Bright Lemon Spring Salad (Print Version)

A vibrant spring mix with radishes, peas, and zesty lemon dressing, perfect for fresh seasonal flavors.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 4 cups mixed spring greens such as arugula, baby spinach, and watercress
02 - 1 cup sugar snap peas, trimmed and sliced diagonally
03 - 1 cup fresh or thawed frozen green peas
04 - 6 radishes, thinly sliced
05 - 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced

→ Lemon Vinaigrette

06 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
08 - 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
09 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
10 - 1 teaspoon honey
11 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
12 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Garnish

13 - 2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped
14 - 2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese, optional

# How to Make It:

01 - In a large salad bowl, combine mixed greens, sugar snap peas, green peas, radishes, and red onion.
02 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
03 - Drizzle lemon vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
04 - Transfer to a serving platter or individual bowls.
05 - Top with fresh chives and crumbled feta cheese if using. Serve immediately.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It comes together in 15 minutes, which means you can make it on a busy weeknight without feeling like you're sacrificing real food.
  • The vinaigrette is so simple and balanced that it teaches you something about how three ingredients—lemon, mustard, and oil—can actually taste like more than the sum of their parts.
  • Radishes stop being an afterthought and become the star, their peppery bite balanced by sweetness from peas and honey.
02 -
  • Don't dress the salad more than a few minutes before eating, or the greens will begin to soften; if you're making this ahead, keep the dressing separate and combine just before serving.
  • The honey in the vinaigrette isn't about sweetness—it's about texture and balance, making the dressing silky and preventing the lemon from tasting too sharp.
03 -
  • Pat your salad greens dry before assembling—any excess water will dilute the dressing and make the whole thing taste flat.
  • Make the vinaigrette in a jar instead of a bowl, and you can shake it up again right before serving if the oil and lemon have started to separate.
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