Bright Spring Salad Greens (Printable Version)
Fresh spring greens with asparagus, radishes, peas, and citrus dressing
# Ingredient List:
→ 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 - 5.5 oz asparagus tips, blanched
06 - 3.5 oz fresh peas (shelled) or thawed frozen peas
07 - 1 small carrot, shaved into ribbons
→ Toppings
08 - 1.75 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
# Directions:
01 - Bring a pot of salted water to a simmer. Add asparagus tips and peas, cook for 2 minutes until bright green and tender-crisp. Drain immediately and rinse under cold running water to halt cooking and preserve color.
02 - Place baby spinach and mixed greens in a large salad bowl. Arrange radishes, cucumber, blanched asparagus, peas, and carrot ribbons over the greens in sections for visual appeal.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, honey, and Dijon mustard vigorously until fully emulsified and thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
04 - Drizzle the vinaigrette evenly over the salad. Using large salad servers or clean hands, gently toss to coat all ingredients without crushing delicate greens.
05 - Scatter crumbled feta cheese, toasted sunflower seeds, and chopped fresh herbs across the top of the dressed salad.
06 - Plate the salad while vegetables remain crisp and dressing is fresh. For optimal texture, serve within 15 minutes of dressing to prevent greens from wilting.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Every bite hits three different textures from the crunch of radishes to the creaminess of feta and the silk of blanched asparagus
- The dressing comes together in seconds but tastes like something you'd get at that little farm to table restaurant everyone keeps recommending
02 -
- Dress this salad right before serving or the delicate greens will wilt under the acid weight
- The feta adds enough salt that you should go easy on seasoning the dressing itself
03 -
- A vegetable peeler creates those elegant carrot ribbons faster and more uniformly than a knife
- Toasting the sunflower seeds in a dry pan for two minutes deepens their flavor dramatically