One of the many, many, many reasons to be excited about Spring is that the world of salads starts to open and blossom in a billion ways. I make salads pretty much 365 days a year, but there’s no denying that they become overall easier to pull together and more spontaneously dazzling in the warmer months.
Love this quote from Elizabeth David:
“I don’t altogether agree that a plain green salad ever becomes a bore – not, that is, if it’s made with fresh, well-drained crisp greenstuff and a properly seasoned dressing of good-quality olive oil and a sound wine vinegar. But I do agree that all this talk about ‘tossed salads’ is a bore; it seems to me that a salad and its dressing are things we should take more or less for granted at a meal, like bread and salt; and not carry on about them.”
Elizabeth David (1913-1992) ‘The Spectator’, 1961
How wonderful is this language?
39 Salad Recipes for Spring
This is the salad for people who might not think a main-course salad is really a thing. (And if you’ve ever ordered Chinese Chicken Salad on a menu, this is for you.)
This pasta salad is portable and flexible. It’s also a nice way to play around with the vegetables of the season.
Proof that salads can be sexy.
A great grain and vegetable salad for all kinds of occasions.
Pretty and delicious, with a nice little kick.
A Mediterranean twist on a very classic Middle Eastern bulgur wheat salad
This chicken salad has a little heat and a lot of crunch.
The flavors of Korean cooking are front and center in this recipe. It’s an amazing balance of spicy and sweet and savory.
This salad has a whole lot going on in terms of color, texture, taste, and nutrition.
When you can’t decide between salad and steak (and you want have your steak but eat it, too – or something like that).
A very nice thing to happen to a bowl of quinoa.
Leftovers join forces to become this better-than-I-expected salad.
Bright and beautiful and free from regrets. Wish I could say that about everything in my life.
So easy, so colorful, so make ahead, so crowd-pleasing….and actually a vegan pasta salad, too).
Delicious, make-ahead, portable, room temperature – there is a lot to love about this grain salad.
Adding grains to green salads gives them a definite level of umph.
This summery dish pretty well underscores the thought that we eat with our eyes.
Mix and match any lettuces and herbs you like as a bed for this soft, savory slow cooked salmon.
A big bowl of Greek salad is one of the most satisfying lunches or dinners on the planet.
I love the way the additional of a couple of handfuls of cooked whole grains adds so much heft and interest to a salad.
This dish turns lunch into a luncheon.
A little bistro in your very own house.
A room temperature salad made with Mediterranean couscous is one of my pernennial go-to’s.
A must-make when corn is in season. This is such a good looking and satisfying salad for later summer.
The salad for anyone who can't get enough of that great peanutty chicken satay dressing. A serious salad meal.
Chicken salad meets Spring. This pasta salad is heavy on the chicken.
Don’t let the preciousness of the title fool you – this is one hell of a good salad.
This is so, so pretty, and can be made ahead, which is great when you have a crew of guests.
A fantastic Thai twist on a steak salad. Gary said he would have paid good money for this meal. Aw.
This was one of the best lunches ever, just that perfect chopped salad.
A springtime pasta perfect for a picnic, a buffet, or for a potluck.
The perfect thing to bring to a potluck.
This smooth and robust dressing gets its flavor from soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar and garlic, with a touch of heat.
Greens and sliced vegetables, get slicked with a garlicky, lemony yogurt dressing.
This is the perfect Caesar salad recipe: cheesy, crunchy, creamy, just like the one you would order in a restaurant, but so easy to make.
Crispy and slightly pickley, this salad is light and crunchy and very refreshing.
Chunky and creamy and satisfying. This, like pretty much all salads, is a super flexible recipe.
What's green and white and red all over? This perfect little side salad.