Vegan Ricotta & Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Salad

I know that summer is over and all (at least on this side of the planet), but can we please pretend like the sun is out and we’re in tank tops, riding bikes to get ice cream? Or at least can we keep making pretty salads for lunch? I can settle for the latter if you throw in a fireplace (’cause dang, it’s cold outside).

Deal.

This salad was inspired by a sandwich I had when we were in Iceland. I found a juice shop (Jo & The Juice!) that served up sandwiches on GF bread with a pesto-y dressing, fresh tomatoes, and ripe avocado. Swoon.

I had intentions of making a similar sandwich as the recipe. But, honestly, I need more greens (and less bread) in my life right now, so salad it was. (However, this would be bomb with avocado on toasted sourdough instead of greens.)

This recipe requires less than 30 minutes to throw together even with the Easy Vegan Pesto dressing* and Whipped Almond Ricotta*.

The only other elements are cooked chickpeas and pine nuts for some plant-based fiber and protein and sun-dried tomatoes* for texture and depth of flavor. You could also throw in some avocado, but I didn’t find it necessary. And for more carbs (#carblife), toss in some cooked gluten-free pasta (like this Pea Pesto Pasta Salad!).

*Note: You can learn about the origins of pesto here, ricotta here, and sun-dried tomatoes here.

I hope you all love this easy, bright-and-cheery salad. It’s versatile, flavorful, satisfying, and the perfect lunch or light dinner.

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram! We’d love to see what you come up with. Cheers, friends!

Pesto & Sun-Dried Tomato Green Salad

Quick and easy salad with mixed greens, almond ricotta, sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, chickpeas, and pesto dressing! A 30-minute plant-based meal!

Author Minimalist Baker

Print SAVE SAVED

5 from 2 votes

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 3

Course Entrée, Salad, Side

Cuisine Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Italian-Inspired, Vegan

Freezer Friendly No

Does it keep? 3 Days

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

TOPPINGS

• 3/4 cup Whipped Almond Ricotta
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (I buy Trader Joe’s brand – otherwise, buy packed in oil, then loosely pat dry and chop)
• 1/2 cup pine nuts
• 1/2 cup cooked chickpeas

DRESSING

• 1/2 cup Easy Vegan Pesto
• 3 Tbsp lemon juice (~1 lemon as recipe is written) (optional)

GREENS

• 5-6 cups mixed greens or spinach (organic when possible)

Instructions

• Start by preparing Whipped Almond Ricotta (follow link for instructions). Then set in refrigerator until serving.
• Next prepare Easy Vegan Pesto dressing (follow link for instructions). Then cover and set in refrigerator until serving.
• To plate, arrange greens on a serving platter (or bowl) and top with sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, and cooked chickpeas. Dollop on spoonfuls of almond ricotta and drizzle with vegan pesto. You can also squeeze with fresh lemon juice (optional) for extra flavor and moisture.
• Best when fresh. Store leftovers separately (undressed) up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

Notes

*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with all of the ingredients included (1/2 cup pesto dressing, 3/4 cup almond ricotta).

Nutrition (1 of 3 servings)

Serving: 1 serving Calories: 473 Carbohydrates: 26.2 g Protein: 16.4 g Fat: 37.3 g Saturated Fat: 4.3 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 23.5 g Monounsaturated Fat: 28.8 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 1274 mg Potassium: 2505 mg Fiber: 11.1 g Sugar: 8.4 g Vitamin A: 1987 IU Vitamin C: 54 mg Calcium: 445 mg Iron: 13.7 mg