This Meal Prep Salad (easy + healthy!) is going to be your new go-to lunch that you can prep ahead for the week! Figuring out lunch each day can be stressful and time consuming, so having a hearty lunch that lasts as leftovers is essential! This salad has leafy kale that helps to keep your salad from getting soggy, orzo for some healthy carbs, and veggies to make the salad complete. If you are looking for more meal-prep friendly meals, try Vegan Tuna Pasta Salad, Longevity Salad or Easy Tofu Dinner Bowls next.
Jump to:
Notes on Ingredients
- Orzo: You can use gluten free orzo to make this salad gluten-free. You could also swap out the orzo for rice or farro.
- Chickpeas: Be sure to rinse and drain your chickpeas before using to help prevent gas and bloating.
- Pumpkin Seeds: These add the perfect crunch to this salad (and great source of plant-based fat and protein) but feel free to swap for sunflower seeds or another nut/seed.
Please take note that this is important information about the ingredients used in this recipe and the FULL recipe with measurements and details can be found DOWN BELOW (scroll to it) in the recipe card.
How do you make Meal Prep Salad?
- Chop and roast the cauliflower at 400F for 25-30 mins.
- Mix all of the dressing ingredients in the bottom of a large salad bowl.
- Cook the orzo according to the package.
- Chop the rest of the veggies.
- Add the veggies, orzo, chickpeas, pumpkin seeds, feta, and cauliflower to the bowl with the dressing in it.
- Mix and enjoy!
- Step 1: First, mix all of the dressing ingredients together at the bottom of a large salad bowl.
- Step 2: Then, roast the cauliflower and chop and prep all veggies. Cook the orzo.
- Step 3: Add the veggies, orzo, chickpeas, pumpkin seeds, and feta to the bowl.
- Step 4: Finally, mix thoroughly until combined, serve, and enjoy!
Commonly Asked Questions
Store this salad in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. The kale is a hearty green so won’t get soggy overtime.
I prefer curly kale in this recipe, but lacinato (dinosaur) would work.
Roast the cauliflower on a baking sheet in bite-size pieces at 400F for 20-30 minutes until golden brown and a bit crispy. Cauliflower should be fork tender.
Yes, make this recipe gluten-free by using gluten-free orzo or a different grain/pasta like couscous, farro, or quinoa.
Save this for later?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Extra Helpful Tips
- By making the dressing first in the bottom of the bowl, you are saving the need to wash another dish! Use a large salad bowl for this recipe so you have enough room.
- Allow the cauliflower and orzo time to cool before adding into the salad.
- If you do not prefer the stems of the kale, wash and peel apart the leafy part from the stem of the kale before chopping.
- For more meal-prep friendly salads, try my Vegan Mediterranean Couscous Salad, Quinoa Broccoli Salad, and Spring Roll Salad.
How to Store
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
If you tried this Meal Prep Salad or any other recipe on my blog please leave a 5–star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Meal Prep Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
Dressing
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- salt, garlic, and pepper just a pinch of each
- 2 tablespoon parsley finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon mint chopped
Salad
- 3 cups kale chopped
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- ½ red onion diced
- 2 cups orzo cooked
- 1 head cauliflower roasted with olive oil + turmeric
- 1 can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- ⅓ cup vegan feta
- 3 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F. Prep a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Chop and lay cauliflower on baking sheet. Season cauliflower with olive oil and turmeric, salt and pepper (about 1 tsp). Toss well.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until fork tender and golden.
- Mix all of the dressing ingredients in the bottom of the bowl.
- Cook the orzo according to the package.
- Chop the rest of the veggies (kale, tomatoes, and onion).
- Add the veggies, orzo, chickpeas, pumpkin seeds, feta, and cauliflower to the bowl with the dressing in it.
- Mix and enjoy!
Notes
- By making the dressing first in the bottom of the bowl, you are saving the need to wash another dish!
- Allow the cauliflower and orzo time to cool before adding into the salad.
- If you do not prefer the stems of the kale, wash and peel apart the leafy part from the stem of the kale before chopping.
Sara says
so yummy! Thank you so much for this recipe, I’m definitely saving it!
Jordan Stacy says
I make meal prep salad every week! It is truly the best lunch, and the flavors only get better as the week goes on. I am obsessed!!!!