This Spring Harvest Salad might be the cure to seasonal depression. It’s light, bright, full of fresh spring veggies and comes together quick. Put those winter boots away, it’s spring time!
How to use spring Asparagus.
Early spring asparagus is going to be a little bit thinner and longer, but incredibly tender and sweet. The younger asparagus is less woody, you don’t need to remove as much of the stem.
They are so delicate, you don’t even need to cook them. They have a lovely snap almost reminiscent of a pea.
All you need to do is slice them into bite sized chunks. Add them to any salad or dish that you want to add a bit of springtime freshness.
How to cook with Asparagus.
If you’re looking to cook regular asparagus, here are some tips to make sure it’s perfectly cooked every time.
- Removing the woody stem. When we say the stem of asparagus is woody, we mean the fibres of the stalk are more solid and firm, almost resembling the wood grain. You’ll be able to tell when the stem turns from tender to woody by how light the colour is. You can either snap or slice the lighter section of the stock off and discard.
- Choosing the best cooking method. Depending on the time of year (or growing season) your asparagus might look vastly different. In the peak summer time, asparagus is thick, vibrant green and super tender. Out of or before the growing season, you’ll see them be longer, thinner and stringy. If your asparagus is nice and thick, sautéing, grilling or roasting are going to be the best cooking option. The thinner asparagus is best used raw in salads or pickled.
How to make Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette.
This is a super versatile salad dressing. Lemon and dijon are pretty versatile flavours that go with a ton of combinations.
The key to this dressing is making sure the garlic is minced fine enough.
If you have a microplane, a finely grated garlic clove is going to be perfect, if not a sharp knife will do.We want the garlic to be as fine as possible. The lemon juice is going to soften the garlic, rounding it out.
— Jazz LeafEasy Italian Antipasto Pasta SaladTomato Cucumber Avocado Salad with Mozzarella and Basil PestoSimple Shirazi Salad (Persian Recipe) - Little Sunny Kitchen
Add your garlic, lemon, dijon and other ingredients and seal the jar. Give it a good shake until fully combined. Keep it stored in your fridge for up to a week.
Making blender Vinaigrettes.
If you have a good blender, making a vinaigrette is super easy.
Add in your 1 garlic clove, the zest and juice of 1 lemon, 1 tbsp of dijon mustard, 1 tsp black pepper, ¼ tsp chilli flakes and ⅓ cup of oil.
Start your blender on low, starting to break up the garlic. Slowly turn the speed up until on high. Blitz until your vinaigrette is emulsified.
Other Recipes to Check Out!
If you liked the sound of this Spring Harvest Salad, here are a few other great recipes for you to check out.
Thai Mango Salad
Smash Potato Salad
Pineapple Lime Steak Salad
Spring Harvest Salad
Print Recipe
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 5 cups Spring Mix
- 2 Chicken Breast Cooked and chopped
- 1 cup Peas Sliced
- 1 cup Asparagus Sliced
- 2 tbsp Red Onion Diced
- 3 cups Baguette Torn
- 1/2 cup Feta Crumbled
For the Dressing
- 1 large Garlic Clove Minced
- 1 Lemon Zested and Juiced
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
- 1 tsp Honey
- 1/4 tsp Chilli Flake
- 1/3 cup Olive Oil
- 1 Pinch Kosher Salt
Instructions
Into a large salad bowl add 5 cups of spring mix or other salad greens. Add in 2 chopped chicken breasts, 1 cup sliced peas, 1 cup sliced asparagus, 2 tbsp chopped red onion, and ½ cup crumbled feta.
Pull about 3 cups of fresh baguette. Place a large frying pan over medium heat, add in 2 tbsp Olive Oil. Once heated, add in your baguette and toast for 4-5 min until golden brown. They should be toasty and crunchy but soft in the centre. Remove from the heat, allow to cool and add to your salad.
Into a mason jar, add 1 large minced garlic clove, the juice and zest of 1 lemon, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tbsp dijon mustard, 1 tsp of honey, ¼ tsp chilli flakes, ⅓ cup olive oil and a pinch of salt. Shake well and keep stored in the fridge.
Pour your vinaigrette onto your salad, toss and enjoy.
Print Recipe
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