Home > Salads > Spring Salad Spring Salad April 5, 2022 | No Comments SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Jump to Recipe This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy. Spring Salad is a colorful and flavorful dish that features a combination of fresh vegetables, creamy avocado, tangy cheese, and crunchy pistachios. The salad base of butter lettuce is tender and mild. Asparagus adds a nutty, savory flavor, and cucumbers provide a refreshing crunch. The diced avocado lends creaminess and a rich, buttery taste and the pistachios deliver a crunchy and salty element. Try some of our other favorite Spring salads like this Spring Cobb Salad or this Asparagus Salad. The Best Spring Salad! This Spring Salad is a standout, with vibrant spring veggies and an irresistible dressing that perfectly complements every element in this salad. It’s truly the best of the season! Crisp-tender asparagus, creamy avocado, tangy goat cheese, refreshing cucumbers, vibrant fresh herbs, and salty pistachios make this a deliciously satisfying dish. And the dressing is the real showstopper! With its bright, fresh taste, subtle sweetness, and the herbaceous notes of fresh mint, it’s sure to be a hit! We won’t blame you if you want to drink it straight! 🙂 Spring Salad Tips Make sure to snap off the woody ends of the asparagus before blanching (see the “quick tip” below). They are very tough. Blanch the asparagus just until it is crisp-tender and bright green. Overcooking causes the spears to become mushy and bitter. To keep the avocado from browning, wait until just before serving to dice it and add it to the salad. Use a mandoline or a vegetable peeler to slice the cucumbers thinly and evenly. If your lettuce is not pre-washed, be sure to wash it thoroughly before using it. Allow ample time for the lettuce to dry completely, as excess moisture can make the salad soggy. Use a salad spinner to ensure that the lettuce is thoroughly dried. QUICK TIP Asparagus naturally snaps at a breaking point where the woody end meets the tender spear, making it easy to remove the inedible portion. To remove the woody ends from the asparagus, hold a spear horizontally and bend it gently with your hands until it snaps at the natural breaking point. VARIATIONS Make This Spring Salad Your Own! You can customize the salad toppings to your preference. Want some cherry tomatoes or sliced radishes for an extra pop of color and flavor? Go for it! Leave out the goat cheese for a vegan option; add an extra avocado instead! For a nut-free version, replace the pistachios with sunflower seeds or roasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds). Not sure about the dressing? Try our Balsamic Vinaigrette, White Balsamic Vinaigrette, Lemon Vinaigrette, or all-purpose Vinaigrette instead. Add grains: To make the salad more filling, you can add cooked quinoa, farro, or barley. Add roasted vegetables: Instead of asparagus, try roasting other vegetables, like Brussels sprouts, carrots, green beans, or sweet potatoes. Change up the herbs: You can use other fresh herbs, such as cilantro, parsley, or chives, instead of dill or basil. Adding Protein If you’re looking to make this Spring Salad more of a main course, consider adding some protein. Leftover shredded rotisserie chicken is an excellent choice. Try to find a lemon-herb rotisserie chicken for an extra burst of flavor. Grilled Chicken or Blackened Chicken is also a great option. Or keep things vegetarian and add hard-boiled eggs! The Best Vinaigrette! This vinaigrette is the perfect finishing touch for this Spring Salad. We’re completely obsessed with it! Here’s what you’ll need for the dressing: Freshly squeezed lemon juice and zest for a vibrant citrus flavor. Extra virgin olive oil for a rich, full-bodied taste. Grey Poupon® Dijon mustard for a robust, tangy flavor. Fresh mint is the secret ingredient that adds loads of flavor and freshness. We pick up a packet of fresh mint and use some in the dressing, and then tear up the rest to add to the salad. Honey for sweetness. Adjust to taste for a perfect balance. Salt and pepper for a finishing touch. QUICK TIP We love zesting the lemons with a microplane and then juicing them with this citrus juicer. When zesting the citrus, use only the very outside bright yellow part of the lemon. Avoid the white pith below the peel which is very bitter and will make the dressing taste sour. STORAGE Spring Salad Storage To enjoy this Spring Salad at its freshest, we recommend dressing it just before serving. The greens wilt quickly when they make contact with the dressing and the avocado will brown, so it’s best to consume the salad as soon as possible once it’s dressed. Alternatively, you can store the components separately and assemble small portions of the salad each day for maximum freshness. Make ahead: To save time, prepare the asparagus, dressing, and pistachios in advance and store them separately in the fridge until ready to assemble the salad. When you’re ready to serve, toss the ingredients together, dress them, and set it on the table! Make the dressing in advance: The vinaigrette can be made in advance and stored in the fridge until ready to use. This makes it a great time-saving option for busy days! When stored at cold temps, the dressing may separate and form layers. If that happens, simply let