Vegetable Salad

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This vegetable salad recipe has become a repeat player in my menu lately. It’s brimming with fresh summer produce that’s at peak season right now. With no leafy greens like traditional salads and a burst of flavor from caramelized veggies, tangy feta, and sweet balsamic dressing, you’ll want to serve this roasted vegetable salad for everything from healthy lunches to easy side dishes for dinner. You can even make it ahead!

Ingredients & Substitutions

This section explains how to choose the best roasted vegetable salad ingredients, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

Vegetables:

• Cauliflower – Either cut a whole cauliflower head or use pre-cut cauliflower florets. The same method also works for roasted broccoli, caramelized romanesco, or broccoli and cauliflower together.
• Zucchini – You can also make this vegetable salad using cucumbers (don’t roast them, ha!), yellow squash, patty pan squash, or a combination.
• Bell Pepper – I used a red bell pepper, but you could use yellow, orange, or green if you prefer. If you don’t have fresh peppers but have roasted red peppers on hand, you can toss them in after roasting the other vegetables.
• Eggplant – Look for small to medium eggplants if possible, as larger ones are more bitter and have more seeds. Make sure the skin is smooth and the flesh feels firm. I used globe eggplants (sometimes called American eggplants).
• Cherry Tomatoes – You can also use grape tomatoes. Sun-dried tomatoes would be another great substitute if you’re not a fan of fresh ones.
• Olive Oil – Helps the veggies caramelize and spices stick. You can also use extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, or any oil you prefer.
• Sea Salt & Black Pepper

VARIATION: Use different vegetables.

You can make this vegetable salad recipe with just about any veggies you like, but make sure to choose veggies that will take a similar amount of time to roast. Some good options include: Broccoli florets, cherry tomatoes, asparagus, or red onion. Avoid super dense root vegetables, like carrots, beets, and potatoes.

Balsamic Dressing:

• Olive Oil – Makes up the base of the dressing.
• Balsamic Vinegar – Adds tang and a hint of sweetness. You can also use red wine vinegar, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar, or sherry vinegar.
• Sea Salt & Black Pepper

Add-Ins:

• Fresh Basil – I love basil here, but you can try other fresh herbs such as thyme, chives, oregano, parsley, or dill.
• Feta Cheese – Crumbled goat cheese or shaved parmesan make good alternatives if you don’t have (or don’t like) feta.

How To Make Vegetable Salad

This section shows how to make roasted vegetable salad, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.

1. Roast the vegetables. Cut the veggies to similar sizes, and place them in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper. Roast in the oven until tender and golden brown. Transfer to a large bowl, cover, and chill in the refrigerator.
2. Make the dressing. Whisk together the dressing ingredients until emulsified. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

3. Combine the vegetable salad. Toss the roasted vegetables with dressing. Top with fresh basil and crumbled feta.

Storage Instructions

• Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Meal prep: Roast veggies and make dressing ahead of time and store in the refrigerator. Mix add-ins and dressing right before serving.

What To Serve With Vegetable Salad

Roasted vegetable salad has an Italian or Mediterranean flavor to it, so you can pair it with dishes from those cuisines, but it’s neutral enough to go with American dishes, too. Here are some ideas for what to serve with it:

• Chicken – Add some Instant Pot chicken or sliced lemon garlic chicken right over the salad if you need some protein to make it a quick and easy lunch! If you want a main dish on the side instead, try creamy Crock Pot chicken or crispy grilled chicken thighs.
• Seafood – This vegetable salad goes well with Tuscan salmon and pan fried tilapia for cost-effective options. For a fancier feast, pair it with surf and turf.
• Other Meats – Serve alongside quick and easy air fryer pork chops, grilled lamb kofta kebab, juicy grilled steak, or even a pork steak.
• Soups – Pair the salad with a hearty soup, such as roasted tomato soup, minestrone, or zucchini soup for a summer meal.
• Casseroles – Veggie salad is a great way to lighten up a heavier main dish. If you have more eggplant to use up, try eggplant lasagna!

More Vegetable Salad Recipes

Here are some ideas for unique and flavorful salads that make the most of your fresh produce:

Burrata Salad

Cucumber Tomato Salad

Greek Salad

Israeli Salad

4.84 from 6 votes

Vegetable Salad (Roasted & So Easy!)

Want an easy, unique vegetable salad recipe? Try this simple roasted vegetable salad with fresh herbs, feta, and balsamic dressing.

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 30 minutes

Total: 40 minutes

Author: Maya Krampf from WholesomeYum.com

Servings: 4 (adjust to scale recipe)

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Ingredients

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Roasted Vegetables

• 1/3 head Cauliflower (cut into florets) ▢
• 1/2 medium Zucchini (sliced or diced) ▢
• 1/2 medium Red bell pepper (sliced) ▢
• 1/2 small Eggplant (sliced) ▢
• 8 small Cherry tomatoes ▢
• 2 tbsp Olive oil ▢
• Sea salt ▢
• Black pepper ▢

Dressing

• 1/4 cup Olive oil ▢
• 2 tbsp Balsamic vinegar ▢
• 1/4 tsp Sea salt ▢
• 1/8 tsp Black pepper ▢

Add-ins

• 1 tbsp Fresh basil (chopped) ▢
• 1/4 cup Feta cheese (crumbled) ▢

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C).

2. Arrange the veggies in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle both sides with sea salt and black pepper.

3. Roast vegetables in the oven for 20 minutes.

4. Flip the eggplant and cauliflower, then return to the oven and roast for 10-20 more minutes, until soft and starting to brown.

5. Transfer the veggies to a bowl or container, cover, and chill for about an hour, until cold.

6. Meanwhile, make the dressing. Whisk together all the dressing ingredients until emulsified. Adjust sea salt and black pepper to taste.

7. Toss the veggies with the dressing. At this point you can return to the fridge to store, or serve.

8. To serve, add fresh basil and crumbled feta to the salad.

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Recipe Notes

Serving size: ~3/4 cup (varies depending on the size of your veggies), equivalent to 1/4 of entire recipe

Nutrition Facts

Amount per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.

Calories 253

Fat 22g

Protein 3g

Total Carbs 10g

Net Carbs 7g

Fiber 3g

Sugar 6g

Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.

Course: Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Keywords: roast vegetable salad, roasted vegetable salad, vegetable salad, vegetable salad recipe

Calories: 253 kcal

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