5 from 12 votes
Bright Spring Vegetable Salad
This Bright Spring Vegetable Salad combines tender asparagus, peas, fresh snap peas, and peppery arugula with crunchy almond slices and a lemon-mint dressing. The vegetables are briefly blanched or added raw to retain freshness and crispness, offering a lively texture contrast. A dressing made from lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, garlic, and olive oil balances tangy, sweet, and savory notes, making it refreshing and light. The salad suits a warm day starter or side dish to complement simple proteins.
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Servings:
4
-6 servings
Course:
Salad
Ingredients
- 1 asparagus cut into 1 inch pieces (~2 1/2 - 3 cups, bunch
- 1 cup peas frozen
- 1 cup snap peas
- 4 cups arugula baby
- 1/2 /2 cup almond sliced
- 1 lemon zested
- 1 1/2 - 2 /2 - 2 Tablespoon lemon juice fresh
- 2 Tablespoon mint chopped, fresh
- 1 Tablespoon honey maple syrup for vegan
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1-2 garlic minced, cloves
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 2 Tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Bring a large saucepan filled with salted water to a boil. Add chopped asparagus and cook for 4-5 minutes, depending on thickness, until slightly tender. Add frozen peas with 1 minute remaining. Transfer immediately to an ice bath.
- Meanwhile, add the remaining salad ingredients - snap peas, arugula, almond slices, and lemon zest - to a bowl. Set aside.
- Whisk together lemon juice, mint, honey, dijon mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking to combine. Taste for salt and pepper levels.
- Toss all ingredients together and serve immediately. If serving the salad later, store the dressing in an airtight container and toss immediately before serving.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Substitute maple syrup for honey to create a vegan version of the salad.
- Prepare the dressing separately if making ahead, and toss with vegetables just before serving to preserve freshness and texture.