Not just for summer: 10 healthy, quick and colorful spring salads
With asparagus, beans, strawberries, fresh herbs, legumes, rice or pasta: ten ideas that are particularly well suited when spring calls for lighter, livelier and more varied dishes.
You don't have to wait until summer to get a taste for salad. Spring already changes the way of cooking and, above all, of eating: it is time to lighten the plate, to give more space to vegetables, to recover fresh herbs and to take advantage of ingredients that are particularly good at this time of the year. It is also the time for strawberries, asparagus or beans, but not only that. There are salads that work in spring because they combine color, freshness and a certain lightness; others, because they allow you to assemble complete meals without having to make a big mess.
As there are never too many ideas when the weather begins to soften, here are ten salads designed for this time of the year.
Salad with warm goat cheese
There are salads that stand on lightness, and others, like this one, on contrast. Here the attraction lies in the barely tempered goat cheese, more creamy and intense, as opposed to the freshness of the green leaves and tomato. The whole also gains interest with the unexpected crunchiness of the fried corn, which breaks the softness of the dish and prevents everything from being too predictable.
Asparagus, feta and walnuts
If one had to choose a salad with a distinctly springtime feel, this one would be among the first. Asparagus has the ability to sum up the season in a single ingredient: it is fresh, elegant and expressive enough to support the dish almost on its own. Here, moreover, they find a good counterpoint in the feta, which adds a saline touch, and in the walnuts, which add texture and a deeper nuance.
We take advantage of the last asparagus of the season to concoct a delicious salad with ultra colorful and gourmet asparagus! :-) Ideal as a healthy vegetarian starter , to bring on a picnic or even to accompany your barbecue, this original salad...
Brazilian salad -salpicão-.
It may not be the most spring-like salad in the bucolic sense of the term, but it fits very well when temperatures rise and outdoor meals start to multiply. The Brazilian salpicão has just what is appreciated in this context: it is served cold, it is colorful, it mixes textures and has that casual and appetizing touch that keeps it away from any sad salad. Between the chicken, the apple, the vegetables, the creamy sauce and the straw potatoes, it fits perfectly in a picnic or barbecue.
Rice noodles with prawns, avocado and egg
Here spring is less noticeable in the specific ingredient than in the type of dish: complete, fresh and very easy to assemble. The best thing about this salad is not only the mix of flavors, but the play of textures. In front of the juiciness of the salmon and the vegetable freshness of the cucumber or the carrot, appears that crunchy rice, barely browned, which brings relief and makes each bite more interesting. It is a contrasting dish, one of those that does not remain flat in the mouth.
Beans with bacon
The interesting thing about this salad is that it does not stop at the vegetable freshness of some beans that have just come into season. It also has a deeper and more flavorful point thanks to the bacon, which contrasts well with its tender texture, while the vinaigrette and the seeds finish giving relief to the whole. A very springtime dish: green, lively and very tasty to make the most of tender broad beans when they are at their best.
A simple salad that breaks the routine! Thanks to fava beans, you won't feel hungry just 2 hours after lunch. Rich in protein, these legumes are filling and help you stay satisfied until your next meal. Additionally, their iron and vitamin content...
Tortellini with cold pesto
Cold pasta starts to make sense long before the summer, especially when a good pesto enters the scene. Here it does not act as a simple dressing, but as the thread that sews the whole dish: it perfumes the tortellini, gives relief to the mozzarella and accompanies very well the point of the dried tomato. The result is a tasty, fresh salad with a herbaceous profile that fits very well at this time of the year.
Are you used to enjoying tortellini hot? Now, try them in a cold salad! What could be better than a pasta salad when the sun invites itself to the meal? Here, add both color and flavor to your dish by pairing tortellini with cherry tomatoes, mozzarella...
Crispy rice with salmon
This is one of those salads that work very well at that time of the year when you feel like eating fresher, but you are not looking for too light dishes. Cook long grain rice, mix it with salmon and some fresh elements, such as cucumber, radishes or avocado. A citrus dressing gives the final touch and reinforces the sensation of a lighter and livelier dish.
Transform your day-old rice into an ultra-crisp salad full of pep! With golden rice with red curry paste, salmon, crunchy vegetables and a soya-ginger-lime sauce to liven things up, this crispy rice salad is an explosion of flavors. Fresh, spicy,...
Chickpeas with cod
It is not a salad that stands out for a strictly springtime ingredient, but for the kind of dish that appeals when the weather changes. It has legumes, fish and a lively dressing, so it is filling without being heavy. That's why it works so well on those mild days when you don't feel like a spoon, but rather a fresh and satisfying meal.
For a light, nutritious and flavorful meal, our chickpea and cod salad is sure to please! The perfect recipe to take along for a sunny picnic lunch. And a new way to get the whole family to eat fish (and if you also think about cooking cod au gratin,...
Lentils with feta
If I tell you a sunny day and lentils, you might get all the wrong idea. But don't worry: here we are not talking about a stew, but about a salad that uses this legume as a base. The color and contrast are provided by feta cheese, tomato and red onion. A mild dressing rounds off the whole and gives rise to a salad in which freshness and consistency coexist without getting in each other's way. The result is a fresh, tasty and satisfying dish, surprisingly useful for a midweek meal.
Tabbouleh of fresh herbs
It does not depend on a single seasonal ingredient, but it fits very well when the good weather starts because of its clean, green and unabashedly refreshing profile. Here the semolina provides the base, yes, but it is the parsley, mint and lemon that really rule, giving the whole thing that lively air that works so well in a salad of this type. The key is to keep it loose, herbaceous and light.
Perfect as a side for a barbecue, for a picnic, or a hassle-free meal, this tabbouleh will be ideal! Refreshingly cool, you'll enjoy this recipe filled with flavors thanks to the chopped herbs. Here, no cooking required! Simply mix your ingredients...
And dessert salad: strawberries, tomato, feta and basil.
Few combinations are as appropriate for spring as this one. Strawberries are starting to be at their best and, when crossed with tomato, feta cheese and basil, the result is a fresh, colorful and well-balanced salad. If you want to give it a little more texture, feel free to finish it off by adding some. chopped pistachios or walnuts.
Fresh, juicy and colorful, this red fruit salad is always a hit at the table! Perfect as a light dessert or snack, this recipe combines ripe fruit with a touch of lime, a little agave syrup and a few mint leaves for even more freshness . Simple to...
In the end, what makes these salads especially attractive in spring is not just that they are quick or lighter. It is that they respond well to the moment: they take advantage of ingredients that are now more lucid or fit with that way of eating that comes when the year begins to open. Greener, fresher, more casual and, almost always, more grateful.
Patricia González
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