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GET IT NOWNothing Says Spring Like My Vibrant Spring Salad Recipe
This spring salad light, fresh, and packed with all my favorite seasonal vegetables this time of year. Not to mention so colorful. It will turn any meal from boring to bright. Here’s why:
- Bright spring colors with lots of texture – If you care about such things like I do, my spring salad has every shade of green, from light to deep, with a pop of bright pink. But more importantly, it’s got a mix of crisp, crunchy, tangy, and creamy textures. Anything but boring!
- Dreamy dill dressing – Unlike most spring salad recipes, mine has a creamy dressing that’s still light for this time of year. I got the inspiration for it from my taco bowls, which use a similar sauce, but this time I made it thinner and swapped the cilantro for dill. Hello, spring!
- Quick and easy – With only 2 veggies that need chopping, this salad comes together in minutes.
- Versatile – I love making this one as a quick side for dinner or even a light lunch with a protein added, but it also looks special on the table with your Mother’s Day or Easter recipes.
If you’re feeling ready to end the winter blues and welcome the sunshine, make this spring salad recipe with me!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my spring salad recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
Spring Salad:
- Spring Mix – Baby spinach or arugula also make great options for spring. I’ve also tried butter lettuce for a softer texture or romaine when I want more crunch.
- Watermelon Radishes – My grocery store sometimes carries them, but more often I have to send my husband to an Asian or kosher market to get them. They’re worth it! You’ll need 1-2, depending on size, to make a cup. If you can’t find any, regular radishes work fine.
- Cucumbers – Persian cucumbers are the sweetest without too many seeds.
- Peas – I highly recommend fresh ones. Thawed frozen peas work, but I’d choose fresh sugar snap peas over those if regular peas aren’t an option. Don’t use canned peas for spring salad — they’re too mushy.
- Cheese – I used crumbled goat cheese. Feta, parmesan, or fresh mozzarella make great substitutes.
- Pumpkin Seeds – For crunch! Feel free to swap in sunflower seeds, or nuts, like sliced almonds or walnuts.
- Avocado – I like the visual of fanned sliced avocado. Feel free to dice if you prefer.
Creamy Dill Dressing:
- Sour Cream – My unusual base. Greek yogurt works too if you prefer something lighter (you may want to omit the lemon juice below if you make this swap). For a dairy-free option, I have dressing alternatives in my variations below.
- Milk & Olive Oil – This combo thins out the dressing. Feel free to use any oil or milk you’ve got (including alternative milks, like almond milk). I don’t recommend using oil alone, because I find the dressing stays thick even if you add a lot.
- Lemon Juice – A spring salad just needs it! It makes this dressing extra tangy, which I think pairs nicely with these spring flavors. If the tang from the sour cream is enough for you, you can easily replace it with more milk.
- Fresh Dill – My favorite spring herb! Other fresh herbs, like parsley, basil, mint, or chives, also work well.
- Sea Salt – You can add black pepper too, but I didn’t find it necessary.
How To Make This Spring Salad
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Assemble the salad. Layer the spring mix, radishes, cucumbers, peas, goat cheese, pumpkin seeds, and avocado (in that order) on a platter.
- Make the dressing. Whisk all the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Combine. Drizzle the dressing over the spring salad and enjoy!
My Recipe Tips
- Use a mandoline to get extra thin slices of watermelon radishes. The texture tastes better that way. These radishes are fairly large, so I recommend cutting the slices into quarters to keep them bite sized.
- Slice the watermelon radishes right before serving. They tend to dry out as they sit! In fact, mine sat out a little too long for these pictures. 🫣
- This recipe makes 1/2 cup of dressing, or about 2 tablespoons per serving. You can add less to your salad if you like a lighter dressing amount.
- The amount of milk you need can vary depending on how thick your sour cream is. Just add more if your salad dressing seems too thick or start with less if your sour cream seems thin. Don’t try to thin out the dressing with oil – it just stayed thick when I tried that.
