Best Spring Vegetable Salad Recipes

SPRING VEGETABLE RICE SALAD (INSALATA DI RISO)

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add rice, stir, and adjust heat to maintain a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally to prevent any grains from sticking to the pot, until the rice is just barely done, about 15 minutes. It will continue to cook as it cools. Drain the rice well and spread it out on a tray to cool quickly.
• Bring another large pot of salted water to a boil. Holding an asparagus spear in both hands, bend the spear until it breaks naturally at the point where it becomes tough. Repeat with the remaining spears. Discard the tough ends and cut the tender part into 1/3-inch lengths. Blanch asparagus and peas together in the boiling water for 1 minute and 30 seconds, then lift out with a strainer and transfer to a paper towel lined baking sheet to cool.
• Shell the fava beans, then blanch the unpeeled beans in the same boiling water for about 3 minutes. Drain, transfer them to a paper towel lined baking sheet to cool. Peel the fava beans by pinching open the loose skin; the peeled bean should slip out easily.
• Put the lemon juice in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Gradually whisk in the olive oil.
• In a large bowl, combine the cooled rice, asparagus, peas, fava beans, basil, parsley, lemon zest, ham and cheese. Toss with your hands to blend. Pour the dressing over the salad (you may not need it all) and toss gently. Taste and adjust seasoning.

HAM, GARDEN VEGETABLE AND SPRING MIX SALAD WITH SWISS CHEESE

Steps:

• Combine salad blend, vegetables from pouch, ham, cheese, asparagus, mushrooms and onion in large bowl. Toss with Cream Dijon Dressing, to taste. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• *Creamy Dijon Dressing: Whisk together 3 tablespoons Sherry wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard, 1 clove garlic, minced, 1 teaspoon dried oregano crushed, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in small bowl. Slowly whisk 1/4 cup canola oil and 1 tablespoon mayonnaise, until blended. Makes 1/2 cup.

GREEK CHICKEN, GARDEN VEGETABLE AND SPRING MIX SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Brush chicken breasts with oil; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Place chicken in 2-quart shallow baking dish; bake 25 to 30 minutes or until no longer pink in center (165 degrees F.). Cool chicken enough to handle; slice into thin strips.
• Combine salad blend, vegetables from pouch, garbanzo beans, cherry tomatoes, olives and red onion in large bowl. Toss with Greek Vinaigrette, to taste. Divide salad mixture on 4 large plates. Top each with sliced chicken. Sprinkle with feta cheese.
• Greek Vinaigrette:
• Whisk together 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup white wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel, 1 teaspoon dried oregano crushed, salt and black pepper, to taste until well blended. Makes about 1 cup.

SPRING VEGETABLE SALAD WITH HORSERADISH AND LEMON VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• For the dressing, combine the white wine vinegar, horseradish and lemon extract in a mixing bowl and stir to combine. Whisk in the olive oil and season to taste with salt.
• Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Set up a bowl of ice water next to the stove and set a colander inside the ice water (so no ice is inside the colander). Stir a little salt into the water.
• Add the vegetables in separate groups to the boiling water and cook each batch until just tender, about a minute; each vegetable should still have a little snap. Leave all the vegetables to cool and mix in the ice water after cooking.
• Drain the vegetables well and pat dry. Add the cooked vegetables, radishes and cucumber to the bowl with the dressing and toss well to combine. Season to taste with salt. Transfer to a platter and garnish with the dill and mint or pea tendrils.

SPRING VEGETABLE ORZO PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a medium saucepan full of water to a boil. Turn off the burner, add in asparagus pieces and blanch for 2-3 minutes. While the asparagus is in the water, heat one tablespoon olive oil in a small sauté pan. Add in shallots and garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes, just until tender. Drain the asparagus and rinse with cool water.
• In a large bowl add cooked orzo pasta, asparagus pieces and sautéed shallots and garlic. Drain artichoke hearts and quarter them, adding them to the bowl. Add in sun-dried tomatoes with oil and lemon zest. Stir to combine.
• In a small bowl or container, whisk together lemon juice, white wine vinegar, salt and pepper. While continuously whisking, slowly pour olive oil into the vinegar. Once emulsified, stir the dressing into the salad. Move to the refrigerator for at least 5 hours for flavors to combine. Serve cold.