it stand at room temperature for about 15 minutes, give it a good shake, and it will be ready to use. SHORTCUTS Honey measuring hack! Who else hates how difficult it is to get honey from the measuring cup to the bowl?! Try this: lightly spritz the measuring cup with nonstick cooking spray and then add the honey. Watch as it glides nicely (and cleanly) out! Serve This Spring Salad Alongside: Ham and Potato Pot Pie with a puff pastry topping Lentil Soup with loads of veggies! Shrimp Couscous with an herb topping Creamy Pesto Pasta with sun-dried tomatoes Frittata made with roasted veggies FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. Spring Salad 5 from 1 vote - Review this recipe Spring Salad is a colorful and flavorful dish that features a combination of fresh vegetables, creamy avocado, tangy cheese, and crunchy pistachios. The salad base of butter lettuce is tender and mild. Asparagus adds a nutty, savory flavor, and cucumbers provide a refreshing crunch. The diced avocado lends creaminess and a rich, buttery taste and the pistachios deliver a crunchy and salty element. SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Spring Salad 5 from 1 vote - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Spring Salad is a colorful and flavorful dish that features a combination of fresh vegetables, creamy avocado, tangy cheese, and crunchy pistachios. The salad base of butter lettuce is tender and mild. Asparagus adds a nutty, savory flavor, and cucumbers provide a refreshing crunch. The diced avocado lends creaminess and a rich, buttery taste and the pistachios deliver a crunchy and salty element. Course Appetizer, Main Course, Salad, Side Dish Cuisine American, Healthy, Vegetarian Keyword spring salad Prep Time 25 minutes minutes Total Time 25 minutes minutes Servings 4 -6 as a side Chelsea Lords Calories 338kcal Author Chelsea Lords Cost $8.12 IngredientsSalad▢ 1 cup asparagus spears, cut into 2-inch pieces (~6 oz.)▢ 6 oz. butter lettuce (Note 1)▢ 1 cup Persian/mini cucumbers, cut into half moons (~2 cucumbers)▢ 1 small ripe avocado pitted, peeled, & diced▢ 2 tablespoons fresh dill or basil, chopped, optional▢ ⅓ cup goat cheese (feta will work)▢ 3 tablespoons roasted and salted pistachiosDressing (Note 2)▢ 1 pkt. (.75 oz) fresh mint leaves, divided▢ 2 large lemons (1 tsp zest; 1/4 cup juice)▢ 1½ tablespoons honey▢ 1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard▢ ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil▢ Fine sea salt & pepper InstructionsASPARAGUS: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Snap the woody ends off the asparagus and cut spears into 1-1/2 inch pieces. Once the water boils, add the asparagus and boil for 1½ minutes. Drain into a colander and immediately toss a few ice cubes on top and run under cold water until spears are at room temperature. Remove ice cubes and shake off excess water. Let stand until fully dried. PISTACHIOS: Add pistachios to a mini blender jar or food processor and pulse a few times to break down. You'll get some fine crumbs too--this is intended and delicious! Transfer to a small bowl and set aside for now.DRESSING: Pull mint leaves from stem and tightly pack leaves to get 2 full tablespoons. Add the mint along with the rest of the dressing ingredients (except the olive oil) to the same blender jar used to pulse the pistachios. Season to taste with salt & pepper (I add ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper) and blend until smooth. Drizzle in the olive oil and blend briefly to emulsify. Transfer to a glass jar and refrigerate until ready to use. Great made the day before! (See Note 2.) ASSEMBLE: (Read Note 3 first.) Add lettuce to a large bowl or platter. Scatter toppings evenly on top: cooled asparagus, half-moon cucumbers, diced avocado, fresh herbs (I also tear some of the remaining mint from the herb packet and add that to the salad too), goat cheese, and pistachios. Drizzle dressing (add slowly and to taste--we add about ½ of the dressing) on the salad and serve promptly. Recipe NotesNote 1: Butter lettuce: We use a bag of butter lettuce to keep things quick and easy, but a head of butter lettuce also works great here. Rip apart the leaves into bite-sized pieces and wash. Be sure to thoroughly dry before preparing this salad. (Use a salad spinner if you have one!) Note 2: Dressing: There is more dressing than you'll likely use in this salad, but it's better to have more than not enough (and it blends best in this quantity). Use any leftovers as a finishing sauce, dressing for another salad, sauce to dip veggies in, etc. The dressing can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use. If it separates, let it stand at room temperature for about 15 minutes, give it a good shake, and it will be ready to use. Note 3: Only dress what will get eaten: The greens wilt quickly when in contact with the dressing, so it's best to only dress what will be eaten. If you'd like to have some for later, keep the greens, salad toppings, and dressing stored separately. Nutrition FactsServing: 1serving | Calories: 338kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 99mg | Potassium: 596mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 2005IU | Vitamin C: 38mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 3mg We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.
