Spring Pea Salad with Lemony Mint Vinaigrette Recipe
A fresh and vibrant Spring Pea Salad featuring crisp gem lettuce, colorful radishes, snap peas, English peas, creamy avocado, and tangy feta, all tossed in a bright, lemony mint vinaigrette. This light and refreshing salad is perfect for springtime and showcases a beautiful combination of textures and herbal flavors.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- 8 oz gem lettuce
- 4 radishes, thinly sliced
- 2 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced
- 4 oz snap peas, ends snapped off
- 4 oz (about 2/3 cup) English peas, blanched or steamed
- 1 avocado, cubed and spritzed with lemon juice
- 1 carrot, thinly sliced
- 4 oz feta cheese, cubed
- 2 oz pistachios, roughly chopped
- ½ cup fresh mint, chiffonade
- ½ cup fresh basil, chiffonade
Mint Vinaigrette Dressing
- Fresh mint (amount as preferred for dressing)
- Lemon juice (freshly squeezed, about 2-3 tablespoons)
- Olive oil (about ¼ cup)
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
To Serve
- Black pepper
- Lemon slices
Instructions
- Prep the Ingredients: Begin by washing and preparing all the vegetables. Thinly slice the radishes and Persian cucumbers. Snap the ends off the snap peas, and optionally slice some lengthwise for presentation. Blanch or steam the English peas until tender. Peel long strips of carrot using a vegetable peeler. Cube the avocado and spritz it with lemon juice to prevent browning, then sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Cube the feta cheese and roughly chop the pistachios.
- Prepare the Herbs: Stack the basil leaves, roll them tightly like a cigar, and slice them into thin ribbons using a sharp chef’s knife; this technique is called chiffonade. Repeat the chiffonade technique with the fresh mint leaves.
- Make the Lemony Mint Vinaigrette: In a blender or using a whisk, combine fresh mint leaves, freshly squeezed lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and black pepper to taste. Blend or whisk vigorously until the dressing is emulsified and well combined.
- Assemble the Salad: Arrange the gem lettuce on a large platter or serving bowl, roughly chopping some of the lettuce but leaving most leaves whole for texture. Layer the radishes, cucumbers, snap peas, English peas, avocado cubes, carrot strips, feta cheese, pistachios, chiffonaded mint, and chiffonaded basil over the lettuce.
- Toss and Serve: Drizzle about two-thirds of the lemony mint dressing over the assembled salad and gently toss to coat everything evenly without mashing the avocado. Serve the salad with freshly cracked black pepper, extra lemon slices, and an additional drizzle of dressing on the side for guests to add as they like.
Notes
- To blanch peas, cook them in boiling water for 1-2 minutes then immediately transfer them to ice water to stop cooking and preserve color and texture.
- Spritzing avocado with lemon juice helps prevent browning for longer-lasting freshness.
- The chiffonade technique adds a delicate texture and a burst of fresh herb flavor.
- For added crunch, you can toast the pistachios briefly in a dry pan.
- Adjust lemon juice and salt in the vinaigrette to your taste preference.
Keywords: spring pea salad, mint vinaigrette, fresh pea salad, vegetarian salad, spring vegetables