- I recommend drizzling on the dressing rather than pouring and tossing. It’s more vibrant that way, and the delicate greens handle it better.
- This salad looks prettier and is easier to scoop a combination of ingredients if you serve it on a large platter. If you don’t have one, though, a large bowl works just fine.
Spring Salad
My fresh, vibrant spring salad recipe features crisp veggies, creamy goat cheese & avocado, and tangy dill dressing. Make it in 15 minutes!
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Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.
Spring Salad:
Dill Dressing:
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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In a large bowl or on a large platter (I recommend a platter), layer the spring mix, watermelon radishes, cucumbers, peas, goat cheese, pumpkin seeds, and avocado, in that order.
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In a small bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients. If the dressing is too thick, thin it out with more milk.
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Drizzle the dressing over the salad. Enjoy!
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 cup
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips to help you get the best texture in your salad and dressing, a note about the dressing amount, and more.
- Variations: I’ve got more spring salad ideas in my variations section above, as well as ingredient swaps in the substitutions section.
- Store: Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 2-3 days, separate from the dressing if possible.
- Meal prep: Mix the dressing and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. I’ve also chopped the cucumbers the day before. The watermelon radishes are best sliced fresh.
- Note on nutrition info: The calculations do not include the optional lemon juice, but it doesn’t change the numbers much either way.
- Note on serving size: 1 cup is ideal for a side dish, but if you want to serve this as a meal with a light protein added, you may want to have 2 cups.
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Spring Ebook Bundle!
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Spring Salad
Recipe Variations
I struggled a bit with which seasonal veggies to add — I wanted to add them all! But it already felt like a little too many ingredients, so I opted for simplicity. Here are a few other spring salad ideas that make lovely additions here:
- Asparagus – I left it out to avoid any cooking. If you want to add it, I recommend blanching it first — see instructions in my asparagus salad recipe.
- Onions – I thought the bite from the radishes was enough, but if you want more, I’ve also made this with 1/3 cup of thinly sliced red onions.
- Artichoke Hearts – You’d probably get them canned, so they didn’t actually feel particularly seasonal to me. If you have leftover roasted artichokes, though, go ahead and toss in the hearts!
- Protein – To turn this spring salad into a vegetarian meal, add a few sliced hard boiled eggs, or a cup of chickpeas or beans. I have other protein ideas in the serving section below.
- Dressing Alternatives – If you’re not a fan of this creamy dressing or want one that’s dairy-free, you can swap in my sugar-free salad dressing (think honey and lemon flavors), lemon vinaigrette (simple and tangy with a hint of garlic), or green goddess dressing (herby and rich).
Serving Ideas
I meant it when I said this spring salad recipe is super versatile! Here are some ways I’ve served it:
- Lunch – Prep my healthy baked chicken (or lemon chicken to match the flavors here) in advance and fan it out over the salad. For seafood options, mix in some smoked salmon or saute shrimp in just a few minutes.
- Dinner – If it’s nice out, grilled chicken legs or grilled salmon are always a win. Staying in? Try my crispy baked chicken or baked flounder.
- Holidays – I have a new glazed ham recipe for Easter, or you can try boneless leg of lamb, which is also great for Passover. For Mother’s Day, this spring salad makes a great addition to a brunch spread with my eggs benedict casserole, banana oat pancakes, and even crab legs if you’re feeling fancy.
6 Comments
Linda
0This recipe was really yummy and healthy. I used feta instead because I already had it. This is going to be great this summer when I need something light to eat. This salad is going to be on my monthly meal rotation for lunch and dinner. Another great recipe like usual!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Linda! Feta sounds great. I’m so glad this is going on your regular meal rotation.
Sandra
0Looks delicious, will try it this week. Thanks
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thanks, Sandra! Please let me know what you think.
Barb
0Not simple enough. Don’t like having to run around for special ingredients.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Barb, With the exception of the watermelon radishes, there are no special ingredients in this recipe. Everything else should be available at your local grocery store, and I do mention in the post that you can use regular radishes if they’re easier for you to find.