Easy Spring Salad [+Video]

This is an easy spring salad full of seasonal ingredients like asparagus, radishes, peas, fresh herbs and enhanced with roasted chickpeas, feta cheese, toasted pine nuts, and hard boiled eggs all topped with a bright and tangy lemon salad dressing.

Well, we did it again! We survived winter! And boy was it a doozy here in Utah this year. I have never seen so much snow here and we have lived here a really long time. So the fact that a “spring” salad is even a possibility brings a smile to my face! It is time for bright refreshing flavors and warmer temperatures!

What Goes in a Spring Salad?

One of the beauties of a salad is that they are so versatile, so I’m going to share the ingredients for how we like to make this salad, but keep in mind that you can omit or add ingredients to your liking. Here is what we like…

Dressing

• Olive Oil: the base of the dressing
• Dijon Mustard: adds intense mustard flavor
• Lemon Juice and Zest: adds a bright pop of freshness and acidity
• Shallot: adds mild onion flavor
• Champagne Vinegar: if you can’t find champagne vinegar, you can use prosecco or white wine vinegar
• Salt and Pepper: adds flavor

Salad

• Pine Nuts: adds texture and we toast them for maximum flavor
• Asparagus: remove the tough stem end and then cut it into 1-2″ pieces
• Frozen Peas: let them defrost in a bowl of water
• Baby Salad Greens: this can be any mix of greens you enjoy…romaine, spinach, arugula, chard, etc.
• Radishes: adds a little heat and gorgeous color
• Cucumber: we prefer an English cucumber
• Fresh Herbs: mint, basil, parsley, chives – this blend is so bright and bold
• Feta: totally optional, but we love them saltiness flavor it adds
• Roasted Chickpeas: you can buy roasted chickpeas or roast your own and they add great texture
• Olive Oil: used to roast the chickpeas
• Salt and Pepper: adds flavor
• Hard Boiled Eggs: adds protein and heartiness to the salad

This is meant to just be an overview of the ingredients for this salad. For all the details and measurements, scroll down to the recipe card at the end of this post.

How to Make a Fresh Spring Salad

I like to start salad recipes by making the dressing. It can be made up to a day or two ahead of time, so it’s nice to get that made and out of the way. For this salad dressing, just whisk all the ingredients together and set it aside.

Other parts of this recipe can also be prepped ahead of time. You can hard boil the eggs, toast the pine nuts and roast the chickpeas up

Roasted Pear & Apple Salad with Caramelized Shallot Maple Vinaigrette

We love to make this roasted pear and apple salad in the fall with all the freshly harvested apples and pears!

It is topped with prosciutto, cinnamon pecans, pepitas, gorgonzola and raisins then tossed with the most stunning caramelized shallot maple vinaigrette. 

Ingredients for Roasted Apple Salad

Here is a list of the ingredients you will need for this salad recipe:

• Prosciutto – adds crunch and smoky delicious flavor
• Honeycrisp Apples (or Jonagold) – these apples hold up great to roasting and the flavor is the best
• Bartlett Pear (or Bosc) – become so flavorful and delicious when roasting
• Cinnamon Pecans (or Hazelnuts) – You can buy these at the store or make them on your own. See section below for how to make them at home.
• Olive Oil – helps keep the apples and pears from sticking to the pan
• Black Pepper – adds flavor
• Mixed Greens with Arugula – If your container of mixed greens doesn’t include arugula then buy some arugula and add it. Arugula just shines in this salad!!
• Gorgonzola – We love gorgonzola but it is easily substituted with any cheese you love. Try smoked cheddar, gouda, goat cheese, manchego, gruyere, etc.
• Pepitas – adds a yummy little crunch and nutty flavor
• Golden Raisins – can be replaced with regular raisins, craisins or pomegranate seeds

Vinaigrette

This recipe was inspired by a Taste of Home recipe I was reading. It just sounded so good and it was fabulous on this salad! Here is what you will need:

• Shallots – have a mild onion flavor and caramelize quickly
• Kosher Salt – adds a touch of flavor to the shallots as they caramelize
• Maple Syrup – use the real stuff!
• White Balsamic Vinegar (or Apple Cider Vinegar) – you gotta have vinegar for a vinaigrette, both these options are sweet and tangy
• Olive Oil – the base of the vinaigrette

What Apples are Best for Salads?

I am forever loyal to honeycrisp apples! Jonagold will also work great. If you can’t find those or if they are too expensive (they can get quite pricey), then go with gala, granny smith, or Braeburn.

How to Roast Apples and Pears

Roasting apples and pears is so easy! You will want to slice them pretty thin, cutting the pears a little thicker than the apples. Then lay them on a baking sheet that has been drizzled with a little olive oil to prevent sticking. Make sure all the slices are in a single layer. Place them in a preheated oven (425 degrees) and let them roast for 10 minutes. Then flip them all over and roast them for about 5 more minutes or until they are golden.

How to

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad +Video

Bright Mediterranean flavors are packed into this fresh and healthy quinoa salad – spinach, tomato, cucumber, feta, red onion all tossed with fresh herbs and a sweet and tangy homemade dressing. It is a perfect summer salad!

Years ago we had a blogger lunch with all of the Utah food bloggers. There were only a few of us back then and it was simple to gather around a table to discuss life and business. There was a quinoa salad at one lunch that was fairly decent but lacked a little flavor.

This was my first introduction to quinoa so I blamed it on the grain. However, it felt fresh and nourishing so I’ve been playing with my own version ever since.

