salt to one’s daily diet, yet those who had two or more bowls of miso soup every day appeared to have a five times lower risk of becoming hypertensive.
A combination of roasted and raw veggies and texture and boosts nutrients. This salad is packed with antioxidants.
This salad boasts a healthy source of plant-based protein, tofu.

This Health Salad recipe was inspired by my Roasted Salad with Chickpeas, as well as my Sweet Potato Tofu Bowl with crispy tofu bacon bits on this site. This Roasted Broccoli Salad is also high in protein and made with longevity ingredients.

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👩🏼‍🌾 Ingredients
🫑 Substitutions
📖 How to Make Health Salad
✔️ Top tips
🙋🏽‍♀️ Recipe FAQs
🍽 Related Recipes
👩🏽‍🍳 Made This Recipe?
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

👩🏼‍🌾 Ingredients

Extra firm or super firm tofu
Sweet potato
Broccoli
Zucchini
Carrot
Red bell pepper

See the recipe card for quantities.

For the Miso Tahini Dressing:

Rice vinegar, tahini, tamari, maple syrup, tamari, garlic, ginger, and white miso.

Tahini
White miso
Rice vinegar
Tamari
Garlic
Ginger

See the recipe card for quantities.

🫑 Substitutions

Veggies - use any firm veggies you have on hand. Parsnips, beets, butternut squash, turnips, summer squash, cabbage, or onions.
Gochujang paste - season the crumbled tofu with this paste for more flavor.
Grain - add quinoa, farro, barley, or a different grain to this healthy salad
For gluten-free - use gluten-free tamari

For more healthy loaded veggie bowl ideas, check out these Vegetable Bowl Recipes on my site.

📖 How to Make Health Salad

For the full recipe with quantities, scroll down to the bottom of the post. This is an overview.

Press and drain the tofu. See this blog post for best practices for preparing tofu.

Raw spiralized carrots, zucchini, and red bell pepper in three white cups and a spiralizer.

Step 1. Cut or spiralize the sweet potato, zucchini, carrot, and red bell pepper.

Raw spiralized zucchini, and raw spiralized sweet potato on a white baking sheet.

Step 2. Transfer one-half cut zucchini to one side of a large nonstick baking sheet. Place the sweet potato on the other side. Toss them with a drizzle of olive oil and salt to taste.

Broccoli florets and shaved stems on a white baking sheet.

Step 3. Trim bite-size florets from the broccoli and use a vegetable peeler to remove the tough outer layer of the two stems. Slice the stems or spiralize. Transfer the broccoli florets and stems to a large baking sheet. Toss with olive oil and salt to taste.

Bake the sweet potato and zucchini, plus the broccoli and stems, for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Step 4. Either crumble the block of tofu with your hands or grate it using the largest holes of a box grater.

Transfer the shredded tofu to a large nonstick baking sheet. Add gochujang paste, or drizzle with olive oil and salt to taste. Rub the tofu so it is evenly coated. Spread it into a single layer.

Bake the tofu with the veggies for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

A bowl with soy sauce, miso, and tahini for miso tahini dressing.

Step 5. Meanwhile, make the dressing: Mix the rice vinegar, tahini, maple syrup, miso, tamari, and ginger in a medium bowl. Grate or press the garlic into the bowl. Mix well to combine.

Crispy tofu crumbles, roasted zucchini, roasted carrot, roasted broccoli and stems in a white bowl.

For serving:

Transfer the raw bell pepper, raw carrots, remaining raw zucchini, cooked sweet potato, cooked zucchini, and cooked broccoli to a large bowl. Add the baked tofu crumbles. Drizzle with one-half of the Health Salad dressing and toss to incorporate the dressing evenly. Add more dressing to taste.

✔️ Top tips

For roasting: Place the veggies and tofu on large nonstick baking sheets in a single layer for even browning. Toss halfway and switch the positions of the baking sheets in the oven.
Use an electric spiralizer to quickly chop the veggies and for a more aesthetic and textured salad. For non-electric, this is my preferred brand.
Storage: Refrigerate Health Salad in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
For meal prep, chop or spiralize the veggies ahead of time. Grate the tofu and refrigerate in a separate container. Make the dressing and store it in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 7 days. Roast the veggies and tofu for serving and combine.

🙋🏽‍♀️ Recipe FAQs

What is the healthiest salad you can eat?

A healthy salad typically includes a variety of colorful raw and cooked vegetables, lean proteins, heart-healthy fats, and a balanced low-sodium dressing.

How do you make a healthy salad taste good?

Add a good amount of dressing, and choose a healthy dressing that packs in flavor! These 3 Healthy Dressing recipes are delicious with a variety of salads, as well as this easy Balsamic Vinaigrette.

Are salads good for losing weight?

Salads can be a beneficial addition to a weight-loss diet. Choose one that's lower in calories, high in hydrating ingredients such as raw veggies, and balanced in macronutrients including heart-healthy fats so you can absorb the nutrients and feel satiated. A fiber-rich salad will be more beneficial for weight loss as it will slow digestion and leave you feeling more full.