Summer Salad Meal Prep (Gluten-Free, Anti-Inflammatory & Gut-Healthy)

If there's one meal prep routine that completely transforms my summer, it's this one. When the temperature climbs, I want something fresh and colorful — hearty enough to be a full meal, but without chopping vegetables every single day. So once a week, I spend about an hour prepping components instead of finished salads: homemade dressings, fresh veggies, plant-based protein, and a crunchy topping. Then all week, I mix and match however I'm feeling, without ever getting bored.

Every recipe here is gluten-free, plant-based, high in fiber, anti-inflammatory, and built with gut health in mind. And this batch is extra special to me — growing up, I refused to eat lettuce unless it came from my grandmother's garden, and this year I finally built my own vegetable garden, so everything you see here comes straight from it. (One quick tip if you're growing your own: snip the leaves a few centimeters above the base instead of pulling the whole head — most lettuce will grow right back for another harvest.)

If you want to see the whole process step-by-step, I walk through it in the YouTube video that goes with this post.

As a plant-based nutritionist, gut health is always front and center for me, and this meal prep supports it through lots of colorful vegetables, fermented ingredients like miso, tamari, and tempeh, plenty of fiber, healthy fats, and a wide variety of plants — research suggests around 30 different plant foods a week helps support a diverse microbiome, and salads make that easy to hit naturally.

Let's get into it.

Step 1: Prepare Three Homemade Dressings

Having a few good dressings ready to go in the fridge is honestly what makes healthy eating feel effortless during the week.

Creamy Peanut Dressing

Ingredients

- ½ cup peanut butter

- Juice of 1 lime

- 1 tablespoon agave syrup

- ½ tablespoon white miso

- 1 teaspoon tamari

- 1 teaspoon garlic powder

- ¼ cup cold water (plus more if needed)

Instructions

Whisk everything together until smooth, adding more water a little at a time until it reaches your preferred consistency.

Mediterranean Mustard Dressing

Ingredients

- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

- 2 garlic cloves, minced

- ½ tablespoon agave

- ¼ cup water

- Salt & pepper, to taste

Instructions

Add everything to a jar, seal it up, and shake vigorously until creamy and emulsified.

Creamy Cashew Caesar Dressing

Ingredients

- 1 cup soaked cashews

- ¾ cup water

- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

- 1 teaspoon capers

- 1 teaspoon garlic powder

- Salt & pepper, to taste

Instructions

Blend everything until completely smooth and creamy.

Step 2: Prep the Vegetables

Wash all your lettuce thoroughly and spin it dry — this part matters more than you'd think. Store it in airtight containers lined with paper towels, and it'll stay crisp and fresh for several days.

Grill the Corn

Brush fresh corn with a simple garlic olive oil made from olive oil, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Grill until lightly charred and fragrant.

Grated Carrots

Grate your carrots using a food processor, mandoline, or julienne peeler — whatever you have on hand. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.

Quick Pickled Red Cabbage

Ingredients

- 3 cups shredded red cabbage

- ½ cup rice vinegar

- 1 tablespoon agave

- ½ teaspoon salt

- ¼ cup water

Instructions

Mix everything together in a bowl and massage it gently with your hands. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes before storing — the flavor actually gets even better after a day in the fridge.

Step 3: Prep the Protein

Instead of leaning on meat, I love using plant-based proteins here because they add fiber while also boosting plant diversity — a real win-win for your gut.

Teriyaki Tofu Crumbles

For the tofu

- 2 blocks extra firm tofu

- Avocado oil

- Salt & pepper, to taste

For the teriyaki sauce

- ½ cup low sodium tamari

- ½ cup vegetable broth

- 3 tablespoons maple syrup

- 1 tablespoon brown sugar

- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

- 2 teaspoons grated ginger

- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

- 1–1½ tablespoons cornstarch

- 2 tablespoons water

- Optional: chili flakes

Instructions

Crumble the tofu directly onto a baking tray and bake until golden and slightly crisp. Meanwhile, whisk together the sauce ingredients and heat in a pan until thickened. Add the baked tofu to the pan and stir until everything is beautifully caramelized.

Crispy Tempeh

Ingredients

- 1 block tempeh

- Avocado oil

- 1 teaspoon tamari

- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika

Instructions

Cook the tempeh in a pan until crispy on the outside, then finish with a splash of tamari and a dusting of smoked paprika.

Step 4: Make a Savory Seed Granola

This is genuinely one of my favorite meal prep hacks. Instead of croutons, I sprinkle this crunchy seed mix over salads, soups, grain bowls, and even avocado toast. It's such a simple way to instantly boost both flavor and plant diversity in any meal.

Ingredients

- Sunflower seeds

- Pumpkin seeds

- Sliced almonds

- Cashews

- Pine nuts

- Olive oil

- Garlic powder

- Salt & pepper, to taste

- Optional: chili flakes, extra black pepper

Instructions

Toast everything together in a skillet until lightly golden and fragrant. Let it cool completely before storing so it stays nice and crunchy.

Three Easy Meal Prep Salads

Mediterranean Lentil Salad

This is my personal favorite, because it actually tastes even better after sitting in the fridge overnight.

- Cooked lentils

- Kale

- Cucumber

- Grated carrots

- Grilled corn

- Pickled cabbage

- Mediterranean mustard dressing

- Savory seed granola

Creamy Caesar Salad

- Lettuce

- Crispy tempeh

- Grilled corn

- Cashew Caesar dressing

- Savory seed granola

Asian Chopped Salad

- Lettuce

- Teriyaki tofu

- Grated carrots

- Grilled corn

- Pickled cabbage

- Creamy peanut dressing

Meal Prep Tips

- Store every component separately for maximum freshness.

- Keep your dressings in glass jars in the fridge.

- Dry your lettuce really well before storing — soggy lettuce is the enemy.

- Wait to dress your salad until right before eating, except for the lentil salad, which actually benefits from sitting overnight.

- Keep crunchy toppings separate until serving so they stay crisp.

- Prep once, and enjoy easy, healthy lunches all week long.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do these salads last?

Most components stay fresh for 4–5 days when stored separately.

Are these recipes gluten-free?

Yes! Just be sure to use a certified gluten-free tamari in place of regular soy sauce.

Are these recipes good for gut health?

Absolutely. They're naturally high in fiber, rich in plant diversity, include fermented ingredients like tempeh and miso, and feature anti-inflammatory foods like olive oil, nuts, colorful vegetables, garlic, and herbs.

Final Thoughts

Healthy eating doesn't have to mean spending hours in the kitchen every single day. With a little planning, you can build fresh, nourishing meals in just minutes — while naturally eating more plants, more fiber, and more anti-inflammatory foods throughout your week.

If you end up making any of these salads, I'd genuinely love to hear which one becomes your favorite. And if you grow your own lettuce like I do, there's really nothing quite like eating a salad made from something you nurtured yourself, from seed to bowl.