While there are many types of vegan salads, the one common requisite is that they do not contain any animal by-products. Some types of vegan salads include different types of lettuces and various vegetables. To make the salad vegan, the dressing must be free of animal by-products. This is also true of vegan salads that contain legumes and onions, for example. Vegan salads can also include red cabbage salad, cucumber and mint salad, and whole grain rice salad, to name a few.
When making a vegan salad, it must be kept in mind that processing involved in creating the ingredients that go into the salad must not involve animal by-products. For example, many salad dressings will include a small amount of sugar. Most sugar is not truly a vegan product. The reason that common white sugar is often not vegan is due to the fact that bone char, an animal by-product, is used in the refining process.
Another important item to be aware of when making any type of vegan salad is that eggs cannot be included as part of the salad. Eggs are an animal by-product. Caesar dressing, for example, contains eggs as an ingredient. Many dressings contain eggs and so would not qualify as vegan. Mayonnaise also cannot be a part of a truly vegan salad dressing, as it contains eggs. There are, however, many offerings of eggless mayonnaise available. They can now be found in regular grocery stores, along with health food stores.
Many people who observe a vegan diet find it difficult at times to keep their protein intake at a healthy level, but many vegan salads feature ingredients with high levels of protein. For example, those salads that are largely made of beans and nuts will aid in supplying the daily requisite for protein. Another popular ingredient that is added to vegan salads are whole grains. Cooked quinoa adds texture and can be served mixed into the salad or served warm alongside it. Rice is also a popular ingredient, and as with quinoa, it can be served hot or cold.
Vegan salads can be served as side dishes as well as main dishes. They can be raw or contain cooked ingredients or even a combination of both. They can be served hot or cold. There are numerous recipes, both simple and more complicated, that clearly adhere to vegan guidelines for salad making. The key to making a great vegan salad, verses simply a good one, is fresh ingredients.