Butter Lettuce, Arugula & Kidney Beans with White Miso Tofu Dressing — 21g Protein | Vegan Lunch

The dressing is the reason to make this salad. Silken tofu blended with white miso, rice vinegar, lemon, and garlic produces a thick, creamy white dressing that looks like a caesar and tastes like something considerably more interesting: fermented depth from the miso, sharpness from the vinegar, and a clean richness from the tofu fat that coats every leaf without heaviness. It takes sixty seconds to blend and keeps refrigerated for three days, which makes this one of the fastest meal prep lunches in the rotation once the dressing is made.

The salad itself is entirely raw and entirely about contrast. Soft butter lettuce against peppery arugula. Cool crisp radish coins against sweet cherry tomatoes. Sharp spring onion scattered through the greens. Kidney beans for protein and substance, pumpkin seeds for crunch. Everything tumbled together loosely so the textures stay distinct rather than compressing into a uniform mass. Dress generously and eat immediately while the greens are still crisp.

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📊 NUTRITION (per serving)

Calories: 380 | Protein: 21g | Carbs: 32g | Fat: 16g | Fiber: 12g 

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⏱️ Time: 10 minutes (Prep: 10 | Cook: 0) 🍽️ Serves: 1

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INGREDIENTS:

Ingredient	1 Serving	2 Servings	4 Servings
SALAD
Butter lettuce, torn into pieces	2 cups (60g)	4 cups (120g)	8 cups (240g)
Fresh arugula	1 cup (30g)	2 cups (60g)	4 cups (120g)
Radishes, thinly sliced into coins	4 radishes (60g)	8 radishes (120g)	16 radishes (240g)
Cherry tomatoes, halved	½ cup (75g)	1 cup (150g)	2 cups (300g)
Young spring onions, thinly sliced	2 onions	4 onions	8 onions
Canned red kidney beans, rinsed and drained	¾ cup (150g)	1½ cups (300g)	3 cups (600g)
Pumpkin seeds	2 tbsp (20g)	4 tbsp (40g)	8 tbsp (80g)
Black sesame seeds (optional finish)	a pinch	a pinch each	a pinch each
MISO TOFU DRESSING
Silken tofu	2.5 oz (70g)	5 oz (140g)	10 oz (280g)
White miso paste	1 tsp	2 tsp	4 tsp
Rice vinegar	1 tsp	2 tsp	4 tsp
Agave or maple syrup	½ tsp	1 tsp	2 tsp
Garlic, minced or grated	½ clove	1 clove	2 cloves
Fresh lemon juice	1 tbsp	2 tbsp	4 tbsp
Water, to thin	2 tbsp (30ml)	4 tbsp (60ml)	8 tbsp (120ml)

✨ Chef’s Kiss: Drizzle ¼ tsp white balsamic glaze over the finished salad just before eating — a few drops over the kidney beans and tomatoes adds a sweet, acidic finish that lifts the miso dressing and makes the whole salad taste more polished. Impact: negligible calories, no protein change.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Blend the dressing: Place the silken tofu, white miso, rice vinegar, agave, garlic, lemon juice, and water in a small blender or tall cup if using a hand blender. Blend for 60 seconds until completely smooth, white, and pourable. The dressing should coat the back of a spoon: if it feels too thick add water one teaspoon at a time and blend again. Taste and adjust: more rice vinegar for sharpness, more agave if the miso is too prominent. Set aside.
2. Prepare the vegetables: Tear the butter lettuce into rough pieces and place in a wide salad bowl with the arugula. Add the sliced radish coins, halved cherry tomatoes, and spring onion. Do not mix yet.
3. Add the beans: Rinse the kidney beans thoroughly under cold water and drain completely. Pat dry with kitchen paper: excess moisture from the beans will dilute the dressing when it is added. Scatter the kidney beans over the vegetables.
4. Dress and tumble: Drizzle the white miso tofu dressing generously over the entire salad. Use your hands or two large spoons to tumble everything together with loose, lifting motions rather than stirring: you want the leaves and vegetables to stay in distinct pieces rather than compressing into a dense mass. Every element should be lightly coated in dressing.
5. Finish and serve: Scatter the pumpkin seeds over the top. Add black sesame seeds if using. Serve immediately while the greens are still crisp and the dressing is cold.

PRO TIP: Make the dressing the night before and refrigerate it in a small jar. The miso and garlic deepen overnight and the dressing tastes considerably more complex the next day than it does freshly blended. In the morning, pack the dry salad ingredients separately in a container and the dressing in the jar. Assemble at your desk in two minutes: pour the dressing over, tumble, and eat. This is one of the cleanest office lunch setups in the rotation.

CHEF’S KISS: Add ¼ tsp of white balsamic glaze drizzled over the finished salad just before eating. You have the Giuseppe Giusti crema bianca in your pantry: a few drops over the kidney beans and tomatoes adds a sweet, acidic finish that lifts the miso dressing and makes the whole salad taste more polished. Impact: negligible calories, no protein change.

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🌱 PLANT DIVERSITY: Butter lettuce • Arugula • Radishes • Cherry tomatoes • Spring onion • Kidney beans • Pumpkin seeds • Silken tofu (soybeans) • White miso (soybeans, counted once) • Garlic • Lemon • Rice vinegar

(If you’re tracking plants per week, this adds 11 to your count.)

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*Nutrition information is an estimate and may vary based on ingredients and brands used.* 

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ESSENTIALS

*As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

You may find yourself in need of: 

Immersion Blender – blends the dressing directly in the cup in 60 seconds into a smooth, creamy texture without transferring or overprocessing.

White Miso Paste – mild, slightly sweet, and essential for building that clean, fermented depth without overpowering the fresh greens.

Glass Airtight Container – perfect for making the dressing ahead – keeps it fresh for days and turns this into a true grab-and-go lunch.

Missing something?

Explore Evie’s Kitchen Essentials for additional tools and pantry ingredients.