The weather’s warming up, the leaves are coming out, and the garden is beginning to provide. You know what that means; it’s time to dig up some fresh spring salad recipes!
To help satisfy your craving for the crispy, crunchy, delightful flavors of the season, we’ve rounded up 22 amazing spring salad recipe ideas. Each of these gorgeous dishes features a different variety of spring veggies, a unique homemade dressing, and some other great surprises.
With this fantastic list, you’ll have enough spring salad ideas to get you all the way through to autumn!
Table of Contents
The Best Spring Salad Recipes
1. Fresh Spring Salad
Vegan, Gluten-free, Nut-free, Soy-free | Total time: 55 minutes
This beautiful fresh spring salad takes a little time to throw together, but it is well worth the effort. Zesty arugula and crunchy blanched asparagus provide a bed of green for the deliciously complex textures of creamy vegan feta, plump chickpeas, and chewy farro.
Dress it all in a fresh and tangy lemon dill vinaigrette, and you have a salad you’ll want to eat day after day.
2. Vegan Lemony Spring Pasta Salad
Vegan, Gluten-free, Nut-free, Soy-free | Total time: 45 minutes
I love a hearty pasta salad, and it doesn’t get much heartier than this lemony spring pasta salad from The First Mess. In addition to deliciously starchy noodles, this dish features protein-packed chickpeas and green peas to help fill you up.
Blanched asparagus, green onions, and crunchy radishes round out the salad and, along with the lemon dressing, bring a flavor explosion with every bite.
3. Spring Salad with Lemon, Mint, and Peas
Vegan, Gluten-free, Nut-free, Soy-free | Total time: 10 minutes
Looking for a side dish or easy-prep salad to help celebrate the spring season? This minty, lemony, fresh-veggie-packed recipe has you covered.
Sugar snap peas, radishes, cucumbers, and artichoke hearts come together over a bed of fresh spring greens to create a base that looks as beautiful as it tastes. Topped with fresh mint and a refreshing lemon dressing, this salad brings spring straight to your taste buds.
And the best part? This salad requires zero cooking and can be made in just 10 minutes!
4. Spring Grain Salad
Vegan, Gluten-free, Nut-free, Soy-free | Total time: 30 minutes
This amazing spring grain salad recipe pairs sauteed Brussel sprouts, asparagus, and green peas with fresh radishes and avocados for a crunchy, yet deeply satisfying salad. All those gorgeous veggies get tossed with a bed of chewy farro for a filling salad that’s just as comfortable as a side as it is as a main course.
The cooked farro and sauteed veggies mean this dish takes a little more effort to create, but it can still be thrown together in less than 30 minutes and is well worth the time.
5. Spring Barley and Asparagus Salad
Vegan, Gluten-free, Nut-free, Soy-free | Total time: 1 hour
Like farro, barley has an amazingly chewy texture that pairs wonderfully with fresh and crispy spring veggies. In this salad recipe from The Vegan Atlas, cooked barley is tossed with steamed asparagus and peas, cabbage, carrots, black olives, and cucumbers for a chewy, crunchy taste sensation.
Top with homemade vinaigrette or your favorite store-bought spring dressing for a healthy dinner that won’t disappoint.
6. Ode to Spring Salad
Vegan, Gluten-free, Soy-free | Total time: 1 hour
Move over greens, this ode to spring is all about thick, crunchy veggies. Baked asparagus, sauteed green beans, and fresh sugar snap peas—these simple ingredients are flavor-charged thanks to various preparation methods.
You can even air-fry the asparagus and green beans to bring this dish to a new level.
In either case, top with fresh sunflower sprouts and roasted cashews for a delightfully healthy lunch or dinner side salad.
7. Strawberry Spinach Salad
Vegetarian, Gluten-free, Soy-free, Nut-free | Total time: 10 mins
This classic spring spinach salad can easily be made vegan by substituting goat cheese for vegan feta. In either case, these soft crumbles pair brilliantly with the avocado to add a creamy texture.
Combined with the crunch of the spinach and tartness created by strawberries and raspberry vinaigrette, this spring salad is sure to be a hit at any brunch.
8. Loaded Quinoa Salad with Maple Dijon Dressing
Vegan, Gluten-free, Soy-free, Nut-free | Total time: 10 mins
This dish from My Pure Plants has all the makings of a classic spring salad but with a ton of added flair. For one, it features protein-packed quinoa along with spring greens. On top of that is a whole medley of berries—basically, whatever you have on hand!
