Spring has sprung, and so have fresh salad ingredients! Salads are a great way to eat healthily, while also being easy to make meals.
A salad is a perfect solution for any type of meal, whether it’s on the go or as a side dish. Most salads can be made anywhere between 20 minutes to 30 minutes. With that in mind, the folks here at 3Natives have some spring salad recipes you should keep in mind this season.
What is a Spring Salad?
Spring salads are primarily made with seasonal vegetables. Examples of spring vegetables include asparagus, sprouts, radishes, sugar snap peas, spinach, avocado, and more.
Incorporating these ingredients into your salads at home can be a great way to find your new favorite veggie. Be sure to look out for fresh spring produce at your local grocery store or farmer’s market.
Spring Salad Recipes to Try
There are so many types of spring salads you could try with any mixture of seasonal produce. But did you know that some of your favorite, classic salads fall under the spring salad category?
We’ve compiled these delicious spring salad ideas to inspire you to try them yourself. Or, if you’re on the go, you can pop into a 3Natives near you to try it in our style. Check out some of the salad options on our menu today!
Greek Salad
A classic Greek salad is usually made with romaine lettuce, sliced cucumbers, chopped red onion, bell peppers, olives, and feta cheese. This is very easy to make yourself, and pairs well with the vinaigrette of the same name. You could even try incorporating some Greek yogurt for a smooth, creamy twist to your salad.
Here at 3Natives, we’ve spiced up our Greek salads by adding hummus, pico de gallo, pepperoncini, and sprouts. We even toss our salads with our Citrus Vinaigrette dressing to give them that fresh zesty flavor.
Cobb Salad
Almost everyone loves a Cobb salad. The original Cobb salad was named after its creator, Robert Cobb. The original ingredients were shredded romaine lettuce, diced tomatoes, blue cheese, hard-boiled eggs, chicken breast, bacon, chives, and avocado slices.
Nowadays, everyone has their take on Cobb salad, but it usually has the same base ingredients as the original. This makes it an easy, protein-packed lunch for you to make at home. You can also experiment with adding your own twist to this beloved salad with other ingredients. For example, instead of slicing whole avocados, you could try an avocado dressing that accompanies every bite.
We’ve put together our take on the Cobb salad for when you can’t make it at home. Our version includes chopped cabbage, red onion, sliced cucumber, pico de gallo, feta cheese in place of blue cheese, and sprouts. We like to serve this with a balsamic vinaigrette as well.
Chicken Caesar Salad
Another excellent option to sate your spring salad cravings includes the Chicken Caesar salad. This salad is truly the easiest to make since it has the least base ingredients. All you need for a homemade Chicken Caesar is some cooked chicken breast, chopped romaine lettuce, parmesan cheese, and croutons. And of course, a Chicken Caesar salad wouldn’t be complete without the Caesar dressing.
In our version of the Chicken Caesar salad, we’ve added some more ingredients to give it that springtime goodness. We add ingredients like spring greens, cabbage, and sprouts. We’ve also added our classic pico de gallo, adding a little more zing to the flavor of the salad.
Other Spring Vegetables to Try this Season
The best part about making salads is that there are no strict rules on how to properly make one. There’s plenty of room to try new fruits and vegetables in a variety of different combinations!
We have a few more suggestions if you’re still looking for your favorite spring vegetable. Some other ingredients you could incorporate into your base salads are artichokes, spinach, turnips, rhubarb, green beans, and garlic. Adding some fresh herbs is also a good way to add some flavor to your salad.
You could incorporate these ingredients by making your own garlic dressing, or by mixing artichoke dip with other salad ingredients. The world is your oyster, or in this case, your salad bowl.
Find Fresh Options at 3Natives
Whether as a side dish or your entire meal, a fresh salad is always a great option to have. If you don’t have time to make a salad at home, enjoy one of ours at your local 3Natives. We use fresh ingredients to ensure that your spring salad cravings are satisfied.
