Best Crunchy Chopped Salad

A chopped salad is simply a bunch of easy vegetables chopped together, as small as you can into uniform pieces, dressed simply and served with whatever you like. It’s casual, it’s a crowd pleaser and you can eat with a spoon.

My father-in-law has said so many times that he doesn’t like salad unless it’s served chopped. It’s simple to scoop and eat and you get everything in one bite so the different flavours and the crunchy texture all happens at once.

This chopped salad in particular is the one I make the most often, it will usually come to play at least once a week in my kitchen. And that’s because it’s so versatile as it pretty much goes with any dinner and withstands making ahead of time.

If you have a look at the ingredients it’s very similar to a regular coleslaw but obviously chopped instead of grated.

Although I will apologise for including grated carrot which isn’t technically chopped but I love it here for adding sweetness and colour. I have tried just chopping the carrot but it’s not as easy to digest and takes the crunch a step too far.

I’ll take you through my favourite vegetables and dressing to use (there are also plenty of alternatives) and how you can serve it all year round.

Vegetables Needed

Springleaf (hispi) cabbage. I choose to make this with cabbage to its robust texture. It softens slightly in the dressing so it’s easy to eat but still retains a good crunch. You can substitute with regular white cabbage.

Cucumber. This is a regular cucumber which can be a bit watery so I always remove the seeds when I’m using cucumber in a salad. Just split the cucumber in half lengthways and either scoop out with a teaspoon or use a sharp knife to cut them out. They do not go to waste as they are saved for my children and are considered the ultimate treat.

Carrot. As I said, this carrot is not chopped but grated. If you can possibly choose an organic carrot or one from the farmer’s market then the flavour difference is astounding. You can grate your carrot using a regular box grater, julienne peeler or in the grating attachment of a food processor.

Red pepper. You can sub for orange or yellow if you prefer. Choosing red is a little sweeter but also adds a variation in colour and salad is all about the visuals.

Spring onions. I only use two spring onions here as I do think the flavour is necessary but too much raw onion can be overpowering. I chop it up nice and small so it goes a long way.

Fresh parsley. Here’s where you can add your herby freshness. It adds such a blast of flavour using fresh herbs throughout your salad and chop them up finely so it really permeates.

Variations and Substitutions

The great thing is that this salad will work with so many variations which you might have hanging around your fridge. Here are some more options:

• Cherry tomatoes
• Olives
• Sweetcorn
• Raw beetroot
• Radishes
• Red cabbage
• Chopped apple

Lettuce. You can swap the cabbage for crisp lettuce such as little gem or iceberg. You’ll have different texture layers here as the lettuce leaves are softer rather than crunchy. If you are doing this then I don’t recommend storing once it’s been dressed as lettuce leaves will wilt more than cabbage. You must serve immediately

Crunchy Toppings

The crunch doesn’t have to stop at the vegetables you can also pepper in some nuts or seeds:

• Pumpkin seeds
• Sunflower seeds
• Toasted flaked almonds

Turn It Into a Complete Meal

This chopped salad also doesn’t have to be a side salad, if you add one of these protein choices into the mix then it’s a very satisfying lunch.

• Feta
• Chickpeas
• Salami
• Chopped chicken
• Chopped bacon
• Tuna
• Chopped halloumi
• Or top with crispy pulled pork or pulled lamb.

Serve over crispbreads or try scooping this salad up with flatbread which makes it even more substantial.

Salad Dressing

My favourite salad dressing to use here is my Creamy Cashew Dressing which is a simple creamy non-dairy vinaigrette made with olive oil, Dijon, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, cashew butter and salt and pepper.

You can visit the full Cashew Dressing Recipe page which gives so many different flavour variations.

If you need this recipe to be nut free then just swap out the cashew butter for mayonnaise (vegan or regular is fine).

Other Salad Dressing Options

Or you can swap out for another dressing entirely if you want to ring the changes. I like something robust to cling to the vegetables but the great thing is you have lots of options and these are ones I use regularly here:

• Tahini Turmeric Dressing
• Easy Mayonnaise Dressing
• Ranch Dressing
• Caesar Dressing
• Green Goddess Dressing
• Avocado Herb Dressing
• Blue Cheese Dressing

How To Make Crunchy Chopped Salad

For full recipe instructions go to the recipe card at the end of this post.

First make the dressing by whisking all the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl using an immersion blender.

Chop the salad vegetables into small uniform bite-sized pieces, except for the carrot which you will grate and the parsley which should be roughly chopped.

Toss the salad vegetables with the dressing and serve.

What To Serve Chopped Salad With

• BBQ meats
• Grilled chicken, salmon, steak, halloumi
• Quiche
• Wrapped in a flatbread
• There is often a bowl of this salad on the table alongside my easy family meals like chicken nuggets, sausages, mac n’cheese. I also love it as a texture variation with lasagne.

More Vegetable Side Recipes You’ll Love

This French Grated Carrot Salad is an extremely simple and classic salad of julienned carrots and finely chopped parsley dressed in a white wine vinaigrette. It is best made with the sweetest garden carrots.

This Brown Rice Pesto Salad is crammed with crunchy veggies, tasty herbs and crisply toasted nuts. Drizzled in a punchy pesto dressing it’s packed with flavour but is very easy to whip up on a moment’s notice.

This is a Mediterranean Style Roasted Vegetable traybake which uses everyday practical ingredients easily available year-round. It’s a robust medley of courgettes, red peppers, red onions, carrots and butternut squash which provides a symphony of colours and textures.