But what really sets this dish apart is the homemade cinnamon toasted pecans. These and the rest of the salad are dressed in an extra dose of sweetness thanks to the maple dijon vinaigrette.
9. Easy Broccoli Salad
Vegan, Gluten-free, Soy-free, Nut-free | Total time: 15 mins
Coleslaw with a spring salad twist? Yes, please!
This easy broccoli salad starts with a fresh broccoli and carrot slaw base for some serious crunch. Throw in dried cranberries and red onion to create a uniquely complex flavor. And top it all off with a traditional vegan mayo sweet and sour dressing, and you’ve got spring coleslaw!
Super easy to make and the perfect slaw for outdoor gatherings, this salad is sure to be one of your new favorites.
10. Spinach Avocado Strawberry Salad
Vegan, Gluten-free, Soy-free, Oil-free | Total time: 10 mins
This take on a classic spring salad is oil-free and bursting with fresh flavor and tons of nutrition.
To make this great salad, you’ll start with a bed of baby spinach. Heap on fresh strawberries, cubed avocado, and zesty red onion. Then top it all with pecans (or not, for a nut-free version) and homemade creamy balsamic dressing.
12. Asparagus Salad with Lemon Chia Dressing
Vegan, Gluten-free, Soy-free, Oil-free | Total time: 20 mins
My Quiet Kitchen brings us this wonderfully simple but delicious spring salad recipe.
It starts with a base of romaine, blanched asparagus, and colorful radishes. Cover that all in the delightfully creamy, oil-free lemon chia dressing, and you’re good to go!
We recommend making a bottle of the dressing and keeping it in your fridge. That way, all you have to do is blanch the asparagus and chop the radishes, and this salad is ready to go for a healthy lunch or weeknight side.
13. Chickpea and Cucumber Salad
Vegan, Gluten-free, Soy-free, Oil-free, Nut-free | Total time: 10 mins
This awesome salad may be verging on summer, but it’s too dang good not to include on this list.
Cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and mushrooms combine with hearty chickpeas to create a combination of flavors and textures you’ll love. The simple dressing of lemon juice, vinegar, and balsamic pulls it all together for a tangy mix that tastes amazing when set over your favorite spring greens.
The best part is that this salad takes less than ten minutes to throw together.
14. Roasted Asparagus Salad with Creamy Garlic Cashew Dressing
Vegan, Gluten-free, Soy-free | Total time: 25 mins
Roasted asparagus and radishes make a great base for this amazing salad, but it’s the creamy garlic cashew dressing that makes this one of our favorite spring dishes.
The trick to getting that deliciously creamy feel is the combination of cashews and oil in a high-powered blender. Add garlic and dijon to that mix and the product is more than worth the 25 minutes it will take to put this delicious salad together.
15. Tuscan Cannellini Bean Salad
Vegan, Gluten-free, Nut-free, Soy-free | Total time: 10 mins
Here’s another fresh, flavorful salad you can start making in spring and continue to find fresh ingredients for right through summer.
The star of this one is the cherry tomatoes. Not only do they add a delicious acid tang, but, if you can find a mix, they bring plenty of color as well.
Mix the cherry tomatoes with canned cannellini beans for that uniquely Tuscan feel and a boost of protein (or feel free to use another type of bean). The homemade red wine vinegar dressing brings it all together in just ten minutes for an easy lunch or weeknight dinner.
16. Israeli Couscous Salad
Vegan, Gluten-free, Nut-free, Soy-free | Total time: 22 mins
This Israeli couscous salad is another great Mediterranean-style salad that I love to make during those first warm spring months.
In addition to some great fresh veggies, this salad includes tangy olives and canned artichoke hearts. Combined with the chewy texture and earthiness of the quinoa, this dish brings surprisingly complex flavors to the table.
Perfect for those early-season potlucks or easy-prep work lunches.
17. Vegan Quinoa Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
Vegan, Gluten-free, Nut-free, Soy-free | Total time: 20 mins
One of the things you can almost always count on from quinoa salads, aside from great flavor, is a beautiful array of colors. This quinoa salad with lemon vinaigrette is no exception.
Purple cabbage, orange carrots, and green peas really pop against the neutral background of quinoa. And the flavors they bring are just as apparent when heightened by the tangy lemon vinaigrette dressing.
Super easy to make and light on ingredients, this salad makes the perfect side dish or weekday lunch.
