Simple, herby, and delicious, this Spring Greens recipe uses tender spring greens, fresh herbs, shaved fennel and radishes tossed in a light lemon dressing. Vegan.
Like wildflowers you must allow yourself to grow in all the places people thought you never would.
Lorde
Pungent tender greens, each with unique flavor, combine together in a spring salad that you will crave! We keep the dressing light and simple to highlight the vibrant flavors of the greens and herbs. Create this salad with whatever is fresh and available. Spring mix, baby spinach, tender arugula, baby kale, lemony sorrel, pea shoots, pungent dandelion, and mustard greens. The diversity of flavors makes this salad full of interest and complexity.
The first burgeoning plants after winter’s dormancy are just calling us! These fresh shoots are perfect for clearing out stagnancy in the lymph system, boosting the digestive tract with enzymes, and just giving the body an overall cleansing refresh. Many farmers at local markets will have spring greens in abundance. + 40 Fresh & Healthy Spring Recipes!
Table of Contents
Spring Greens Salad Ingredients
Spring Salad Ingredient Notes
- Greens: Spring mix, mesclun (an assortment of baby greens) or baby spring greens, pea shoots, baby spinach, tender arugula, baby kale, lemony sorrel, and pungent dandelion and new mustard greens. A mix of what is available and fresh.
- Herbs: dill, basil, chives are the standbys. Feel free to add or replace with tarragon, mint, parsley, lovage, any tender fresh herb that you love. Lots of fresh herbs really make the salad!
- Veggies: radishes, salad turnips, fennel, sugar snap peas.
- Dressing: made with good olive oil, salt and a touch of lemon.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Ways To Enhance
- Sprouts or Microgreens– sunflower, radish, broccoli, clover!
- Flowers– don’t forget the herb flowers if you have access to them! They are so sweet with a hint of the herb flavor. Rosemary flowers, chive and thyme flowers, lilacs and calendula petals as well as dandelion petals! (just make sure you collect where no pesticide has been sprayed)
- Beans: if you want to add a little protein, throw in some garbanzo, white beans or lentils.
- Nuts and seeds: toasted sunflower, slivered almonds, toasted hazelnuts. Do what sounds good!
- Cheese: goat cheese would be lovely!
How To Make Spring Greens Recipe
Make the dressing. Finely chop 1/3 of the herbs, whisk together with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Place clean, dry lettuce and greens in a bowl. Toss with a couple tablespoons of the dressing and a pinch of salt (optional). Top the greens with pea shoots or peas, fennel, radishes, turnip and herbs.
Drizzle with more dressing and a grind of pepper. Add any other enhancements and serve immediately!
Simple and delicious!
Spring Greens Salad FAQS
It is best to stick with light, thin dressings such as olive oil and lemon or vinegar with salt and pepper. Tender greens will not hold up well to thicker creamy dressings.
A collection of tender greens, called spring mix or spring greens, usually consists of baby red and green leaf lettuces, butter lettuces, arugula, baby spinach, chard, and radicchio.
The first veggies to pop up in the Spring; pea pods, radishes, fennel bulbs, salad turnips, along with tender herbs chives, dill, and tarragon.
More Spring Salads You May Enjoy
Love this recipe? Please let us know in the comments and leave a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below the recipe card.
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Spring Greens Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
- Category: salad
- Method: tossed
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Simple, herby, and delicious, this spring salad recipe is made with tender spring greens, fresh herbs, shaved fennel, and radishes tossed in a lemon dressing
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4–1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup mixed dill, basil, and chives, divided (feel free to add in parsley, tarragon, lovage, mint or other tender herbs)
- 1/2 lb (4 good handfuls) tender green lettuces, and variety of greens such as sorrel, spinach, baby kale, arugula, raddiccio, tatsoi etc.
- 1 cup pea shoots or snap peas
- 1 cup fennel, thinly shaved or cut
- 4–6 radishes, thinly sliced (use different types for beautiful color!)
- 1 salad turnip, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Dressing: Finely chop 1/3 of the herbs. Whisk together with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
- Salad: Place clean and dry lettuces and greens in a bowl. Toss with a couple tablespoons of the dressing and a pinch of salt (optional). Top the greens with pea shoots or peas, fennel, radishes, turnip and herbs.
- Drizzle with more dressing and a grind of pepper. Add any other enhancements and serve!
Notes
Serve immediately after adding the dressing, as it will start to wilt the salad if it sits too long.
We really recommend chives in the dressing, or you could use a teaspoon of minced shallots. You don’t want to over power it but a little bite is good!
Greens: Sweet pea shoots, young spinach, tender arugula, baby kale, lemony sorrel, and pungent dandelion and new mustard greens. A mix of what is available and fresh.
Herbs: dill, basil, and chives are the standbys. Feel free to add or replace with tarragon, mint, parsley, lovage, any tender fresh herb that you love. Lots of fresh herbs really make the salad!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 108
- Sugar: 1.9 g
- Sodium: 156.9 mg
- Fat: 7.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 10.3 g
- Fiber: 3.4 g
- Protein: 3.3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
This was absolutely delicious! We used mint and basil, and the flavors were delicious all together. I’m looking forward to trying some variations with herbs and greens!
Sounds perfect Melissa!
This was a delicious salad for spring vegetables coming up in my garden. I also added a little preserved lemon, black garlic and fennel seeds because I didn’t have fennel. Delish! Thank you.
So happy you enjoyed Ellen. I love all your additions and yummy home grown veggies!