ROAST & MARINATED QUAIL WITH WARM SPRING VEGETABLE SALAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Mix the marinade ingredients in a shallow bowl and set aside. Season the quail inside and out with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in an ovenproof frying pan, then brown the quail well on all sides. Add the butter and baste the quail. Then pop into the oven for 10 mins. Leave the quail to rest for a few mins until just cool enough to handle.
• Using a large serrated knife, carefully halve each quail straight down the middle, then submerge in the marinade and leave to rest while you make the rest of the dish.
• For the potato salad, mix the crème fraîche, mascarpone, vinegar and spring onions with some salt and pepper. Set aside. Heat the oil in a frying pan and sizzle the potatoes for about 5-10 mins, tossing occasionally until golden.
• Tip the hot potatoes into a bowl and fold through the crème fraîche mixture to bind and dress them. Set aside.
• Snap the tough ends off the asparagus, peel the stalks, then cut each spear in half at an angle. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil.
• Cook the asparagus in the boiling water for 2 mins until tender but retaining a slight crunch. Drain well. Place in a small bowl and, while still steaming hot, spoon over and toss through a couple tbsp of the marinade. You are now ready to serve.
• Spoon half the potato salad into the centre of a large dinner plate. Lift the quail from the marinade and lay 2 halves, breasts facing inwards, on top of the potato salad. Scatter the leaves evenly around the edge of the plate. Tuck the asparagus spears in a circular fashion among the salad leaves with the tips pointing out. Coat the quail and drizzle the leaves with a little more of the marinade, then serve.

SPRING VEGETABLE SALAD WITH PARMESAN TUILES AND WHITE TRUFFLE-OIL VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Tuiles: Place a 12-inch non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the Parmesan on the bottom of the pan. As it starts to melt, use a spatula to form it into three 2 by 5-inch strips. When the cheese starts to bubble and turn golden brown, remove the pan from the heat. Let cool for 4 to 5 minutes; the strips should be pliable. Pick up one end of a strip with a pair of tongs and lay it across the bottom of an overturned bowl or across a wide cylinder so that the tuile hardens into an arc. Set aside and repeat the process with the other strips. Repeat the entire process with the remaining cheese. (Yields 9 Tuiles) White Truffle-Oil Vinaigrette: Blend all the vinaigrette ingredients except their oils in a 2-quart stainless steel bowl. Whisk in the olive and white truffle oils in a slow, steady stream until it is all incorporated and the sauce emulsifies.
• Salad: Remove the mushroom caps from their stems. Clean the tops with a damp cloth or towel. Peel the stem using a vegetable peeler; discard the scraps. Slice the mushrooms as thinly as possible, and place in a 2-quart stainless steel bowl. Add the remaining vegetables. Add the vinaigrette and toss well.
• To serve: Divide the salad among 6 chilled plates. Stand a Parmesan tuile over each salad. Handle gently and serve immediately.

SPRING VEGETABLE SALAD

Steps:

• Whisk 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar and 1 teaspoon each dijon mustard and honey in a large bowl; whisk in 1/4 cup olive oil. Shave or thinly slice 1 bunch baby carrots, 6 radishes and 1/4 red onion; add to the bowl along with 6 cups torn lettuce and 1/4 cup each sunflower seeds and torn mint; season with salt and pepper and toss.

BUTTERHEAD LETTUCE AND SPRING VEGETABLE SALAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar and oil; season with salt and pepper.
• Tear lettuce into bite-size pieces and add to bowl along with radishes and carrots. Toss; season with salt and pepper.
• Divide salad equally among four plates and top each with sprouts. Serve immediately.

LEMONGRASS CHICKEN AND VEGETABLE SALAD RICE PAPER SPRING ROLL

Steps:

• For the dipping sauce: Combine the ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
• For the summer rolls:.
• Add the lemon grass, oil and salt to a resealable stoarge bag.
• Add the chicken, seal the bag and turn the chicken to coat evenly.
• Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 4 hours.
• Bring a small pot of lightly salted water to a boil over medium-high heat.
• Add the snow peas and cook for 1 minute.
• Transfer with a slotted spoon to a ice-water bath to halt their cooking.
• Drain, pat dry and slice snowpeas lengthwise into 3 or 4 strips each. Set aside.
• Add oil to coat the fry pan.
• Discard of marinade.
• Add chicken to fry pan and cook until cutlets turn brown and chicken is cooked through.
• Wait for cutlets to cool and then slice into long thin strips roughly 2cm thick.
• To assemble:.
• Soak rice paper wrappers in warm to hot water untill soft.
• Lightly pat dry.
• Place 2 or 3 chicken strips down the center of the wrapper, leaving a 3cm margin at each end of the wrapper.
• Next add a layer of snow peas, lettuce, capsicum, carrot, and finally a light sprinkling of cashew nuts.
• Pull one side of the rice paper tightly over the filling, folding over the two ends to form something that looks like an envelope, and then roll over the remaining portion of wrapper to form the roll. If desired, cut in half diagonally.
• Repeat with the remaining wrappers and fillings.
• Serve with Dipping Sauce.

