Description
This Bright Spring Salad is a fresh and vibrant dish perfect for a light meal or a side. Packed with tender asparagus, sweet peas, crisp radishes, creamy avocado, tangy feta, and crunchy pistachios and chickpeas, all tossed in a zesty basil-lemon vinaigrette. It's simple, nutritious, and bursting with seasonal flavors.
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 bunch asparagus, tender parts, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- ½ cup frozen peas, thawed
- A few handfuls salad greens
- 2 radishes, thinly sliced
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ½ avocado, pitted and diced
- ¼ cup chopped toasted pistachios
- ½ cup roasted chickpeas
- Fresh herbs for garnish (basil, mint, and/or chives)
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Dressing
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, or a mix of basil and mint leaves
- 1 small garlic clove
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as desired
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Blanch the asparagus and peas: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and prepare a bowl of ice water. Add the chopped asparagus to the boiling water and cook for about 1 minute until tender but still bright green. Immediately transfer the asparagus to the ice water for 1 minute to stop the cooking process. Drain and pat dry, then place the asparagus back into a bowl and add thawed peas.
- Prepare the dressing: In a food processor, combine basil leaves, garlic clove, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, white wine vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, and sea salt. Pulse until well combined and smooth. Adjust seasoning by adding more salt or olive oil as desired.
- Toss asparagus and peas with dressing: Pour half of the dressing over the asparagus and peas mixture and toss gently to coat evenly. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
- Assemble the salad: Arrange salad greens on a serving platter. Layer the dressed asparagus and peas on top, followed by sliced radishes, crumbled feta cheese, diced avocado, toasted pistachios, roasted chickpeas, and fresh herbs for garnish.
- Finish and serve: Drizzle the remaining dressing over the assembled salad. Season with additional salt and freshly ground pepper as needed. Serve immediately to enjoy fresh and vibrant flavors.
Notes
- Blanching the asparagus briefly preserves its bright color and crisp-tender texture.
- The dressing can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Adjust the herbs in the dressing to your preference—mint or chives work well alongside basil.
- Use roasted chickpeas for added crunch and protein; they can be store-bought or homemade.
- To keep avocado from browning quickly, add it just before serving and toss gently.
