As a vegetarian, you’re basically required to be into salads. While they may be as tried-and-true as an old sweatshirt, salads can be quite filling and they definitely don’t have to be boring.

One of my favorite salads is from Republic Gastropub: Grilled Shrimp Salad with Brussels sprouts, spaghetti squash, crispy salami, red onion, smoked gouda and horseradish vinaigrette, Have them sub the shrimp for avocado and the salami for boiled egg, and you’re good to go. Exhibit A that salads are just blank slates with which to get creative.

You’ve probably had a fajita vegetable salad before, but what really makes this one is the hummus dressing. It has a creamy, slightly spicy and smokey flavor and would be just as good as a dip for veggies as it is a salad dressing. 

The recipe below is really just a guideline. Feel free to use whatever veggies you want, whatever toppings you want, etc. This can even be made vegan by omitting cheese and sour cream. It’s a great weeknight dinner that can be made in about 20-30 minutes!

MAIN INGREDIENTS

1 head of cauliflower, chopped

1 yellow onion, sliced

1 green bell pepper, sliced

1 red bell pepper, sliced

3-4 cloves garlic

1 can kidney beans (could also use black beans, garbanzo beans, black eyed peas, etc.)

1 can fiesta corn

Hummus

Avocado

Spinach

SPICES & MORE

1 T. chili powder

1 t. cumin

1 t. smoked paprika

1/2 t. garlic powder

1/2 t. onion powder

Salt & pepper to taste

Olive oil

Salsa

Lime juice

Sriracha

Chipotle Tabasco (optional)

Sour cream

Feta cheese crumbles (could also use a Mexican cheese blend, cojita cheese, etc.)

STEPS

1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2) Chop veggies (including garlic) and add to large plastic bag. Add a bit of olive oil and all the spices. Shake, shake, shake. Add to a greased pan and roast for 20-25 minutes.

3) To make the dressing, add a few large dollops of hummus to a bowl. Add salsa, Sriracha, lime juice, a splash of olive oil and Chipotle Tabasco to taste. Experiment until you get a flavor and consistency that you like.

4) When veggies are done, add to a bed of spinach. Top with beans, cheese, corn, sliced avocado and sour cream. Drizzle with dressing.