This veggie chef salad is my version of a copycat recipe for café express’s veggie chef salad. It has a combination of pickled carrots, onions, jicama, shaved fennel, shaved parmesan cheese, avocado, grape tomatoes, glazed nuts and croutons that are served with a creamy parmesan dressing.
This salad was suggested to me by one of my Instagram followers as a salad that I should create a copycat recipe for. I guess it was on the Café express menu but was taken off. I managed to do some research and figure out what was in this salad.
While this isn’t technically a copycat recipe because I have never tried the original recipe and I did take a few of my own liberties with this recipe, it should still be a pretty close match to the original and I am obsessed with this salad!
When I say I am obsessed, I really mean it! I made and ate this salad 2 days in a row this week and finished every last bite every time I made it! There is something to the textures and flavors all combined with the yummy dressing that just makes it so SO delicious!
So, I can see why it is a favorite recipe! The dressing is creamy with just the right pop of vinegar, garlic and parmesan cheese. So yummy!
This recipe has quick pickled carrots and red onions. Doing a quick pickle is super easy to do and can be done ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator, the picked veggie recipe will give you enough to make 2 salads and those veggies can hang out in your fridge for a few weeks. You can also make them the day of and it doesn’t take long at all.
What you need to make this veggie chef salad: (printable recipe card below)
Makes 1 entrée sized salad
For the quick pickled veggies:
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup red onion – sliced
- 1/2 cup carrots — shredded
- 1/4 cup water
For the salad:
- 2 1/2 generous handfuls of spring mix
- 1/2 cup grape tomatoes
- 1/4 cup jicama – chopped
- 3 tablespoons quick pickled red onion
- 3 tablespoons quick pickled carrots
- 3 tablespoons shaved fennel
- 3 tablespoons shaved parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup croutons – any flavor but I love Italian
- 2 tablespoons glazed pecans of nuts of choice
- 1/2 avocado – sliced and placed on top
For the dressing:
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
- 1 clove garlic – minced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- lemon zest from half a lemon (optional)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil or other flavor neutral oil
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- pinch of salt and sugar
Instructions
- To make the quick pickled veggies: Add the vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper together in a microwave safe dish and heat for 1:30 seconds or until it’s very hot.
- Add the red onions and carrots to a heat proof bowl and then add the hot vinegar mixture on top.
- Let sit for about 5 minutes or until the onions start to turn a bright pink.
- If using immediately, add 1/4 cup ice cubes to mixture and set aside while you make the salad.
- If making this ahead of time, add the water, cover and refrigerate for whenever you are going to use them.
- To make the salad: Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl.
- To make the dressing: In a blender, food processer or with an immersion blender, add all ingredients together and blend until dressing is smooth.
- Top salad with dressing and enjoy!
Here are a few other recipes you may also enjoy:
Banh Mi Salad
Cajun Cobb Salad
Blackened Salmon Caesar Salad
Chicken Raspberry Nut Salad
Oriental Chicken Salad
Veggie Chef Salad
Ingredients
For the quick pickled veggies:
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup red onion – sliced
- 1/2 cup carrots — shredded
- 1/4 cup water
For the salad:
- 2 1/2 generous handfuls of spring mix
- 1/2 cup grape tomatoes
- 1/4 cup jicama – chopped
- 3 tablespoons quick pickled red onion
- 3 tablespoons quick pickled carrots
- 3 tablespoons shaved fennel
- 3 tablespoons shaved parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup croutons – any flavor but I love Italian
- 2 tablespoons glazed pecans of nuts of choice
- 1/2 avocado – sliced and placed on top
For the dressing:
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 1/2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- lemon zest from half a lemon optional
- 1 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil or other flavor neutral oil
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- pinch of salt and sugar
Instructions
To make the quick pickled veggies:
- Add the vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper together in a microwave safe dish and heat for 1:30 seconds or until it’s very hot.
- Add the red onions and carrots to a heat proof bowl and then add the hot vinegar mixture on top.
- Let sit for about 5 minutes or until the onions start to turn a bright pink.
- If using immediately, add 1/4 cup ice cubes to mixture and set aside while you make the salad.
- If making this ahead of time, add the water, cover and refrigerate for whenever you are going to use them.
To make the salad:
- Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl
To make the dressing:
- In a blender, food processer or with an immersion blender, add all ingredients together and blend until dressing is smooth.
- Top salad with dressing and enjoy!