Fresh Spring Salad Recipes

By The editors of MidwestLiving.com
Updated February 14, 2021
Credit: Blaine Moats
Toss together fresh seasonal veggies and fruits with greens and grains for salads that sparkle with spring flavor.
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Seeing Green Potato Salad

Credit: Blaine Moats
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Slice boiled new potatoes, then toss with blanched green beans, fresh mozz and pine nuts. Dress in purchased pesto, brightened with red wine vinegar. Brilliant!

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Greek to Me Tomato Salad

Credit: Blaine Moats
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Tuck grilled Halloumi cheese among ripe heirloom tomatoes. Scatter with quick-pickled red onion, oregano, pepper and olive oil. Dive in like it's the Aegean.

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Peas 'n' Carrots Salad with Buttermilk Ranch

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Bright with a touch of lemon and dill, the blanched carrots and snap peas get "dipped" in the pool of creamy dressing underneath when you spoon up a helping--a playfully pretty twist on two nostalgic carrot classics.

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Unforbidden Fruit Salad

Credit: Blaine Moats
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Learn to love your melon by dousing it in lime juice, with zippy chilies, cilantro and crunchy pepitas. Can you eat it with your morning eggs? A bowl of yogurt? Fajitas? A beer? Yep.

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Tuna and White Bean Salad with Lemon

Credit: Blaine Moats
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This light and bright tuna salad tastes as fresh as a day on the Mediterranean sea. We recommend using high-quality canned or jarred tuna that's packed in olive oil—you'll taste the difference.

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Feel the Beet Salad with Ricotta

Credit: Blaine Moats
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Marinate roasted beets with shallots and champagne vinegar, then toss with sauteed chard (or other greens). Serve over ricotta with pistachios.

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Cucumber-Radish Salad with Toasted Garlic

Credit: Blaine Moats
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Cucumber and radish soak up the flavors of soy sauce, sesame oil, toasted garlic and chili paste. Fresh mint joins the party. Happy dances all around.

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Spring Potato Salad

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This lightly sweet potato salad is a great way to use up leftover Easter ham.

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Say Peas (and Fennel) Salad

Credit: Brie Passano
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A bold dressing of garlic, parsley and fennel seeds lands a perfect punch on sweet snap peas and shaved fennel. Add salty cheese for the knockout.

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Spring Salad with Lemon-Thyme Dressing

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At Dante in Omaha, chef Nick Strawhecker serves a deceptively simple house salad that's all about letting good-quality greens shine. Finely grated cheese and chopped nuts add salt and crunch. It's perfect for spring and fall, when local lettuce is available.

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Shaved Asparagus Salad

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Uncooked asparagus might sound strange, but this is essentially an elegant take on slaw-slicing a firm vegetable like cabbage or carrot thinly to break down its cell walls and allow a tangy dressing to soak in.

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Arugula Salad with Brioche Croutons

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Any crouton is delicious, but a crouton made with buttery brioche? Divine. It's a luxe addition to this simple lemon-dressed salad from Epicure Catering in Michigan. (This recipe makes a generous amount of croutons; store extras in an airtight container for a day or two.)

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Sweet and Spicy Cabbage and Peanut Slaw

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Fresh ginger and red pepper flakes add welcome zing, but the real surprise here is napa (aka Chinese) cabbage. Cara Mangini, of Little Eater in Columbus, Ohio, likes it for slaws because it's more tender than ordinary cabbage but still holds up better than lettuce. 

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Quinoa Salad with Roasted Zucchini, Almonds and Feta

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You could make a meal of this dish: caramelized zucchini, crunchy almonds, salty cheese and hearty quinoa, all dressed in honey-basil vinaigrette. The recipe comes from Little Eater, in Columbus, Ohio.

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Greens, Eggs and Ham Potato Salad

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Loaded with protein and fresh greens, this is a simple yet flavorful potato salad. Paired with a fruit salad, it's almost hearty enough to eat as a meal.

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Mexican Citrus Salad with Avocado

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It's not just a salad-it's a crunchy, juicy, sweet, salty, tart, buttery, nutty potluck dazzler.

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Orange Tabbouleh

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This hearty, healthy salad combines juicy fruit, flavorful fresh herbs and warm spices. Even people who are skeptical of the nutritious bulgur wheat will be surprised how much they like it.

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Mediterranean Potato and Green Bean Salad

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This beautiful, French-inspired, veggie-ful potato salad says "au revoir" to mayonnaise and instead features a light garlic vinaigrette. That means the dish can safely sit out for a while (and even tastes better at room temperature).

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Dilly Chickpea and Radish Salad

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Think of this as a welcome update on three-bean salad, with radishes and celery adding color and crunch to wholesome garbanzo beans. It travels beautifully and is great for potlucks and picnics.

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By The editors of MidwestLiving.com