Salads are the most customizable meals (in our humble opinion). We love that you can put all kinds of ingredients together and make something unique and nutritious.
This Caribbean salad is inspired by…well, the Caribbean! So we feature fresh pineapple and seasonings like cumin and thyme.
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A great salad has a variety of texture, so we included ingredients like creamy avocado and crunchy red onion. Always remember you can add and customize this recipe to your liking!
We also have a delicious pineapple dressing that goes along with this salad. For your next salad craving, try out our quinoa pasta salad or potato salad.
Why you’ll love it
- Delicious mixture of texture!
- Savory and sweet flavors
- Nutritionally balanced
- Caribbean-inspired seasonings
- Super easy to make
For our Caribbean salad, you’ll need a mixing bowl, measuring utensils, cutting board, and knife.
Ingredients needed
- Lettuce — our crispy base for the salad
- Black beans — hearty and adds protein
- Pineapple — adds sweetness and tang
- Red onion, red bell pepper, avocado — veggies for mix of taste and texture
- Fresh cilantro and sesame seeds — for garnishing
- Pineapple Salad Dressing — soy yogurt, pineapple juice, lime juice, olive oil, thyme, cumin, paprika, salt, cayenne
Scroll below for exact measurements and customizations!
How to make this Caribbean Salad
- Add lettuce, beans, pineapple, onion, bell pepper, and avocado to a salad bowl.
- Little tip: add a dash of salt and pepper and mix. It’s a good idea to season the ingredients (before adding the dressing) for extra flavor.
- Whisk together all ingredients for the fruity dressing in a separate bowl. Adjust to taste preferences, then drizzle over the salad.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and sesame seeds. Enjoy!
Storage
This salad is best enjoyed right away. If you want leftovers, we recommend storing the dressing and salad ingredients separately for up to 4 days.
If you plan to make this ahead of time:
- Store the lettuce, onion, and bell pepper together
- Store the drained beans, pineapple, and avocado separately
- Store dressing separately
We recommend separating ingredients like this to preserve the texture! There’s nothing worse than a super soggy salad.
Customizations
Here are topping ideas and swaps. Keep in mind we strive to maintain the Caribbean flavor with these suggestions.
Swaps
- Instead of pineapple, you can use mandarin oranges
- You can use any type of neutral-flavored lettuce you prefer!
Veggies
- Garlic
- Yellow pepper
- Scallions
- Shaved carrot
Topping ideas
- Sliced almonds
- Hemp seeds
- Coconut shavings
FAQs & tips
Do I have to use pineapple?
Nope! You can swap the pineapple with mandarin oranges.
What lettuce can I use?
You can use romaine lettuce, butter lettuce, or iceberg lettuce. You can also add in some spinach for variety.
Can I take this salad on the go?
Yes! We recommend storing the dressing, avocado, and pineapple separately from the rest of the ingredients to preserve texture.
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Did you make our Caribbean salad and enjoy it? We’d love to read about it, so be sure to leave a review and share it in the comments below. You can also Pin this recipe here!
Ingredients
- 4 cups lettuce 120 g, chopped
- 1.5 cups black beans 170 g, drained and rinsed
- 1.5 cups pineapple 250 g from can, juice preserved
- 1 small red onion finely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 1 avocado chopped
- Fresh cilantro to garnish
- Sesame seeds to garnish
Pineapple Salad Dressing
- ⅓ cup soy yogurt 80 g
- ½ cup pineapple juice 118 ml
- ⅓ cup lime juice 75 ml
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp thyme
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp salt
- Dash cayenne
Instructions
- Add lettuce, beans, pineapple, onion, bell pepper, and avocado to a salad bowl.
- Little tip: add a dash of salt and pepper and mix. It’s a good idea to season the ingredients (before adding the dressing) for extra flavor.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together all ingredients for the fruity dressing. Adjust to taste preferences, then drizzle over the salad.
Notes
- To store or take on the go: we recommend storing the dressing, avocado, and pineapple separately from the rest of the ingredients to preserve texture.
- You can swap the pineapple for mandarin oranges. Check out our customizations section for more ideas!
Alena Schowalter is a Certified Vegan Nutritionist who has been a vegetarian since childhood and vegan since 2012. Together with her husband, she founded nutriciously in 2015 and has been guiding thousands of people through different transition stages towards a healthy plant-based diet. She’s received training in the fields of nutrition, music therapy and social work. Alena enjoys discussions around vegan ethics, walks through nature and creating new recipes.
Get a little taste of the tropics with our refreshing Caribbean salad! Each bite is vibrant and flavorful. Enjoy hearty black beans and crispy bell pepper, all mixed in a sweet yet savory pineapple dressing.