5 Salad Recipes We’re Making This Spring
To celebrate the onset of spring, we invited culinary experts across the country to share their favorite salad recipes for the season. Whether you’re looking for a fruit-forward salad to serve as a side or a veg-heavy powerhouse that’s an ideal main, these five options from Scouted chefs are bright, fresh, and exactly what we’re craving right now.
Vegan Kale Caesar
“This salad is a nutritional powerhouse! Dark leafy-green kale, healthy fats from avocado, hemp seed, and olive oil, over 12 grams of protein from the chickpeas and tahini, and the nutritional yeast adds a boost of B vitamins,” Robyn Knowlan Cronin co-founder of Wonder Press in Denver and Boulder, Colorado, explains. “The real star however is the homemade Caesar dressing. It’s so addictive we keep extra in our fridge to use as a dip.”
Yields 4 servings
INGREDIENTS:
For the vegan caesar dressing
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ cup lemon juice
- ½ cup tahini
- ¼ cup water
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the spiced chickpeas
- 1 15 ounce can of chickpeas
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the croutons
- 4 slices of bread
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the salad
- 1 large head romaine
- 1 bunch kale (Lacinato, green or purple)
- 2 avocados
- 4 tablespoons hemp seeds (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS:
For the vegan caesar dressing
Place olive oil, lemon juice, tahini, water, garlic, mustard, nutritional yeast, pepper and salt in a blender and blend on high for one minute until creamy and smooth. Dressing will keep in the fridge for three weeks.
For the spiced chickpeas
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Drain and rinse chickpeas. Mix chickpeas, olive oil, paprika, cumin and salt together by hand in a bowl. Spread seasoned chickpeas out over a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes, stirring once after the first 10 minutes. Allow chickpeas to cool before adding to the salad. Roasted chickpeas will keep in the fridge for two weeks.
For the croutons
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Cut bread into ¾ inch cubes. Place bread cubes in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle bread with garlic and salt and mix together by hand. Spread seasoned bread out over parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes. Store croutons in an airtight container for up to two weeks. (Tip: this is a great opportunity to use up old bread that may be getting stale.)
For the salad
Wash and dry romaine and kale leaves, chop into ½ inch strips. Wash avocados, cut in half and remove the pit. Spread hemp seeds out on a small plate and press each half avocado into the hemp seeds to coat the face of the avocado. Sprinkle seeds into the center of each avocado half to fully coat the avocado. In a large bowl, toss romaine and kale in approximately 12 ounces of the dressing and divide it on to four plates. Sprinkle spiced chickpeas and croutons, to taste, over the four plates and add one half avocado to each salad. Serve immediately with extra dressing on the side
Recipe courtesy of Robyn Knowlan Cronin of Wonder Press. Wonder Press appears in The Scout Guide Denver.
Photography by Jason Becton.
Butter Lettuce Salad with Snow Peas, Crispy Ham, and Crispy Shallots
“This spring salad is composed rather than tossed, meaning that the components of the salad are arranged together on the plate rather than mixed all together in a bowl,” Jason Becton co-owner of MarieBette Café & Bakery in Charlottesville, Virginia, explains “Butter or Bibb lettuce is delicate, flavorful and presents beautifully when spread on a plate. Blanched fresh sugar snap peas and crispy shallots add a little crunch as does oven-dried cured ham. I dress the salad sparingly so as to not overpower the fresh flavors.”
Yields 4 servings
INGREDIENTS:
- 8 slices of Surryano ham, Speck or Serrano
- ½ pound sugar snap peas or snow peas
- 2 heads of Bibb lettuce
For the honey dijon vinaigrette
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons Pommery mustard
- 1 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 ½ tablespoons cold water
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
- 5 tablespoons blended oil
For the crispy shallots
2 large shallots
1 cup buttermilk
½ cup flour
Canola oil or vegetable oil
Salt, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS:
For the crispy cured ham
Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Lay out slices in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place another piece of parchment on top and place another baking sheet on top to press down the ham while it’s in the oven. Bake the ham for about 35-45 minutes until crispy but not burned. Cool down and reserve.
