The fragrant waft of a summer barbecue is arguably one of the best smells of the season. Then comes the quintessential charred flavor; on vegetables, it provides a crunch and smoky complexity that transports us to our best summer nights: the ones with a bonfire, fireflies, wine flowing, good music, and great company. With that nostalgic joy as inspiration, we introduce this bright salad with perfectly-grilled vegetables and a creamy, herbaceous dressing to drizzle atop. Our resident kitchen alchemist and plant-based home cook, Sasha Pagni, made a makeshift bamboo grill on her quaint LA porch—if you also don't have a spacious outdoor space to fire up, she also made suggestions for using your oven for similar effect. Any way you turn up the heat, enjoy organic veggies bursting with antioxidants, mushrooms rich in vitamin D, and anti-inflammatory herbs.
Ingredients:
- 2-3 king oyster mushrooms, sliced lengthwise + scored by cutting a shallow crisscross pattern on the surface
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 zucchini, sliced into rounds
- 1 head of romaine, chopped or 2 cups of baby gems
- Handful of small cherry or sungold tomatoes
- Small radish, sliced
- 1 sprig basil, torn or chopped
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt + pepper, to taste
- ½ lemon
Bright Herb Dressing:
- ½ cup plain coconut yogurt
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon dill, chopped
- 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoons sliced chives, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Salt + black pepper, to taste
Optional:
- Pickled red onions
- Baguette, ciabatta, or high-quality bread of choice
Directions:
- Place sliced + scored mushrooms in a bowl with balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, pepper. Ensure mushrooms are submerged in marinade and allow mushrooms to marinate for at least 10 minutes to overnight.
- Toss zucchini with olive oil, salt, pepper, and juice from ½ of a lemon.
- Skewer cherry tomatoes and brush lightly with olive oil.
- Prepare grill or oven. If using an oven, the highest setting on the broiler is recommended.
- Place mushrooms, zucchini, and tomato skewer onto grill. Grill zucchini for 3 minutes on each side until browned as zucchini will become mushy if cooked for long. Grill mushrooms until the edges begin to crisp and there are visible char marks, about 5-6 minutes on each side. Grill tomato for 5 minutes, rotating skewers often.
- Make the herb dressing: place all ingredients into a bowl and whisk until combined.
- Build your salad by placing down romaine first, followed by mushrooms, zucchini, radish, tomatoes, basil, and dressing last.
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