BROILED HALIBUT WITH SHAVED SPRING VEGETABLE SALAD

Steps:

• Heat broiler, and on a lightly oiled baking sheet, season fillets with salt. Place tray directly under broiler, close oven door, and turn off broiler. Leave fish in oven until flaky, 15 to 20 minutes, depending on thickness.
• Meanwhile, combine vegetables and herbs in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Whisk lemon juice with oil and drizzle over salad, tossing to combine.
• Serve with halibut. Garnish salad with grated nutmeg and a drizzle of oil.

HAM AND SPRING VEGETABLE SALAD WITH SHALLOT VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Cook potatoes and carrots in large pot of boiling salted water until almost tender, about 7 minutes. Add asparagus and peas; cook until vegetables are just tender, about 3 minutes longer. Drain. Rinse with cold water; drain. Transfer to large bowl. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.)
• Add ham to vegetables. Add Shallot Vinaigrette to salad and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Line bowl with spinach. Top with salad and serve.

CHICKEN AND SPRING-VEGETABLE SALAD

Steps:

• Place stock, bay leaves, peppercorns, and onion in a large saucepan, and bring to a boil. Add chicken breasts, and simmer until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken and stock to a bowl to cool.
• Combine buttermilk, yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Remove chicken from stock mixture, setting aside liquid for soup. Cut chicken into 3/4-inch chunks, and add to buttermilk mixture. Stir to combine.
• Fill a bowl with water and ice. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add snow peas. Cook until bright green and tender, about 1 minute. Remove with slotted spoon, and transfer to the ice bath. Add fresh peas to boiling water, and cook until bright green and tender, about 1 minute. Remove with slotted spoon, and transfer to the ice bath with snow peas. Add asparagus to boiling water, and cook until bright green and tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon, and transfer to the ice bath. When all the vegetables are cool, drain, and transfer to paper towels to dry. Add to chicken mixture; toss to combine. Add artichoke hearts and mint. Divide lettuce leaves among six plates, and fill with chicken salad.

SPRING VEGETABLE PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Cook noodles in boiling salted water until al-dente. Drain and rinse in cool water.
• Place drained noodles in a large bowl and add the next five ingredients. Mix well.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the dressing ingredients. Adjust salt if needed.
• Pour dressing onto the noodle/vegetable mix and toss to coat.
• Chill for several hours before serving.

SPRING VEGETABLE AND ISRAELI COUSCOUS SALAD

Steps:

• Vinaigrette: Heat minced garlic until soft and golden in olive oil on very low heat, allow to cool. In food processor, mix olive oil/garlic mixture with rest of ingredients. Salad: Toast couscous over medium heat in dry heavy bottomed skillet, stirring constantly, until golden brown. Bring chicken stock and 1 cup water to boil. Cook until soft but still firm (7-8 minutes). Rinse in very cold water and drain well. Preheat oven to 450. Trim woody part of stem from asparagus. Coat with olive oil and salt and pepper and roast for 4-5 minutes, turning once, until roasted but not soggy. Allow to cool on rack. Bring pot of water to boil, add tbsp salt. Add fiddlehead ferns and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until bright green and tender crisp. Add 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tsp sherry vinegar to pan, head on medium. Saute mushrooms until cooked but not soggy. Let cool (drain off any liquid). Combine everything, keeping back 1/3 of dressing. let sit for at least 1 hour. Before serving, add dressing and salt and pepper to taste.

SPRING VEGETABLE SALAD

Steps:

• 1. Blanch vegetables 1 at a time in salted boiling water until just tender. Drain and spread on a cookins sheet to cool. 2. Place vegetabls in large bowl. Add lemon zest, orzo and prosciutto. Toos. 3. In separate bowl, mix oils, lemon juice, parsely, red onion, salt and pepper. Let sit for 15 mins. 4. When ready to serve, whisk dressing and to vegatables and toss well.

SPRING VEGETABLE-RICE SALAD

Steps:

• Combine rice, tomatoes and asparagus in medium bowl.
• Mix remaining ingredients until well blended.
• Add to rice mixture; toss to coat.