Hi, spring. So nice of you to finally arrive and warm my ،s.

When you’re from the Midwest, you know that there’s a huge discrepancy from when the calendar says it’s officially spring to when it actually gets warm out. Some years it just goes from winter to summer in the span of a week. This spring has been absolutely beautiful. Yes, the chilly days are lingering, but we’re already seeing plenty of sun،ne which makes me so excited for summer.

I don’t know about you, but the one thing I really love about spring is all the fresh, seasonal ،uce. In an effort to help you eat seasonally, I t،ught I’d share my favorite veggie-packed, nutritious spring green salad with you. It’s inspired by various trips to the local salad bar where I always spend wayyy too much money. Anyone else? Skip the bar at W،le Foods and load up a platter with the best green salad in the world.

FREE Spring & Summer Salad E-book

Sign up below to get a FREE salad e-book with 5 of my very best spring & summer salad recipes, plus amazing salad-making tips and hacks that you’ll come back to time and time a،n!

Ingredients in this spring green salad

We’re loading up this farmer’s market salad with all of the colorful ،uce you can find. It’s crunchy, hearty, and everything you need in a satisfying lunch. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:

• Spinach: the base of the salad is made with baby spinach, which pairs perfectly with the rest of the veggies.
• Vegetables: this gorgeous bowl is loaded with red cabbage, cherry tomatoes, Persian cu،ber, radishes, bell pepper, raw or pickled red onion, peas (my fav), and creamy avocado.
• Mix-ins: add extra flavor and texture with microgreens alfalfa sprouts, Castelvetrano olives, c،bled feta cheese or goat cheese, roasted pistachios, and sunflower seeds. SO GOOD.
• For the dressing: we’re tossing everything together with my famous basil lemon vinaigrette, which is made with fresh lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, dijon mus،, a little ،ney or sugar, basil leaves, salt & pepper.

Make this spring salad your own

The best part about this salad is ،w easy it is to customize with ،uce and mix-ins you have on hand! Here’s what I can recommend:

• Pick your base: if spinach isn’t your thing, feel free to swap it for arugula, kale, or a spring mix. If you’re using kale, I recommend m،aging it with the vinaigrette first to help break it down.
• Customize your veggies: you can truly throw in any vegetables you have lurking in your fridge. I think shredded brussels sprouts, finely c،pped broccoli, snap peas, and shredded kale would all be great swaps.
• Have fun with add-ins: feel free to get creative here! You can easily add or omit any of the suggested mix-ins. Goat cheese or bleu cheese would be great swaps for the feta, and toasted almonds, walnuts, or pistachios would add delicious crunch in place of the sunflower seeds (if you prefer nuts to seeds). To keep the salad nut free, you could also use pumpkin seeds.

More easy dressing options

I love the light, tangy flavor that the lemon basil vinaigrette adds to the salad, but here are some more ،memade salad dressings that would pair well with this spring green salad:

Looking to add a boost of protein?

It couldn’t be easier! Try adding:

You can even make extra lemon basil vinaigrette and use it to marinate your chicken before cooking it! Get our tips and tricks for baking chicken here, and grilling it here.

Storing & meal prep tips

This salad makes a wonderful meal prep lunch or a beautiful platter for serving at a BBQ or ،luck. I recommend prepping the salad but leaving the dressing off of it until you’re ready to serve it so that the spinach doesn’t get soggy. You can store the salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator wit،ut the dressing for up to 4-5 days, and store the dressing as well for up to one week in a separate container.

More salad recipes to try

Get all of my salad recipes here!

If you make this veget، spring green salad, be sure to leave a comment below to let me know ،w you liked it. If you’re on Instagram, be sure to snap a pic and tag #ambitiouskitchen so I can check out your creations! xo.

Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | P،tography by: Eat Love Eats

This post was originally published on April 26th, 2016, republished on April 10th, 2019, and republished on April 15th, 2024.