Description
This Spring Salad is a fresh, vibrant, and nutritious dish that celebrates the best of the season’s produce. Packed with crisp baby greens, crunchy radishes, refreshing cucumber, juicy cherry tomatoes, roasted chickpeas, fresh herbs, and creamy plant-based feta, it offers a perfect balance of tangy, sweet, and savory flavors. Quick and easy to prepare, this salad is ideal for a light dinner or energizing lunch, featuring a zesty natural dressing made with apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard (natural), honey (natural), and extra virgin olive oil.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- 4 cups mixed baby greens
- 6 radishes, thinly sliced
- 1 medium cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup plant-based feta, crumbled
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (natural)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (natural)
- 1 teaspoon honey (natural)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For Roasting Chickpeas
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Ingredients: Thoroughly wash and dry the baby greens, radishes, cucumber, tomatoes, and fresh herbs. Thinly slice the radishes, cucumber, and red onion to ensure a uniform crunchy texture and vivid color in each bite.
- Roast the Chickpeas: Drain and rinse the chickpeas well. Toss them lightly with olive oil, ground cumin, smoked paprika, and salt. Spread on a baking sheet and roast at 400°F (200°C) for about 20 minutes until crispy, stirring halfway through.
- Make the Dressing: In a small jar, combine apple cider vinegar (natural), lemon juice, Dijon mustard (natural), honey (natural), and extra virgin olive oil. Shake well until the dressing is emulsified and bright.
- Assemble the Salad: In a large bowl, gently mix the baby greens, radishes, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, mint, parsley, and red onion. Fold in the roasted chickpeas and crumbled plant-based feta. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss lightly to combine flavors without bruising the greens.
Notes
- Use fresh, crisp ingredients for the best texture and flavor.
- Dry your greens thoroughly using a salad spinner to prevent sogginess.
- Adjust the acidity and sweetness of the dressing to your taste preferences.
- Add chickpeas last to keep them crispy.
- Chill the salad for 15-20 minutes before serving to meld flavors.
- Store leftover salad components and dressing separately in airtight containers for freshness.
- This salad is best enjoyed fresh; do not freeze.
- To keep the salad vegan, replace honey (natural) with maple syrup or agave nectar (natural).
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Seasonal
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 230 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: spring salad, fresh salad, plant-based feta, roasted chickpeas, healthy salad, vegan salad, seasonal produce, quick salad
