This Spring Colors Salad is so tasty! It is my favorite recipe that I’ve made in a while, particularly as it uses so many delicious spring flavors. There is something about the arrival of asparagus, radishes, golden beets and sugar snap peas in the shops that just makes it feel like spring, regardless of what the weather may be doing right now!
One of the things I love about this Spring Salad is the number of raw vegetables it contains. You’re definitely getting a good hit of nutrients from the different colors. I also like the fact that most of the veggies haven’t been cooked in this recipe.
This salad works really well as either a starter, side or main dish. If you’re making it as a main dish, I recommend adding a few extras to make it more filling. Foods such as grilled tempeh, avocado, and/or boiled baby potatoes all help to make the dish more hearty.
Ingredients
- For the salad
- 1 small bunch of asparagus (about 16 medium stalks)
- 1 small golden beet
- 3 radishes
- 1 large spring/green onion
- 2 cups mixed greens (I love spinach and arugula/rocket)
- ½ cup toasted walnuts
- For the dressing
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 6 tbsp olive oil (or you can use your favourite mix of oils – I like olive and flax)
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- To make the dressing, simply add all ingredients to a jar and shake vigorously for about 30 seconds. Set aside.
- Trim the ends of the asparagus, then place them on a baking sheet.
- Lightly brush with some of the dressing and place under the grill for about 3 minutes, until the color is vibrant and they are starting to soften. (Asparagus cooks really quickly and it’s easy to overdo it! As soon as I see the color change, I bite into a piece to check it’s softened, and then remove it from the grill.) Remove and set aside.
- Using a mandoline or sharp knife (a mandoline makes this MUCH easier and probably safer), very thinly slice the golden beet, radishes, spring onion and pear into a bowl with the greens and walnuts.
- Slice the ends off the sugar snap peas. Turning them lengthways, slice along the length of each pea and add them to the salad bowl (this is a pretty way of doing it–but you can just slice the peas into chunks!).
- Add the asparagus to the salad bowl, drizzle the dressing over the top and mix all ingredients together.
- Serve in large bowls or on plates and enjoy.
Vegan Salad Inspiration
If you love salad recipes, why not try this warm vegan mushroom salad with dairy-free parmesan? This salad recipe is packed with nutrients. It’s incredibly creamy and oh-so-delicious. The mushrooms are the only cooked part of this recipe. Other ingredients include spring mix, tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet white onion, scallion, bell pepper, and lemon.
You can also try whipping up this vegan Vietnamese salad with ginger tofu. The recipe is bursting with flavors. It’s vibrant, fresh, and so easy to make! According to the recipe’s author, “the dressing is super low-fat because it’s oil-free, made with just rice vinegar, coconut aminos, and coconut sugar. It’s filling, too thanks the addition of rice noodles.”
For a more classic salad, try this vegan “chicken” Caesar salad—which can be made with seitan or tofu. Caesar dressing is traditionally not vegan because it contains eggs as well as anchovies. This recipe’s vegan Caesar dressing features a cashew base, along with nutritional yeast, lemon, and mustard. To replace the anchovies, the recipe calls for capers in order to replicate the tangy and salty flavor.
This recipe was republished with permission from Vancouver With Love.