Paleo Cheese Lover's Garden Salad

Indulge in the vibrant, dairy-free delight of the Paleo Cheese Lover's Garden Salad—a fresh and satisfying twist on a classic favorite! Loaded with crisp mixed greens, juicy cherry tomatoes, refreshing cucumber, sweet carrot ribbons, and creamy avocado, this salad bursts with garden-fresh flavors. The star ingredient is a homemade cashew-based "cheese," flavored with nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and a blend of dried herbs for a rich, cheesy flavor that's Paleo-approved and vegan-friendly. Tossed with a zingy olive oil and apple cider vinegar dressing, this salad is perfect as a light meal or a colorful side dish. Quick to prepare in just 25 minutes, it's a wholesome, gluten-free option for cheese lovers who crave plant-forward meals.

Nutriscore Rating: 82/100

Prep Time:25 mins

Cook Time:0 mins

Total Time:25 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 4 cups mixed salad greens
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1 medium cucumber
• 1 medium carrot
• 0.5 medium red onion
• 1 large avocado
• 0.25 cup nutritional yeast
• 0.75 cup raw cashews
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano
• 0.5 teaspoon dried basil
• 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
• 0.25 teaspoon sea salt
• 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Directions

Step 1

Start by preparing the vegetables. Wash the salad greens thoroughly and spin them dry. Place them in a large salad bowl.

Step 2

Halve the cherry tomatoes and add them to the bowl.

Step 3

Slice the cucumber into thin rounds, then cut each round in half to create semi-circles. Add to the salad bowl.

Step 4

Peel the carrot and use a vegetable peeler or spiralizer to create carrot ribbons. Add these to the bowl.

Step 5

Thinly slice the red onion and add to the salad.

Step 6

Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit, and slice the flesh into cubes. Spoon the avocado cubes into the bowl.

Step 7

To make the Paleo 'cheese', place the raw cashews, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, dried oregano, dried basil, garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper into a food processor.

Step 8

Pulse the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs and is well combined. Be careful not to over-process; you want a crumbly texture, not a paste.

Step 9

Sprinkle the cashew cheese over the salad, distributing evenly.

Step 10

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil and apple cider vinegar to create the salad dressing.

Step 11

Drizzle the dressing over the salad just before serving.

Step 12

Toss the salad gently to distribute the ingredients and dressing evenly.

Step 13

Serve the Paleo Cheese Lover's Garden Salad fresh as a light meal or a vibrant side dish.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(992.4g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	1310.3

Total Fat 108.1g	0%
Saturated Fat 16.6g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 3.9g
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 724.0mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 78.2g	0%
Dietary Fiber 24.9g	0%
Total Sugars 20.7g
Protein 28.5g	0%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 209.4mg	0%
Iron 10.3mg	0%
Potassium 2951.0mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 69.5%

Protein: 8.1%

Carbs: 22.3%