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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).
This beautiful vegetarian (or vegan!) salad is a satisfying combination of earthy grains, crunchy carrots, and creamy avocado with a sweet-savory dressing.
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).
Wild Rice and Broccolini Salad
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.
This robustly flavored hearty pasta salad with ramps and chicken is a total Spring treat, when those wild scallions are in season.
Pea Shoot Salad with Shrimp, Goat Cheese and Citrus Vinaigrette
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.
This pretty, vegetable-filled brown rice salad is the perfect side for cookouts and a welcome offering 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. Perfect for robust greens!
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 cucumber 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.