The arrival of spring brings out the lighter side in our dining habits, with dishes emphasizing fresh flavors, such as fruit, herbs, tender greens, seafood and more. Mild spring salads with their seasonal ingredients complement the warming weather. A spring salad can be as simple as tender greens tossed with a vinaigrette or you can dress it up by adding seasonal ingredients, like peas, asparagus, radishes and baby artichokes.

Tender greens are best in spring. Leaves should be bright and fresh looking. Choose crisp lettuces that are free of blemishes. Lettuce should be washed and thoroughly dried in a salad spinner to remove any excess moisture. Refrigerate washed-and-dried greens wrapped in dry paper towels in an airtight plastic bag for about five days.

Here are some recipes for spring salads that can be used as a first course, for lunch or as a main dish.

Spinach Salad with Warm Parmigiano-Reggiano Dressing

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 5 ounces baby spinach (about 10 cups)
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 anchovy fillets, minced
• 2 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Place spinach, mushrooms and onion in a large salad bowl.

Heat oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Add anchovies and cook, stirring, 30 seconds.

Remove from the heat and stir in vinegar and then cheese. Pour the warm dressing over the salad, toss well and serve with a pepper mill on the table, so that you can top your salad with plenty of freshly ground black pepper.

Bean Salad With Lemon And Herbs

6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh cooked beans (such as cannellini) or one 14-oz. can cannellini beans or chickpeas, rinsed
• 6 oz fresh green beans or sugar snap peas, trimmed, cut into 1” pieces
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
• 2 tablespoons capers, chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or 1/4 crushed red pepper flakes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Cook the green beans in boiling salted water for about 4 minutes, just until tender but still firm. Drain.

Mix the beans, green beans, parsley, oil, chives, capers, lemon zest, lemon juice and Aleppo pepper in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper.

Let the salad sit for at least 30 minutes to infuse the flavors.

Radicchio, Fennel and 
Olive Panzanella

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 6 oz Italian country-style bread, torn into bite-size pieces (about 4 cups)
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1/2 cup olive oil, divided
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small shallot, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
• 1 small head radicchio, torn into bite-size pieces
• 1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced
• 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves with tender stems
• 1/2 cup green olives, pitted, halved
• 3 oz aged sheep’s-milk Pecorino Romano, shaved
• 3 oz hard salami, thinly sliced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Mix the bread with lemon zest and ¼ cup oil on a rimmed baking sheet.

Bake, tossing occasionally, until crisp on the outside but still chewy in the center, 8–10 minutes. Let cool.

Whisk shallot, lemon juice, vinegar and oregano in a large salad bowl; season with salt and pepper. Whisk in remaining ¼ cup oil.

Add radicchio, fennel, parsley, olives, cheese, salami and toasted bread to the dressing; toss to combine.

Grilled Chicken Salad with Radishes, Cucumbers and Pesto

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves plus 2 teaspoons chopped
• 1/4 cup (packed) fresh Italian parsley leaves
• 4 tablespoons pine nuts, divided
• 5 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, divided
• 2 teaspoons chopped shallots
• 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus additional for brushing
• 4 boneless chicken breast halves
• 4 – 1/2 inch-thick slices country-style Italian bread
• One 5-ounce package mixed baby greens
• 1 cup thinly sliced radishes 
• 1 cup thinly sliced cucumbers 

Directions

Place the 1/4 cup basil leaves, parsley, 2 tablespoons pine nuts, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and the shallots in mini processor; chop coarsely.

With machine running, gradually add 3 tablespoons olive oil.

Season pesto to taste with salt and pepper. Add more olive oil by teaspoonfuls to thin, if you want a thinner pesto.

Whisk the 2 teaspoons chopped basil, remaining 4 teaspoons lemon juice and 3 tablespoons oil in small bowl. Season dressing with and pepper. Set aside.

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Brush chicken breasts on both sides with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Grill until grill marks form and chicken is cooked through, 7 to 8 minutes per side. Transfer to a work surface; let rest 5 minutes.

Using a clean brush, brush both sides of the bread slices with oil. Grill until dark-brown grill marks appear on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Place greens, radishes and cucumbers in large bowl. Toss with the reserved dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide salad among 4 plates.

Cut grilled chicken breasts crosswise into thin slices. Arrange 1 sliced chicken breast on top of each salad.

Spoon pesto over the chicken. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons pine nuts over salads. Serve with grilled bread slices.

Grilled Steak Salad

Ingredients

Dressing

• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon cold water
• 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary

Steak

• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 pounds flank steak
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 6 cups baby spinach leaves or any tender spring greens
• Crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
• Grilled baguette slices

Directions

For the dressing:

Combine mayonnaise and the next 7 ingredients in a bowl; slowly whisk in olive oil. Stir in rosemary. Store in the refrigerator until serving time.

For the steak:

Combine the wine, mustard, 1 tablespoon olive oil, chopped rosemary and garlic in a large, heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag. Add the steak and the seal bag, turning to coat.

Refrigerate 6 hours or overnight.

Preheat grill to high (450°F to 600°F). Remove steak from the marinade and discard marinade. Pat steak dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Grill, on a greased grill rack, 6 minutes on each side (for medium-rare) or to the desired degree of doneness. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting into thin slices.

Brush bread slices with oil and grill 2 to 3 minutes.

Toss spinach with 1/4 cup of the dressing and divide among 4 salad plates.

Place steak slices on top of the greens and sprinkle each with crumbled Gorgonzola cheese.

Serve the salads with grilled baguette slices and pass the remaining dressing.

Posted by Jovina Coughlin in anchovies, Beans, Beef, Bread, Chicken, cucumbers, fennel, green beans, greens, Lettuce, mushrooms, Olives, onion, radish, Salad, Salad Dressing, Vegetables, Vegetarian Tags: spring salads