I used to think that salads were boring and flavorless. They left me hungry just 30 minutes after finishing my plate.
Maybe it was because I’d toss together two types of lettuce and call it a salad. This was hardly enjoyable; no wonder I claimed a hatred for the dish. As the years have gone by, I’ve realized that salad doesn’t have to be tasteless, and it is one of the best ways to incorporate all your fresh fruits and vegetables in a delicious and healthy way.
Use ingredients from your own garden or the farmers market to toss together an amazing springtime salad for a nice lunch, to bring as an appetizer to a get-together, or to make for your family as the main course at dinner. To get you started, we rounded up a few of our favorite salad recipes.
Asparagus, artichoke, fava beans, and potatoes are all among the wide variety of foods featured in these salads. All have their own unique flavors, but combined correctly, they can truly only enhance one another. We’re mixing sweet with savory, strawberries with cheese, and peas and potatoes. Delicious, light, airy and fresh, these recipes put the true taste of spring right onto your plate.
Citrus is still lingering in spring, so we’ll use it in a wide variety of ways, from garnishes, dressings, marinades and more! Other seasonal ingredients include beets, spring peas, asparagus, arugula, dandelion greens, kumquats, radishes, and strawberries.
Pair these salads with any meat or tofu to make it a meal or keep them as they are. Either way, we’ve got the salad for you. At your next backyard potluck, sign yourself up to bring the salad, because you will blow everyone else out of the water with these recipes.
Spring Veggie Favorites
Beet Salad with Mandarin, Achar, Pistachios, and Mint
“The pairing of beets with pistachios and citrus is a classic blend of flavors in the California cuisine repertoire, and we [often] take a twist on this combination with the addition of mandarins that are bursting with salinity, spice, and heat,” explains Bryan Oliver, who is chef de cuisine at Little Saint in Healdsburg, California. “Roasted baby beets are tender, sweet, and earthy, allowing the bright flavors of spring mint from the farm to round out the dish. [In the restaurant] we make our own pickled mandarin for this dish using California mandarins, but [here] store-bought pickled lime can be used as a substitute for similar results.”
Spring Greens and Peas with Ricotta and Preserved Lemon Herb Oil
This salad, from San Francisco cookbook author and teacher Michelle McKenzie, benefits from a variety of greens: at least one sweet (pea shoots and flowers, fava greens), one peppery (watercress or peppercress), and one bitter (dandelion greens or amaranth).
Arugula and Farro Salad with Asparagus and Prosciutto
Use a peppery, top-quality olive oil to bring out the best in this spring salad and really fresh asparagus and radishes, from a farmers’ market if possible. These details will make a difference, so it’s important to toss together this salad in April or May, while both asparagus and radishes are in season.
Tsubaki Potato Salad
The combination of creamy Kewpie mayonnaise, tangy Dijon mustard, and crunchy takanazuke pickles creates a delightful balance of flavors and textures. It’s a versatile dish that can be enjoyed warm or cold, making it ideal for picnics or barbecues.
Salmon Sesame Salad
This makes for a great lunch or light dinner. The dressing is a tangy, refreshing lemongrass dressing with a kick.
Moroccan Carrot Salad
Israeli chef Alon Shaya, of Denver’s Safta, buys bunches of young carrots. “The skins are more tender,” he says. “I roast them skin-on for the added nutrients.” Rather than throw out the carrot tops, he blanches them quickly in salted water to pull out the bitterness and turns them into a pesto.
Broccoli Crunch Salad
Raw broccoli chopped into tiny pieces is combined with aromatic vegetables and edamame, then generously dressed with an aioli spiked with Fly By Jing’s now legendary chili crisp.
Baked Goat Cheese with Mixed Greens
“This dish is a Chez Panisse classic,” Lulu chef David Tanis says. A larger log of cheese can be used to easily increase the yield of this recipe—which would make for a show-stopping accompaniment to a charcuterie spread.
Composed Mediterranean Salad
If niçoise and antipasti had a love child, this would be their girl—simultaneously elegant and rustic. A main course event, this salad requires nothing more than a chilled bottle of wine, a crusty sourdough loaf, and good butter. The artichokes in this salad will be particularly tasty if made in April or May.
Tsubaki Caesar Salad
Los Angeles restaurant Tsubaki’s take on the Caesar salad is upgraded with a mix of romaine and Salanova lettuces and an umami-rich dressing of Kewpie mayonnaise, miso, and ponzu. Panko breadcrumbs stand in for the traditional croutons.
Blueberry Gorgonzola Salad
The sublime combination of sweet fruit and salty blue cheese means you can keep the rest of the salad simple. White balsamic vinegar gives the dressing a light flavor.
Kumquat Mint Salad with Jasmine Dressing
This salad may be simple—note the very short ingredient list—but is full of exotic, refreshing flavor.
Chicken Salad with Roasted Beets and Dandelion Greens
Dandelion greens can be quite bitter, but the olive oil, lemon, and salt in the dressing—and the sweet beets—mellow them so they give no more than a pleasant edge. For the prettiest salad, go for a mix of beet colors such as red-and-white ringed Chioggia, golden Yellow Detroit, and reddish purple Bull’s Blood.
