Bright Spring Salad Greens (Printable)

Fresh greens, radishes, asparagus, and citrusy vinaigrette celebrate spring's bounty in this vibrant 20-minute dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

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

→ Toppings

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

→ Dressing

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

# How To Make:

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.
06 - Serve immediately and enjoy the flavors of spring!

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The honey-lemon dressing makes everything taste brighter without masking the vegetables natural sweetness
  • Its endlessly adaptable—swap in whatever looks best at the market and it still works
  • Comes together in under 20 minutes but looks like something from a restaurant
02 -
  • Over-dressed salad becomes sad salad, start with half the vinaigrette and trust your judgment
  • The blanched vegetables must be completely dry before dressing or the oil will slide right off
  • Feta absorbs dressing quickly, so crumble it over the salad right before serving
03 -
  • Dry your greens thoroughly, preferably in a salad spinner, water clinging to leaves prevents dressing from coating properly
  • Taste a radish before adding them all, sometimes they're surprisingly spicy and you'll want to adjust quantities