A friend of mine blew my mind by introducing me to Prosecco vinegar and it’s become not only the best quinoa salad but one of my favorite summer side salads period.

How to Make Quinoa Salad Video

What is Quinoa?

Quinoa is technically the seed of a plant, but it is classified as a whole grain. It is a great source of plant protein and fiber.

Ingredients for Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

Here is a brief overview of the ingredients you will need to make this tasty summer salad and the homemade salad dressing to go with it…

• Tri Color Quinoa: You can use any quinoa that you want. I just love the way this looks in the dish.
• Spinach: Grab some fresh spinach and chop it up! It adds great color, flavor and nutrients!
• Cucumber: We prefer English cucumbers so you don’t have to peel them and they are less seedy.
• Mung Beans: This is totally optional but I love the texture of beans in a salad and they are a great source of plant protein. We like Bob’s Red Mill brand.
• Grape Tomatoes: Slice them in half to make them easier

Creamy Avocado Cilantro Lime Dressing

Our creamy avocado cilantro lime dressing is fresh, tangy, a teeny bit spicy and delicious not only on salads, but also on tacos, rice bowls, or as a dip for veggies!

I’m slowly but surely gathering up all of my favorite salad dressing recipes… for my mom. Haha! I mean, I’m doing it for all of you as well, but this stems from a comment my mom made that I’m not completely ruminating on. She said she doesn’t know how to make a good salad. AND, FURTHERMORE, she doesn’t really eat salad in the winter because she associates it with summer. 

Oh heck no. 

Salad is one of the greatest things of my life, so I absolutely have to help her out! Salads are the easiest recipe because literally anything goes. You wanna add roasted sweet potatoes? DO IT! You want to mix cottage cheese in? IT’S DELICIOUS!

So, first up, Cilantro Lime Avocado Dressing because it’s healthy, and so bright and zesty! And look at that green color! All the heart eyes!

Ingredients for Avocado Cilantro Lime Dressing

This recipe uses all natural ingredients and is gluten free and dairy free. Here is what you will need:

• Avocado: make sure it is ripe by gently grabbing the top and bottom between your thumb and index finger and giving it a slight squeeze, it should have a little give to it
• Cilantro: grab a handful of the leaves and pull them from the stems
• Lime Juice: you definitely want fresh limes for this
• Jalapeño: remove the seeds and use more or less of the jalapeño to determine the heat you want
• Tomatillo: have a tangy and almost citrus-y flavor
• Garlic: fresh garlic, adds a little bite to the dressing
• Apple Cider Vinegar: adds acid and flavor
• Honey: mellows out all the acid and tanginess
• Ground Coriander: adds a slightly sweet, lemony flavor
• Olive Oil: adds flavor and healthy fat
• Kosher Salt: adds flavor
• Water: thins the dressing out, you can add as much or as little as you want to control the creaminess

The measurements for all the ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

Avocados for Life

Someone recently asked me what my favorite food is. That is quite possibly the hardest question to ask a food blogger! I could maybe narrow it down to a top 10 food. And if I was forced to choose, avocados would definitely be on the list. I am obsessed with them!

You can eat avocados for every meal, and I do! Have you seen our post about avocado toast? Heaven! I love to throw them on sandwiches for lunch and we even have an avocado taco recipe that is so deli

This citrus jicama avocado salad has all the textures you want in a salad and the homemade salad dressing is so fresh and flavor packed.

We just made the yummiest salad with leftovers! I wanted a side to go with our carne asada tacos, and I didn’t want to make black beans or spanish rice like we usually do. So I decided to make a fresh salad with some leftover produce in the fridge. I love the crunch of the jicama and the creaminess of the avocados! And the homemade salad dressing is bright and so citrus-y!

I had seen a few similar recipes by simply recipes and Jessica Gavin but didn’t have mango so I decided to wing it with the produce we had. We ate it fresh but found it tasted better at the end of the meal so letting it sit is key!

Ingredients for Jicama Avocado Salad

You’re going to be hitting the produce section hard for this one, and the rest of the ingredients you probably already have at home. Here is what you will need:

For the Salad

• Jicama – slice it thin and then julienne it
• Avocados – sliced thin
• Oranges – remove the peel with a knife and then cut slice it into wedges
• Red Onion – I go back and forth on whether to include this. If you’re an onion lover, then keep it, but if you don’t have one on hand, it’s ok to leave out.
• Cilantro – give it a good chop
• Feta – adds a nice salty taste and really amps up the flavor of the salad

For the Dressing

• Orange Juice – fresh squeezed is preferred
• Lime Juice – fresh is best, of course
• Olive Oil – the base for the dressing
• Apple Cider Vinegar – adds some extra tang and zip
• Salt – boosts the flavor
• Cayenne – adds the tiniest bit of heat

The measurements for each ingredient can be found at the end of this post in the recipe card.

What is Jicama?

Jicama is a bulb shaped root vegetable that is actually in the turnip family. It has a brown papery exterior that usually gets peeled and the interior is starchy and white. It has a similar taste to an apple but is less sweet and it’s texture is super firm and crisp like an uncooked potato.

How to Julienne Jicama

Peel the entire bulb with a vegetable peeler and then cut it in half . Place half of the jicama so it’s flat side down, and then slice it with a very sharp knife into 1/4 inch slices. Then take 2 or 3 slices and slice them the opposite way into 1/4 inch slices so