Easy Healthy Recipes: Simple Vegetarian Salads with Extra Virgin Olive Oil

One way to make salad even healthier? Skip creamy, mayo-based dressings and use extra virgin olive oil instead. These simple salad recipes are great for lunch (prep on Sunday for easy weekday meals at work!), as delicious, hearty dinners or veggie-forward sides, and can be easily multiplied to feed a crowd. Check them both out, below.

Greek Wheatberry Salad

By Molly Cleary of @sayyestothefreshh

Ingredients:

• 1 cup wheat berries
• 1 cucumber
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes
• ½ cup fresh basil
• ½ cup fresh parsley
• 1, 15.5 oz. can low-sodium chickpeas
• ¼ cup Bertolli^®Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. black pepper
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions:

• In a medium saucepot, add 1 cup wheat berries and 3½ cups water and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for about an hour until wheat berries are chewy and water has absorbed.
• While wheat berries cook, chop 1 cucumber, 2 cups cherry tomatoes, basil and parsley; add to a large mixing bowl.
• Add drained chickpeas and drained wheat berries. Dress with olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper; toss in feta cheese.

Tomato Corn Avocado Pasta Salad

By Rene Barker of @thissavoryvegan

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. pasta of choice
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 1 cup corn
• ¼ to ½ a red onion, to taste
• 1 ripe avocado, sliced
• 5 large basil leaves, chopped
• 1/3 cup Bertolli^®Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• 1 garlic clove, diced
• 1 tsp. oregano
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
2. While pasta is cooking, prepare vegetables (except for avocado and basil).
3. In a small bowl or mason jar, combine olive oil, red wine vinegar, diced garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Whisk or shake to combine.
4. Add pasta, tomatoes, corn and red onion to a large bowl. Toss together and place in refrigerator until ready to eat.
5. Just before serving, add avocado, basil and dressing. Toss to combine and serve.