Every Vegan Option at CAVA (The Full Mouthwatering Guide)

Written by Choosing Nutrition Team in Dining Out,Vegan

Every Vegan Option at CAVA

Inspired by Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine, CAVA is one of the healthiest and most vegan-friendly fast casual restaurants around. From DIY bowls to curated bowls and pitas, the vegan-friendly options are endless. But you may still be wondering, what is considered vegan at CAVA?

Vegan menu items at CAVA include the Lentil Avocado Bowl, Crispy Falafel Pita, Salad Base, Grains Base, Falafel, Roasted Vegetables, Lentil Tabbouleh, Fire Roasted Corn, Cabbage Slaw, a variety of sauces such as Hummus and Harissa and dressings such as Tahini Caesar and Hot Harissa Vinaigrette. CAVA allows you to build your own bowl, so the options are limitless.

In this article, we’ll discuss which food items at CAVA are non-vegan and should be avoided, tips and tricks for ordering vegan, as well as the ingredients for the vegan menu items. Let’s dig in!

Contents

CAVA Nutritional & Allergen Guide

CAVA provides a thorough nutritional and allergen guide. Though the ingredients list for each food item is not published on this guide, the guide does indicate whether the item is vegan, vegetarian, or if it contains any of the top 8 allergens.

Additionally, CAVA states on their site that while they try to eliminate allergen cross-contamination, they cannot guarantee any menu item will be 100% allergen free. Please remember to always alert a CAVA employee if you have a food allergy, and you can always reach out to CAVA for additional nutritional and allergen information at [email protected].

Tips & Tricks for Ordering Vegan at CAVA

  • We always recommend going for the customized, create your own bowl. You can add as many toppings as you’d like, most of which are vegan! You will end up with a bowl filled with food you enjoy, and the process is fun!
  • If you prefer going for a curated bowl, the only vegan curated bowl is the Lentil Avocado bowl.
  • All other curated bowls are not vegan, but can easily be made vegan by omitting chicken, feta, or yogurt dill dressing.
  • Avoid all cookies and brownie varieties at CAVA, as these are not vegan.
  • Both pita and pita chips are vegan at CAVA, so feel free to dunk either into a variety of vegan friendly CAVA dips.
  • The only dip that is not vegan at CAVA is the crazy feta. The hummus, harissa, and roasted eggplant dips are all vegan.
  • For protein, avoid chicken, lamb, or the meatballs. Opt for falafel or roasted vegetables instead.

Non-Vegan Food to Avoid at CAVA

Most non-vegan food items at CAVA are easy to spot, as they contain meat or animal by products. Protein such as chicken and lamb should be avoided, as well as dips and dressings which contain feta cheese or yogurt.

Most of the curated bowls are not vegan but can easily be made vegan by omitting two or three items such as the chicken or dairy dressing. You can make substitutions, or you can simply create your own bowl from scratch.

Curated Bowls

1. Greek Salad

2. Harissa Avocado

3. Tahini Caesar

4. Chicken + RightRice

5. White Sweet Potato + Feta

Curated Pitas

1. Greek Chicken

2. Spicy Chicken + Avocado

3. Spicy Lamb Meatball

Protein

1. Spicy Lamb Meatballs

2. Harissa Honey Chicken

3. Grilled Chicken

4. Grilled Meatballs

5. Braised Lamb

Dips and Spreads

1. Tzatziki (contains Greek yogurt)

2. Crazy Feta (contains feta cheese)

Toppings

1. Crumbled Feta

Dressings

1. Yogurt Dill

Sides

1. Greyston Blondie

2. Greyston Brownie

3. Whisked! Apricot Honey

4. Whisked! Salted Dark Chocolate Oat

5. Chocolate Chip Cookie

Kid’s Meal

1. Kid’s Chicken

2. Kid’s Harissa Honey Chicken

3. Kid’s Grilled Meatballs

4. Kid’s Spicy Lamb Meatballs

5. Kid’s Braised Lamb

Beverages

1. Horizon 1% Milk

2. Horizon Chocolate Milk

Vegan Menu Options at CAVA

Curated Bowls

The only curated bowl that is 100% vegan is the Lentil Avocado bowl. All other bowls are not automatically vegan but can be made vegan if you omit certain items. We have listed the items that need to be omitted below. However, rather than modifying these curated bowls, we recommend you go the DIY route and create your own bowl.

1. Lentil Avocado

Ingredients:

  • Falafel
  • Roasted Veggies
  • Avocado
  • Spinach
  • SuperGreens
  • Roasted Eggplant
  • Hummus
  • Pickled Onions
  • Cucumber
  • Lentil Tabbouleh
  • Cabbage Slaw
  • Skhug
  • Garlic Dressing

2. Lemon Chicken (omit chicken, crazy feta, and feta)

  • Spinach
  • Romaine
  • Red Pepper Hummus
  • Tomato + Onion
  • Pickled Onions
  • Cucumber
  • Lentil Tabbouleh
  • Fire-Roasted Corn
  • Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette

3. Chicken & RightRice (omit chicken, tzatziki, and feta)

Ingredients:

  • RightRice
  • Arugula
  • Hummus
  • Cucumber
  • Tomato + Onion
  • Pickled Onion
  • Greek Vinaigrette

4. Harissa Avocado Bowl (omit harissa honey chicken, crazy feta, and feta)

Ingredients:

