Bright Spring Salad (Printer-friendly)

Fresh spring mix with crisp vegetables, tangy citrus dressing, and crunchy toppings. Ready in 20 minutes.

# What you'll need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 3.5 oz baby spinach
02 - 3.5 oz mixed salad greens (such as arugula, lamb's lettuce)
03 - 8 radishes, thinly sliced
04 - 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
05 - 5.3 oz asparagus tips, blanched
06 - 3.5 oz fresh peas (shelled) or thawed frozen peas
07 - 1 small carrot, shaved into ribbons

→ Toppings

08 - 1.8 oz feta cheese, crumbled
09 - 2 tbsp toasted sunflower seeds
10 - 2 tbsp fresh chives or dill, finely chopped

→ Dressing

11 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
12 - 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
13 - 1 tsp honey
14 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Method:

01 - Blanche the asparagus tips and peas in simmering salted water for 2 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool quickly.
02 - In a large salad bowl, combine baby spinach, greens, radishes, cucumber, blanched asparagus, peas, and carrot ribbons.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
04 - Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine.
05 - Top with crumbled feta, sunflower seeds, and chopped herbs. Serve immediately and enjoy the flavors of spring!

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The contrast between crisp raw vegetables and tender blanched asparagus creates layers of texture in every bite
  • That honey lemon dressing hits the perfect sweet tangy balance that makes people ask for seconds
02 -
  • Overblanching the asparagus is the fastest way to ruin this salad so set your timer and prepare your ice bath before you even turn on the stove
  • The dressing tastes better after sitting for ten minutes so make it first and let it hang out while you prep your vegetables
03 -
  • Dry your greens thoroughly after washing them because wet greens will make the dressing slide right off instead of coating the leaves
  • Use the sharpest knife you have for the radishes so you get paper thin slices that melt in your mouth

Go back