18. Quinoa Black Bean Salad
Vegan, Gluten-free, Nut-free, Soy-free | Total time: 30 mins
Looking for a little spice in your life this spring? This zesty quinoa salad features a ton of great fresh flavors and a touch of heat thanks to the unique homemade dressing.
Cucumber, black beans, and bell peppers are topped with a simple lemon dressing with cumin and cayenne to give it a little zing. Perfect for backyard parties, weeknight dinners, and any time in between, this salad is absolutely worth the bookmark.
19. Spring Vegetable Freekeh Salad
Vegetarian, Nut-free, Soy-free | Total time: 35 mins
Get your spring freak on with this fun and colorful freekeh salad.
Freekah is a Middle Eastern wheat grain picked young and toasted, resulting in a unique nutty and smoky flavor. It is not gluten-free but is better tolerated by those with sensitivities than modern wheat. Plus, it’s loaded with nutrients, fiber, and protein.
Pulling all the flavors together in this veggie-packed grain salad is an awesome citrus dill vinaigrette that you are absolutely going to want to make in bulk.
20. White Asparagus Salad
Vegetarian, Nut-free, Gluten-free, Soy-free | Total time: 30 mins
White asparagus has a tendency to show up at the farmer’s market only to mysteriously disappear days later. So if you happen to catch sight of this ghost-like, short-season plant, it’s best to buy it in bulk. Then take those stalks home and make this awesome salad.
Unlike traditional asparagus, these stalks are grown without sunlight, causing the chlorophyll to not develop and giving them a uniquely bitter flavor. That bitterness is perfectly complemented in this salad with feta cheese and chili oil.
Add to the mix some patty pan squash, parsley, and toasted pine nuts, and you’ve got a unique salad you won’t soon forget.
21. Asparagus, Green Garlic, and Pea Tendrils Salad
Vegan, Nut-free, Gluten-free, Soy-free, Oil-free | Total time: 15 mins
Don’t let the name throw you, this salad is impressively easy to make and the perfect way to put your over-productive pea plants to use.
All you’ll need is one pan, asparagus, green garlic (or regular garlic), and a handful of pea tendrils. Throw all the ingredients into the pan, saute them up and toss with balsamic vinegar.
If you don’t have any peas growing in the garden, you can always substitute arugula or another spring green. Or, skip this ingredient altogether and enjoy some delicious balsamic asparagus as a side dish!
22. Vegan Kachumber Salad
Vegan, Nut-free, Gluten-free, Soy-free, Oil-free | Total time: 5 mins
This traditional Indian salad is simple, quick to make, and can be easily adjusted based on what spring veggies are producing in your garden.
The one thing you don’t want to adjust, though, is this awesome dressing. Mint, chaat masala, red chili powder, and lime juice bring a little heat, a little sweet, and a lot of tang that compliments all veggies beautifully.
Plus, that lime juice really helps preserve the freshness of the produce. I like to make a big bowl of this salad at the beginning of the week and take some to work each day.
Bonus Recipe
Looking for a spring salad to make right now? Try our best spring salad recipe below and top with our Raspberry or Lemon vinaigrette dressing.
Best Spring Salad
Ingredients
- 12 spears asparagus
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- salt and black pepper to taste
- ¾ cup quinoa assorted
- 1 head lettuce approx. 4 cups, torn or chopped
- 1 cup strawberries halved
Instructions
- Start by preparing the asparagus. Cut off the thick, tough ends of the spears. Then, cut the asparagus into 2-inch pieces. Spread them on a lined baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast at 375 F for about 15 minutes until the asparagus is tender.
- Use this time to prepare the rest of the ingredients and the dressing. Toss the lettuce, strawberries, and quinoa together in a mixing bowl.
- Once the asparagus is ready, plate the salad, add asparagus and drizzle some dressing (if using). Garnish with flowers and fresh mint, and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
I grew up in Colorado under the influence of three generations of knowledgeable women who knew their way around the garden. I graduated from Colorado State University with a bachelor of science in biology and a minor in English. A year before graduation, my life was upended by an unexpected diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes.
Facing the reality of living with an incurable autoimmune disease I left to reflect hard on my lifestyle. While this type of diabetes cannot be cured or treated with diet, I was certain that focusing on my health and fueling my body with clean food would help better manage the condition. As a lifelong animal lover, it wasn’t difficult for me to transition fully to a vegan diet.
When I'm not constructing articles for clients, you can find me wrist-deep in dirt in my vegetable garden, hiking with my dogs, or back in front of the computer creating imaginative worlds in my quest to become a published fiction writer.
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