Nothing sounds more like spring than the crispy crunch of a garden fresh salad...okay, and maybe the sound of birds chirping. Spring weather brings fresh, new produce like snap peas, asparagus, butter lettuce, and broccoli sprouts. One of the best ways to enjoy these fresh seasonal veggies is in a crisp, fresh salad. Toss together these spring salad recipes and bring some much-needed bright color and fresh taste to your dinner plate.

Recipe from Sprinkle of Green

This salad is creamy, crunchy, fresh and bright — everything you want in a delicious spring salad! Welcome spring with this tasty salad you can toss together in just 15 minutes.

Ingredients

Salad Dressing:

1 avocado, pitted and flesh scooped

1 lime, juiced

2 tablespoon light tahini

2 tablespoon olive oil

Large handful fresh basil

1 teaspoon miso paste

Salt & pepper, to taste

Water, to thin

Salad Greens:

2 heads butterhead lettuce

1 head of broccoli, chopped into florets

1 cup fresh green peas (can also use frozen)

1 beetroot, peeled

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds

Handful sprouts

Directions

For the dressing:

1. Simply whizz all the ingredients together in a lil' food processor or blender, or mash the avocado by hand and stir in the remaining ingredients.
2. Set aside while you prepare the salad.

For the greens:

1. Prepare the fresh peas by boiling in a pot of salted water for 5-8 minutes, and add the broccoli for the final 3 minutes. They're done when tender and bright green - drain and place into a large bowl with ice and water to stop the cooking.
2. Remove and discard outer leaves of the butterhead lettuce. Chop remaining leaves into bite-size pieces, rinse and dry. Set aside in a large bowl.
3. Chop beet in thin slices and place in bowl with lettuce.
4. Drain the peas and broccoli and add to the large bowl with the other salad ingredients and dressing.
5. Toss together and enjoy! Serves 4.

Recipe from The Mostly Vegan

This pasta salad is light, refreshing, and instantly hits the spot for those times when pasta cravings hit hard. Packed with seasonal veggies, welcome spring with this tasty dish.

Ingredients

3 cups dried whole wheat farfalle (bow-tie pasta)

1 bunch asparagus, chopped

1 bunch broccolini, chopped

1 heaping cup cherry tomatoes, halved

¼ cup frozen peas

¼ cup frozen corn

6 cloves garlic

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 lemons

red pepper flakes

sea salt & black pepper

parmesan cheese for serving (optional)

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta to boiling water and cook according to package directions, about 9 minutes for al dente pasta.
2. While the pasta cooks, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, broccolini and asparagus to the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes until veggies just begin to brown. Add peas, corn, and tomatoes to the pan. Season generously with sea salt, black pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Cook about 2 minutes more.
3. Drain pasta and add to the pan with the veggies. Lower heat to medium and toss with remaining tablespoon of olive oil.
4. Discard garlic cloves and zest one lemon directly over pasta. Toss to thoroughly mix in lemon zest. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if needed, or zest remaining lemon for a stronger lemon flavor.
5. Serve warm, sprinkled with parmesan cheese (optional). Makes 4 servings.

Recipe from Alexandra Cooks

When you add chopped fresh vegetables, lots of herbs, crispy pita, and fattoush dressing, you end up with a delicious Middle Eastern-inspired meal. Serve with extra pita chips and hummus for an authentic food experience.

Ingredients

Fattoush dressing:

1 small shallot, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon sumac

1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar

1 to 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Pita:

2 round pita bread

1 - 2 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp ground cumin

A pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

kosher salt, to taste

Salad:

2 heads Romaine, finely chopped

4 small cucumbers, diced

½ lb. snap or snow peas, strings removed, sliced thinly

4 radishes, thinly sliced

½ cup chives, finely chopped

1 cup mint, finely chopped

Directions

1. Make the dressing: Place the shallots, garlic, salt, sumac and vinegar in a small bowl. Let stand at least 15 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of the pomegranate molasses and the olive oil. Whisk to combine.
2. Make the pita: Heat the oven to 400ºF. If you are using thin pita, simply lay the two rounds of pita on a sheet pan. If you are using thick pita, separate each into two halves and place each half smooth side up on a sheet pan.
3. In a small bowl, stir together 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the cumin, and the crushed red pepper flakes, and coat the pita with oil mix. Season generously with salt all over.
4. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 6 to 8 minutes. Remove pan from oven and transfer pitas to a rack to cool.
5. Make the salad: In a large bowl, combine all of the salad ingredients. Pour most of the dressing over top. Toss and taste. Add the rest of the dressing, then break the pita into pieces over the salad. Toss again and serve.

Crisp and crunchy spring veggies can be enjoyed in a multitude of ways, but fresh salads are our fave! Add some taste and texture to your meals with these fresh and flavorful salad recipes. Which spring produce do you enjoy the most?