Cherub Tomatoes Crouton Salad

Frankly speaking, I am not a salad person. KR enjoys a good salad but not me. The only salad I prefer is the most basic one with tomatoes, onions, and cucumber.

I like veggie salads that have a crunch, are spicy, and have a strong flavor. That is why even the salad recipes I share on the blog cater to me and picky eaters like me.

What's special about this salad

Today's Tomato Croutons Veggie Salad has an earthy richness and a spicy palette, and the croutons complement the greens nicely by bringing the crunch.

Simple, yet flavorful, this chopped salad is a great option even when you need a last-minute addition to your dining table. It's as easy as just chopping and serving!

New Year, New Me!!

Last year was a challenging year, just like the previous one. Family and friends helped make it bearable for me.

It's been fun celebrating Indian festivals and Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas with them.

At the end of every year, I have a goal where I try to go into 'detox mode' to get a break from all the rich festive foods.

I stick to simple smoothies and salads for the most part. Today's recipe is an effort toward that goal. I mean, it doesn't get any simpler than a delicious salad like this one!

Why Naturesweet Cherubs

This tomato salad is bursting with colors, nutrients, amazing flavors, and textures. That's mainly because of the star ingredient - NatureSweet Cherubs.

I was very excited to partner with them to create this delicious salad recipe! We love NatureSweet Cherubs not only for their bright color but also for their sweet and tangy flavor.

NatureSweet tomatoes are grown with care and attention to maximize flavor and freshness. They are healthy and a source of many essential vitamins and minerals.

Did you know that they are handpicked and shipped fresh within 24 hours?

That's what makes them so sweet. They are also tested for quality, so firmness, color, and blemishes.

Why make this

This is one of those salads that you will actually enjoy eating. This is coming from a non-salad eater - ME!

• Vegan salad recipe
• No-cook recipe
• Is practically a meal on its own
• The croutons are made in an air fryer
• Made with healthy and fresh wholesome ingredients
• Most of it can be prepped ahead of time
• Every bite bursts with flavor
• Simple, quick and easy to make
• Budget-friendly

Bread - White or any other variety of bread can be used, one or two-day-old bread is preferred over fresh bread.

Tomatoes -I have used NatureSweet Cherubs in this recipe.

Other veggies - cucumber, and onions give this salad a nice crunch and flavor.

Greens - lettuce, parsley, and basil are what I have used.

For flavoring - green chillies, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, black pepper, and sea salt will act like dressing in this vegan salad recipe.

If using store-bought croutons, then you can skip the steps below. If making croutons at home, here's how to make them in an air fryer.

1. Cut bread into even cubes. There is no need to remove the crust.
2. Add olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasonings, red pepper flakes and salt to a small bowl.
3. Add the cubed bread to a large bowl, pour the garlic oil mixture over the bread and toss to coat.
4. Bake the croutons in the air fryer at 390 degrees for 6 minutes. Remove from the air fryer and let cool.

1. Cut the NatureSweet Cherubs vertically after rinsing them. Add them to a salad bowl.
2. Peel, chop and add cucumbers along with chopped onions.
3. Now add roughly torn basil, chopped parsley and shredded lettuce.
4. To a small pan, add olive oil. Fry minced garlic, red pepper flakes, and chopped green chillies.
5. Pour this over the salad. Add salt and pepper. Mix well.
6. Top it off with lemon juice and red wine vinegar. Mix it all together. Let the tomato salad sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Serving suggestions

You can either add the croutons with the salad so that they marinate in the juices and soften or add them before serving to retain the crunch.

Serve a salad like this that's a little different and special than the rest. Isn't it good to see some greens on your dining table somewhere?

It makes a delicious starter to any lunch or dinner. You can also pack this in lunchboxes. When doing so, pack the croutons separately.

In fact, this delicious and hearty vegan croutons tomato salad recipe is also worthy of a meal. It's filling and wholesome.

Tips, recommendations, and suggestions

Use gluten-free bread if you want to make a gluten-free tomato croutons salad. Skip adding croutons if you want. Add some nuts or seeds instead for crunch.

If you are not vegan, mozzarella balls are also a great addition to this salad. Vegan cheese or nutritional yeast can also be sprinkled on top as garnish.

You can also add more greens like baby kale, spinach, sweet pea leaves, or even beet leaves. Feel free to add more veggies of your choice like bell peppers, olives, etc.

To add more protein, add cooked or canned beans like chickpeas, kidney beans, lentils, tofu, or paneer (this is not vegan though). Cooked pasta can also be added.

Don't have an air fryer? Bake the bread in the oven for about 10 minutes or till crisp or simply toast the bread slices in a toaster and then add them to the salad with the seasoning.

If you have any croutons leftover, store them in an air-tight container once they have cooled down completely. These croutons will stay fresh for 2-3 days. 

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of NatureSweet.