Spring Salad

5 from 2 votes

This crunchy and zesty spring salad recipe is my go-to all season! It's just so simple, fresh, and downright tasty—it's the perfect dish to show off the best of what spring has to offer.

Prep Time20

Total Time20

Course: Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: Western

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 174kcal

Author: Ninon Michels

Ingredients

For the spring salad

1 pound asparagus
5 ounces fresh snow peas
2 ounces baby spinach
4 round radishes thinly sliced
½ cup Parmigiano Reggiano shaved with a vegetable peeler (see how-to above in this post)
3 tablespoons fresh dill roughly chopped

For the lemon-mint vinaigrette

⅓ cup extra-vrigin olive oil
1 lemon (zest + juice) (1 tablespoon of zest + 3 tablespoons juice)
⅓ cup fresh mint chopped (see technique above in this post)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Start with the lemon-mint vinaigrette

In a jam jar or small bowl, add olive oil, lemon zest and juice, chopped mint, salt, and pepper.
Shake or whisk until emulsified and set aside.

Prepare the salad.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Meanwhile, make the Parmigiano shavings.
Snap the asparagus and discard the woody ends. Cut them into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces.
Add the asparagus and snow peas to the pot and blanch for 1 minute.
Immediatley drain and rinse under cold running water until cooled to stop the cooking process.
Transfer to a clean kitchen cloth and pat until dry.
While the veggies finish drying, slice the radishes into ⅛-inch (3 mm) slices.
Transfer asparagus, snow peas, radishes, baby spinach, and half of the chopped dill to a bowl. Pour the lemon-mint dressing and toss.
Plate the salad onto a serving dish, top with the remaining dill and shaved Parmigiano Reggiano and serve immediately.

Notes

Snapping asparagus removes the tough, woody ends, ensuring only the tender, edible parts are used for cooking. If you prefer a neater look, feel free to trim off the uneven ends of the asparagus.
Blanching - Immersing the veggies in boiling water for a small amount of time before rinsing under cold water is called “blanching”. This method helps soften or partially cook the food, while also preserving its color, texture, and nutrients. Blanch the veggies for 1 minute for the best result.
Pat the veggies dry after blanching - Ensuring vegetables are thoroughly dried is crucial; otherwise, the dressing becomes diluted and won't adhere properly.

Nutrition