• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

our recipesĀ + your inbox = the eatmail

Join now

Subscribe for new recipes + 3 fan-favorite ebooks

  • About
  • Contact

Live Eat Learn

Easy vegetarian recipes, one ingredient at a time

free ebook

Subscribe for new recipes + 3 fan-favorite ebooks

  • Recipe Index
  • Vegetarian 101
  • Travel
  • Meal Plans
  • Course
    • Breakfasts
    • Lunches
    • Dinners
    • Appetizers
    • Sweets
    • Drinks
  • Diet
    • Dairy Free
    • Gluten Free
    • Low Carb
    • Paleo
    • Raw
    • Vegan
  • Season
    • Winter
    • Spring
    • Summer
    • Fall
  • Ingredient
    • Avocado
    • Bean
    • Cauliflower
    • Chickpeas
    • Eggplant
    • Mushroom
    • Tofu
    • Quinoa
    • View All
  • Collections
    • All Time Favorites
    • Air Frying
    • Budget Friendly
    • Comfort Food
    • High Protein
    • Meal Prep
    • Meatless Monday
    • View All
  • Visit our kombucha site
    Visit our dog food blog
Home Eat Salads

Rudy’s Sunshine Salad

5 from 5 votes
Recipe Print Share
Share on:
By: Sarah BondUpdated: Mar 18, 2022 9 Comments

This post contains affiliate links.

With fresh seasonal veggies and a creamy tahini sauce, this is the only veggie salad you’ll need all summer!

Every recipe on the blog so far has been my own creation. But then Rudolph, one of our readers, emailed me one day. The subject line was, “It’s yours to use or publish as you wish”, and the email was simply this recipe – Rudy’s Sunshine Salad.

So I made it. And it was delicious. And the combination of ingredients and flavors that I never would have thought of on my own inspired me to discover even more reader recipes.

And so this week I’m so excited to be featuring YOUR recipes! I put a call out for recipes and you all delivered. Coming up we’ve got coconut veggies from the Philippines and a weeknight pasta from London and stuffed tomatoes from a lake house in Missouri.

But first, we’re kicking it off with the recipe that started it all. Rudy’s Sunshine Salad!

Here’s What You’ll Need

  • Limes: We’ll be using both the zest (which adds lime flavor) and the juice (which adds acidity) to bring some power to the salad dressing.
  • Salt: Salt will enhance the flavors of the dressing and all the veggies!
  • Tahini: Tahini, or sesame seed paste, can have an overpowering flavor on its own (go ahead and lick the spoon, you’ll see!), but it makes a creamy base for the salad dressing and is delightful when mixed up with everything!
  • Olive Oil: Aim for a good quality extra virgin olive oil. The flavor will shine through!
  • Chickpeas: Honestly, do we even need a reason for chickpeas? You know I love ’em!
  • Cucumbers: You can use either seeded or non-seeded (English) cucumbers here.
  • Celery: The bright flavors of the celery balance out the tahini dressing and add a hefty dose of crunch!
  • Cilantro: And finally, Rudy’s favorite part of the salad (and mine too!) – the fresh cilantro.

How to make this veggie salad

Step 1: Dressing
Grate the zest from one of the limes and add it to a medium bowl, along with the juice from both limes. Whisk in salt, tahini, and olive oil. It should be thick but pourable.

Step 2: Salad
Drain the chickpeas and chop the cucumber, celery, and cilantro. Add it all to a large mixing bowl.

Step 3: Toss
Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge.

And that’s how you make Rudy’s Sunshine Salad! It’s equal parts easy, delicious, and perfect for summer. Enjoy!

More Refreshing Summer Eats

From refreshing ingredients to grilled fruit, there’s a reason why these dishes are perfect for summer!

  • Grilled Watermelon Salad
  • Tomato Gazpacho
  • Creamy Cucumber Salad
  • Tomato Pesto Caprese Panini

And be sure to try out our other featured Reader Recipes, like Kyaw’s Porcini Pasta, Marika’s Coconut Veggies, and Trish’s Broiled Tomatoes!

Rudy’s Sunshine Salad

5 from 5 votes
Prep: 15 minutes
Total: 15 minutes
Author: Sarah Bond
Calories: 327kcal
Servings: 4 serving
Print Rate
With fresh seasonal veggies and a creamy tahini sauce, this is the only veggie salad you’ll need all summer!

Ingredients

  • 2 limes
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ¼ cup tahini 60 g
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil 60 mL
  • 1 14-oz can chickpeas drained, 400 g
  • 2 medium cucumbers cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 5 stalks celery diced
  • ½ cup cilantro finely chopped

Instructions 

  • Dressing: Grate the zest from 1 lime and add it to a medium bowl, along with the juice from both limes. Whisk in salt, tahini, and olive oil.
  • Salad: Add drained chickpeas, diced cucumber, diced celery, and chopped cilantro to a large bowl.
  • Toss: Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1serving Calories: 327kcal (16%) Carbohydrates: 30.5g (10%) Protein: 7.8g (16%) Fat: 21.8g (34%) Saturated Fat: 3.1g (19%) Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium: 853mg (37%) Potassium: 517mg (15%) Fiber: 6.9g (29%) Sugar: 3.5g (4%) Calcium: 134mg (13%) Iron: 3mg (17%)
Did You Make This?

Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!

Tag on Insta! Leave a Rating Pin on Pinterest

You may also like...

  • Spring Radish Salad
  • Love sushi but not a fan of how long it takes (not to mention the mess?) Today we’re making Mediterranean-inspired Greek Sushi rolls that take everything good about Greek salad and wrap it up into a delicious sushi rolls!
    Greek Salad Sushi
  • Salad with avocado and mangoes in a white bowl on a blue table
    Avocado & Mango Green Salad with Yogurt Dressingļæ¼
  • This Chimichurri Orzo Salad is tossed in a simple herby dressing that's loaded with veggies and sprinkled with feta cheese (and all in under 15 minutes!)
    Chimichurri Orzo Salad
Previous Post
Next Post

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Have a question? Submit your question or comment below.

Rate this Recipe:




  1. Teri says

    Posted on 7/20 at 11:57 am

    This is so good — I love the crunch!

    Reply
  2. Sue says

    Posted on 7/20 at 1:51 pm

    Lovely easy to make healthy salad. Added a diced crispy apple which worked well too.5 stars

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      Posted on 7/20 at 2:16 pm

      That sounds delicious! šŸ˜€

  3. Lea says

    Posted on 7/25 at 6:41 am

    Hi Sarah, Rudy’s Sunshine Salad looks absolutely delicious. It is filled with all of my favorites. think this could become one of my go to salads. I’ve pinned this and am looking forward to when I can make it. Thank you for sharing Rudy’s recipe.

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      Posted on 7/26 at 12:08 pm

      So happy you liked it, Lea! šŸ˜€

  4. Lois says

    Posted on 7/25 at 10:56 am

    My meat eater hubby and I really loved the flavors of this salad. Hardy enough for light dinner. Use bread to get all the delicious dressing! I left out the cilantro because I am not crazy about it. Will made again and again!5 stars

    Reply
  5. Nic says

    Posted on 7/25 at 6:52 pm

    Holy moly, this was DELISH. Admittedly, I was skeptical cuz I never would have mixed all of these ingredients together, but this recipe used up a bunch of veg from my recent CSA box & I am sooo happy I decided to go for it! I used just 1 super juicy lime, less salt, half of the EVOO, and a mixture of cilantro/parsley. Thanks for posting this, Rudy rocks šŸ™‚5 stars

    Reply
  6. Amanda says

    Posted on 7/26 at 11:53 am

    Is there a substitute for the cilantro? I have all other ingredients but that and didn’t want that to hold me up making this it looks so good! 😊

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      Posted on 7/26 at 12:10 pm

      Cilantro is a hard one to sub out, so I’d def recommend trying to get your hands on some for this recipe! For an herby flavor you can use parsley, though the taste will be quite different!

Primary Sidebar

Hello

I'm Sarah

A flavor-loving nutritionist and sensory science specialist showing you how to make easy vegetarian recipes, one ingredient at a time.

Let's Meet

Freebie alert!

3 reader-favorite cookbooks delivered straight to your inbox.

Get in now!

Subscribe for new recipes + 3 fan-favorite ebooks

Air Fryer Recipes

Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower

Plate full of crispy chickpeas with a wooden spoon.

15 Minute Crispy Air Fryer Chickpeas

Personal size mozzarella pizza cooked in an air fryer

Air Fryer Pizza

Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks

Brussels sprouts on a plate with wooden serving spoons.

The Best 15 Minute Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts

Kale chips on a white plate.

10 Minute Air Fryer Kale Chips

Dinner This Week

Vegan tikka masala with naan and rice in a white bowl

M

Chickpea Tikka Masala

Roasted Chickpea Gyros

T

Roasted Chickpea Gyros

Vegan Thai red curry in a bowl on a red background

W

Thai Vegetarian Coconut Curry

Vegan nachos on a black plate on a white background - These vegan nachos are piled high with easy mushroom BBQ "pulled pork" and a cashew-based queso cheese sauce that will knock your dairy-free socks off.

R

BBQ Mushroom Pulled Pork

Roasted Cauliflower Street Tacos

F

Roasted Cauliflower Tacos

Lemon risotto in a bowl with basil on a yellow background

S

Lemon Basil Risotto

As featured on:

3 bonus books!

Join our Eatmail newsletter to get free copies of our top 3 cookbooks, new recipes, exclusive meal plans, and more!

Follow Along

  • Easy Vegetarian Facebook Group
  • Kombucha Brewers Facebook Group
Back to Top
  • Web Stories
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • Collaborate
© 2023 Live Eat Learn
Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled Support by Foodie Digital
879 shares