For the honey dijon vinaigrette
Combine Dijon mustard, Pommery mustard, lemon juice, cold water, honey, and white wine vinegar in a bowl with a whisk. Slowly drizzle oil into the bowl while whisking till emulsified. Season to taste.
For the crispy shallots
Slice shallots crosswise at about ½ centimeters thick. Marinate the sliced shallots in buttermilk for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours. Strain off the buttermilk and discard. Dredge the marinated shallots in flour and shake off excess. Using a saucepan with high sides, fry the shallots in the oil until golden. Drain on a paper towel and season with salt.
For the snow peas
Bring water with a generous amount of salt to a boil in a saucepan large enough to fit the peas in. Blanch the peas in the boiling water for one minute, strain them and plunge them into ice water until cool. Strain and keep cool.
Composing the salad
Gently twist out the cores of the lettuce heads. Wash and spin dry lettuce leaves and arrange on four plates. Divide the snow peas, crispy ham and shallots among the four plates and arrange them nicely with the crispy onions on the top. Drizzle the vinaigrette on the salad to taste and serve.
Recipe courtesy of Jason Becton of MarieBette Café & Bakery. MarieBette Café & Bakery appears in The Scout Guide Charlottesville.
Photography by Jessica Merithew Photography.
Spring Fling Salad
“Crisp and delicious, celebrate spring and impress your friends with this simple, yet elegant, salad,” Chef E McShane, executive chef at Verbena Events in Asheville, North Carolina, says.
Yields 4 servings
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 ½ cup arugula
- 1 ½ cup baby kale
- 1 ½ cup mixed greens
- 1 cup asparagus
- 1 cup sliced sugar snap peas
- 1 cup rainbow carrots
- ½ cup of salted and roasted pepitas
- 1 medium avocado
- 2 cups blueberries
- 1 cup parsley
- 4 eggs
For the pickled radish and sweet onions
- 1 bunch of radishes
- ½ large sweet onion
- 1 cup white vinegar
- ½ apple cider vinegar
- ¼ water
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- Salt, to taste
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon whole peppercorn
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
For the Green Goddess dressing
- ½ cup chopped tarragon
- 2 cups ranch dressing
- Half a lemon, juiced
INSTRUCTIONS:
To prep the salad
Shave the asparagus and carrots with a vegetable peeler into thin strips. Cut blueberries in half. Cut the avocado into 4 quarters. Slice each quarter into 4-5 slices. Pick the parsley from the stem. Slice the sugar snap peas on a diagonal. Mix together the arugula, baby kale and mixed greens in a large bowl. Add the green goddess dressing to the greens and mix until all of the greens are evenly coated.
For the soft boiled eggs
Place eggs into a small pot and cover with water and bring the water to a boil. Once your water is boiling, remove the pot from the heat, cover and let sit for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, immediately remove the eggs from the pot and place in an ice and cold water bath until completely cooled. Once cooled, peel the eggs and cut them in half.
For the pickled radish and sweet onions
Thinly slice radishes and onion and place them in a mason jar. In a pot on the stove, add remaining pickling ingredients and bring to a boil. Once boiling, carefully taste the mixture for seasoning (you want the vinegar mixture to not be too sweet, unless you want a sweet pickle, or salty and not only taste the vinegar. It should be a well balanced mixture). Pour the hot liquid over the radish and onions and cover with a lid. Let sit in the refrigerator for a minimum of four-six hours before consuming.
For the Green Goddess dressing
Place all of the ingredients into a blender along with ¼ cup of ice (this will help the herbs in the dressing from turning brown). Blend until you have a smooth incorporated dressing (this may take a couple minutes, scraping the sides in between each minute).
