13 Spring Salads That Go With Everything

Get a full taste of spring with this baby spinach, pea, and asparagus salad topped with herbed goat cheese. Blanch the asparagus and peas, make the herbed goat cheese, and whisk together the dressing up to 1 day ahead. When you're ready to serve, toss the spinach and veggies with the dressing, top with the cheese, and dinner is ready. For ease in coating the goat cheese with herbs and cutting it into neat rounds, be sure to use the plastic wrap to help you roll it and keep it together as you slice.

The beauty of seasonal produce comes to life in this bright spring salad. A simple trip to your farmers market should cover all the basics, but feel free to add or remove any ingredients you prefer. Radishes are a great use-it-all veggie, making them a highly economical buy. Instead of chopping off the greens and trashing them, rinse them clean and toss them in salads and stir-fries. They lend a peppery taste that adds savory depth to an array of spring dishes. 

Just a hint of char on the asparagus adds fantastic complexity to this simple 5-ingredient spring salad. Look for medium stalks rather than pencil-thin ones—those would char and dry out too quickly. A soft-boiled egg adds protein and richness; let the slightly runny yolks mingle with the rest of the salad before enjoying. Whole-milk Greek yogurt has a lusciousness and milder tang than lower-fat yogurt. It's the perfect binder for the lemony dressing. Serve with a slice of multigrain bread spread with goat cheese and a dash of cracked black pepper.

Start with a handful of peak produce, and you'll have a great salad every time. Asparagus, radishes, peas, and delicate herbs celebrate the bounty of late spring. Remember that the fat in a salad doesn't have to come from oil in the dressing; a drizzle of browned butter brings everything together here.

The bright, fresh flavors of mint and lemon-tahini dressing provide just the right counterbalance for the bitter bite of radicchio in this salad. For the tastiest radicchio, go for a crisp, fresh head with tight leaves and little to no bruising. For a kid-friendly version, swap chopped romaine or spinach for the radicchio. Serve as a side with grilled lamb chops or chicken or double it for a satisfying vegetarian main.

Tender lettuce allows flavor-forward radish and Parmesan to shine. 

Lightly cooked radishes develop rounder flavor, with less pungency and a touch of sweetness, while staying crisp at the core. The simple avocado puree adds silky creaminess to the mix. If you can’t find pea greens, arugula or watercress would also work well here.

Look for pea tendrils or shoots at your farmers market or Asian markets; if you can't find them, substitute watercress or arugula.

Build the salad on large slices of ripe tomato for a main that looks and feels more substantial.

Pretty ribbons of rainbow carrots, bright radishes, and vibrant green snap peas make this spring side a feast for the eyes. Go for multicolored radishes if you can—the more color the better here. Sprinkling the carrots and radishes with a pinch of salt and setting them aside while you make the dressing softens them just enough to make them easier to eat without losing any of the crunch. The miso-ginger flavors in the carrot dressing would pair well with stir-fried chicken tenders seasoned with reduced-sodium tamari and a touch of sesame oil.

Eat more produce; you'll feel better. We stick to in-season root vegetables and spruce them up with plenty of fresh dill.

Getting your hands on a Y-shaped vegetable peeler is the secret to long and beautiful carrot ribbons. Although we used regular carrots here, multicolored carrots would make a vibrant addition to this salad. To save time, make the dressing and carrot ribbons ahead of time. Pro tip: Soak the ribbons in ice water to get a nice distinct curl.

Earthy beets and sweet berries are a lovely match. Roasting the berries softens them and concentrates their flavor, so they taste like strawberries intensified by a factor of 10.