Description
This Everything Spring Green Salad is a vibrant, nutrient-packed dish featuring fresh greens, crunchy vegetables, creamy avocado, tangy pickled onions, briny green olives, crumbled feta or goat cheese, and a topping of pistachios and sunflower seeds, all tossed in a zesty lemon basil vinaigrette. It’s a perfect, customizable side salad for spring and summer meals.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Salad Base
- 6 cups organic spinach
- 1/2 head red or green cabbage, shredded
- 1 cup microgreens (or alfalfa sprouts)
- 3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
- 2 Persian cucumbers, sliced or roughly chopped
- 3 radishes, trimmed and chopped or sliced
Additions
- 1/4 cup pickled red onions OR very thinly sliced raw red onion
- 1/2 cup pitted Castelvetrano green olives, halved
- 1 medium ripe avocado, sliced or chopped
- 4 ounces crumbled feta or crumbled goat cheese
- 1/4 cup roasted and salted pistachios
- 1/4 cup roasted sunflower seeds
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Lemon Basil Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey or sugar
- 4 basil leaves, finely chopped
- Freshly ground salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together the fresh lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, dijon mustard, honey (or sugar), chopped basil leaves, and season with salt and black pepper. Whisk until the mixture is fully emulsified. Alternatively, blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender for a smoother texture. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Toss the Greens: Place the spinach in a large salad bowl. Drizzle about half of the prepared vinaigrette over the spinach and toss gently to coat the leaves evenly without bruising them.
- Layer the Salad: Transfer the dressed spinach to a large platter or keep in the same bowl. Arrange the shredded cabbage, microgreens, thawed peas, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, pickled (or raw) red onions, green olives, avocado, crumbled cheese, pistachios, and sunflower seeds over the greens in a decorative pattern.
- Season and Garnish: Sprinkle the salad with additional kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Add more vinaigrette if desired, or serve the remaining dressing on the side for guests to add themselves.
Notes
- For best results, store the salad undressed in the refrigerator for 4-5 days; add the dressing just before serving to keep the greens crisp.
- Customize the salad by swapping cheeses, seeds, or vegetables based on what you have on hand or your personal preferences.
- If making ahead, slice or add avocado just before serving to prevent browning.
- The vinaigrette can be made in advance and stored in a jar in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: about 1/6 of salad
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 23g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 15mg