Composing the salad
Divide the greens between four bowls. Divide the remaining ingredients, except for the pickled radish and onions, evenly between the four bowls. Add the pickled radish and onions to your liking. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe courtesy of Chef E McShane of Verbena Events. Verbena Events appears in The Scout Guide Asheville.
Photography courtesy of The Wayback.
Coast Salad
“Light, bright, and packed with spring’s best produce, this salad is the perfect example of why eating seasonally is so exciting. Composed almost entirely of veggies, each one is at its snappiest, sweetest, or softest right now, so you don’t have to do much to turn them into a tasty dish,” Chef Ron Matty, executive chef at The Wayback Cafe and Cottages in Austin, Texas, shares. “Toss them with a zesty dressing, sprinkle on a little cheese, and add a handful of nuts for crunch, and within just a few minutes you’ll have made a dish that’s bursting with texture and flavor. So simple, so delicious.”
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup artisan field greens
- ½ cup fava beans
- ½ cup english peas
- ½ cup heirloom radish
- 1 cup beets
For the citronette vinaigrette
- ½ cup orange juice
- ½ cup lemon juice
- ½ cup olive oil
- ⅓ cup shallot, minced
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon persimmon vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Black pepper, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS:
For the citronette vinaigrette
Place all ingredients except for the oil into the blender. Blend for 1 minute then drizzle in the olive oil slowly.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly blanch fava beans in salted water for 5 to 6 minutes, remove and drop into an ice bath. Blanch English peas in salted water for 6 to 8 minutes, remove and drop into an ice bath. Slice heirloom radish on mandolin. Place heirloom beets in a baking dish with vinegar, white wine, water, salt, and pepper, with just enough liquid to cover the bottom inch of the pan. Roast for 45 minutes. When cool, peel skins and trim into bite-size pieces.
Composing the salad
Toss fava beans, peas, radish, and beets in vinaigrette. Plate on top of artisan field greens.
Recipe courtesy of Chef Ron Matty of The Wayback Cafe and Cottages. The Wayback Cafe and Cottages appears in The Scout Guide Austin.
Photography by Elizabeth Collier.
Louisiana Lil Gem and Shaved Prime Rib Salad
“Spring is a wonderful time in Louisiana, lots of lovely produce, berries, and edible flowers are popping up all over,” Chef Marcus Woodham, executive chef of The Bower, in New Orleans, Louisiana, explains. “The sweetness and tanginess of the ingredients in this salad balance really well with the beef and richness of the blue cheese. If you don’t have prime rib, you can use pretty much any leftover meat you may have on hand.”
Yields 2 servings
INGREDIENTS:
For the salad
- 8 heads little gem lettuce, halved and pull leaves apart to separate
- 5 ounces shaved prime rib
- 8 to 10 strawberries, sliced to circles
- 3 ounces toasted sunflower seeds
- Garnish with a drizzle of aged balsamic
- 8 to 14 onion blossoms
For the green garlic
- 1 bulb green garlic, thinly shave the white part
- 1 cup rice wine vinegar
- ¼ cup sugar
For the blue cheese dressing
- 3 cups mayonnaise
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 ounces lemon juice
- 1 ounce Worcestershire sauce
- 1 ounce honey
- 5 ounces crumbled blue cheese
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS:
For the green garlic
Whisk rice wine vinegar and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Add shaved green garlic and let sit for an hour.
For the blue cheese dressing
Combine mayo, buttermilk, lemon juice, Worcestershire, honey, blue cheese. Season with salt and a fair amount of black pepper, to taste.
Composing the salad
Toss lettuce and prime rib in blue cheese dressing, divide between two plates. Use green garlic, strawberries, onion blossoms, and sunflower seeds to garnish the top of the salad. Drizzle with aged balsamic to finish.
Recipe courtesy of Chef Marcus Woodham of The Bower. The Bower appears in The Scout Guide New Orleans.
Feature photo by Carolina Smith.
