This Spring Salad is bursting with Spring produce and is tossed with a flavorful lemon-basil vinaigrette. It is the perfect salad for a potluck or Easter brunch!
1poundasparagus(1 bunch; 12 oz. after woody ends removed)
1tablespoonextra virgin olive oil
fine sea salt
5ouncesspring salad mix (or other baby lettuce)
1largecarrot, shredded
3radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced
1(15 oz.) canchickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/3cupfeta cheese crumbles
1ripe avocado, pitted, peeled, and sliced
Dressing
3tablespoonlemon juice
1/4cupextra virgin olive oil
1/4cupfresh basil leaves (tightly packed)
1tablespoonhoney
1clovegarlic
1/4teaspoonfine sea salt
1/8 teaspoonground black pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Remove the woody ends from the asparagus by bending the spears towards the bottom; they should snap where the tougher ends should be removed. Slice the asparagus into 1-inch pieces, then place them on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with the olive oil. Sprinkle the top with salt, and roast until it's tender, about 15 minutes. (If using thinner asparagus, it may be done in as little as 10 minutes.)
While the asparagus is cooking, prepare the dressing. In a blender, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, basil, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth, and adjust any seasoning to taste. For a sweeter dressing, you can add more honey, and for a more tangy dressing you can add more lemon juice, or a squeeze of spicy brown mustard.
When you're ready to assemble the salad, start with a bed of mixed greens, and top them with the shredded carrots, sliced radish, drained chickpeas, and roasted asparagus. Sprinkle on the feta cheese (or omit for a dairy-free salad), and add the sliced avocado right before serving, so it won't brown. Drizzle the dressing generously over the salad, and gently toss. Serve right away.
This salad dressing can be stored in an airtight container, separately from the other salad components, for up to 5 days in the fridge. Once the salad is tossed with the dressing, it will wilt if you store the leftovers, so it's best to only dress as much salad as you plan on eating, if you'd like to store more for later.
Notes
Nutrition information is for 1 of 4 servings, assuming you use ALL of the dressing, which you may not. This information is automatically calculated, and is just an estimate, not a guarantee. If serving this salad as a side, you may get closer to 6 servings, if people take smaller portions. For a vegan recipe, replace the honey with maple syrup and omit the feta cheese. You can add a tablespoon of tahini or almond butter to the dressing, to make it creamy instead.