Simple Spring Salad With Lemon Herb Vinaigrette

This simple spring salad with lemon herb vinaigrette is light, refreshing, and full of color – it’s everything you love about springtime!

It’s hard to beet the first salad of the season.

Harvesting fresh herbs, salad greens, and root vegetables from the garden is something I look forward to as the frost begins to melt and springtime makes its long-awaited arrival.

This simple spring salad starts with these few garden-inspired ingredients but with the quick work of a mandolin or vegetable peeler, humble root vegetables are transformed into a springtime masterpiece. 

Even though greens and veggies are essential for any salad, my secret ingredients to a really good salad are cheese and nuts.

Creamy, tangy goat cheese and salty, crunchy pecans complete this salad in both flavor and texture.

Top it off with a homemade lemon herb vinaigrette, and soon you’ll be feeling like the host of your very own cooking show.

Why You’ll Love This Simple Spring Salad

• Well, for starters, it’s simple – This recipe is a prime example that you don’t need a dozen ingredients or an hour in the kitchen to create a flavorful and nutrient-packed salad.
• It’s springtime in a bowl – This salad is filled to the brim with fresh, seasonal ingredients, like colorful root vegetables and crisp leafy greens. Paired with a zesty lemon and herb vinaigrette, it’s light, bright, and refreshing – everything you love about springtime.
• It’s an eye-catcher – With beautiful pops of red, pink, and orange, this salad is bursting with colors and textures that will make it stand out on the dinner table. It’s a show-stopping side dish for any spring party or celebration.
• You’ll fill up on the good stuff – Eating in season is the key to filling your belly with the healthiest, most nutrient-dense ingredients. This salad is overflowing with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to support and boost your health.

The secret to the tastiest and healthiest salads is to grow the ingredients yourself! Learn how you can easily grow your salad greens in practically any space – no gardening experience required.

Ingredients

Salad Greens – Pick any of your favorite leafy greens, most of which are packed with vitamins and minerals. My favorite is a variety of homegrown spinach, arugula, and lettuce.

Beets – Known for their bright color and earthy flavor, beets are a powerhouse of antioxidants and vitamins. Even though they’re raw in this recipe, they’re sliced so thinly that their flavor is easily disguised by the other ingredients. If you’re skeptical about the earthy flavor, try golden beets which have a sweeter, milder taste.

Radishes – High in vitamin C and fiber, radishes give a wonderful peppery crunch and pink pop of color throughout the salad. The tried-and-true variety is the red radish, or be bold and try the equally beautiful Chinese watermelon radish.

Carrots – Packed full of vitamin A, beautiful carrot ribbons provide notes of sweetness to this seasonal salad. And if you grow them in your backyard, try growing some colors other than the traditional orange – my favorite is dark purple!

Goat Cheese – Luxuriously creamy and tangy, goat cheese is my secret ingredient to almost any salad. Because it’s often easier to digest for those who are sensitive to cow’s milk, goat cheese can be a good alternative to cow cheese.

Chopped Nuts – A must in every salad, chopped nuts add the perfect crunch factor and are a great source of protein and healthy fats. Feel free to use whatever ones you have on hand. I use pecans here, but I also love walnuts and pistachios.

Fresh Chives – Not to be seen as just a garnish, chives are some of the first herbs ready for harvest in the cooler months and give this salad a zesty, herbaceous kick.

Homemade vinaigrette – Made with lemon, fresh herbs, and a few pantry staples, this vinaigrette will become your new favorite salad dressing.

Instructions

1. Prepare the salad by arranging the salad greens onto a platter or in a large bowl.

2. Using a mandolin or vegetable peeler, slice or peel the root vegetables as thin as possible into paper-thin rounds or ribbons and layer onto the salad greens.

3. Sprinkle on chopped nuts, chives, and crumbled goat cheese.

4. Make the dressing: In a jar, add lemon zest, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Screw on a lid and shake for 30 seconds.

5. Add in oil and shake for another 30 seconds.

6. Add in minced chives and dill and shake briefly until well combined.

7. Pour dressing over the salad and serve.

Swaps and Substitutions

• Veg out: Add in any other seasonal spring ingredients, like asparagus, peas, broccoli, or Swiss chard. The more color, the more flavor and nutrients!
• Bulk it up: Although this salad is perfect and filling on its own, it can easily accept a protein pal. In keeping it light and spring-y, go for something like roasted chicken or fish, or go vegetarian with some chickpeas.
• Use what you have: This salad is super flexible for using what you have on hand. Swap pecans for your favorite nuts, like walnuts or pistachios. You can also substitute goat cheese for something similar like burrata or feta.

More Springtime Inspiration

• Spinach and Chive Pesto
• 3 Leafy Greens Anyone Can Grow
• How To Grow Chives
• 5 Easy Ways To Use and Store Chives

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