  • SuperGreens
  • Basmati Rice
  • Hummus
  • Fire-Roasted Corn
  • Avocado
  • Pickled Onions
  • Cucumber
  • Hot Harissa Vinaigrette

5. Greek Salad (omit grilled chicken, tzatziki, and feta)

Ingredients:

  • Romaine
  • Arugula
  • Hummus
  • Cucumber
  • Tomato
  • Kalamata Olives
  • Greek Vinaigrette

Curated Pitas

1. Crispy Falafel

Base

1. SuperGreens

2. Organic Arugula

3. Spinach

4. Romaine

5. SplendidGreens

6. Saffron Basmati Rice

7. Brown Basmati Rice

8. Black Lentils

9. RightRice®

Ingredients:

  • Lentils
  • Chickpeas
  • Peas

10. Greens + Grains (a combination of any of the greens and grains listed above)

11. Pita

12. Mini Pita

Dips + Spreads

1. Roasted Eggplant

Ingredients:

  • Roasted Eggplant Puree
  • Onion
  • Garlic
  • Fresh Parsley

2. Hummus

Ingredients:

  • Pureed Chickpeas
  • Tahini
  • Lemon Juice
  • Garlic
  • Kosher Salt

3. Harissa

Ingredients:

  • Tomatoes
  • Peppers

4. Red Pepper Hummus

Ingredients:

  • Roasted Red Peppers
  • Pureed Chickpeas
  • Tahini
  • Lemon Juice
  • Garlic
  • Kosher Salt

Protein

Though most of the protein options at CAVA contain meat (chicken, lamb, or meatballs), luckily there are three vegan protein options. Our favorite is the roasted vegetable option, which is filled with fiber and vitamins. The falafel is a good option as well, made with only a handful of ingredients.

1. Falafel

Ingredients:

  • Chickpeas
  • Parsley
  • Herbs

2. Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients:

  • Brussels Sprouts
  • Carrots
  • Cauliflower

3. Roasted White Sweet Potato

Ingredients:

  • White Sweet Potatoes
  • Olive Oil
  • Paprika
  • Coriander
  • Salt

Toppings

Topping galore! With the exception of feta (as noted above), all of the toppings listed below are vegan-friendly, so feel free to load up on these delicious options. Add cabbage slaw for crunch, lentil tabbouleh and avocado for protein, and fire-roasted corn for a smokey sweet flavor.

1. Shredded Romaine

2. Pickled Onions

3. Cabbage Slaw

4. Persian Cucumber

5. Avocado

6. Salt Brined Pickles

7. Tomato + Onion Salad

8. Kalamata Olives

9. Tomato + Cucumber Salad

10. Fire-Roasted Corn

11. Lentil Tabbouleh

12. Pita Crisps

Dressings

From spicy to tangy and nutty, CAVA offers several vegan dressings you can add to your bowl. If you prefer spicy, go for the skhug or hot harissa vinaigrette. If you prefer a nutty flavor, go for either the tahini Caesar or lemon herb tahini dressing.

1. Lemon Herb Tahini

2. Skhug

3. Greek Vinaigrette

4. Tahini Caesar

5. Garlic

6. Hot Harissa Vinaigrette

Sides

1. Side Pita

2. Pita Chips

Kid’s Meal

1. Kid’s Pita Chips

2. Kid’s Saffron Basmati Rice

3. Kid’s Brown Rice

4. Kid’s Black Lentils

5. Kid’s Mini Pita

6. Carrot Sticks

7. Kid’s Falafel

8. Kid’s Roasted Vegetables

Beverages

1. Spindrift Grapefruit

2. Spindrift Cucumber

3. Spindrift Lemon

4. Spindrift Raspberry Lime

5. Spindrift Blackberry

6. Still Water

7. Classic Lemonade

8. Sweet Tea

9. Jasmine Tea

10. Unsweetened Black Tea

11. Strawberry Citrus

12. Cucumber Mint Lime

13. Blueberry Lavendar

14. Maine Root Soda

15. Honest Apple Juice

Find a CAVA Near You

Currently located in 18 states around the U.S., CAVA operates a total of 133 stores. You can easily find the location near you using CAVA’s store locator.

Similar Restaurant to CAVA

If you do not have a CAVA near you or if you are traveling and looking for a similar option, the list below is the closest to CAVA’s delicious offerings.

  1. Sweetgreen
  2. True Food Kitchen
  3. Chopt

Related Questions

Are CAVA Pita Chips Vegan?

Yes, both the pita and the pita chips at CAVA are vegan, so feel free to use it for all the wonderful vegan dips and spreads CAVA has to offer.

What Dressing at CAVA is Vegan?

Every dressing at CAVA is vegan except for the Yogurt Dill dressing. The following dressings are vegan: Lemon Herb Tahini, Skhug, Greek Vinaigrette, Tahini Caesar, Garlic, and Hot Harissa Vinaigrette.

Is CAVA Hummus Vegan?

Yes! CAVA’s hummus is not only 100% vegan, but it is healthy and made of minimal ingredients. CAVA’s hummus only contains five ingredients: pureed chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and salt.

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Choosing Nutrition Team

Here at Choosing Nutrition, our goal is to help people with making smarter food choices. Whether you're wondering about vegan, keto, paleo, or other diets, we'll help you determine which options fit your nutritional lifestyle. Our staff is composed of registered dieticians, nutritionists, and health-conscious individuals.

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