Easy Spring Salad Recipe With Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette
This easy Spring Salad Recipe is the ultimate fresh side dish, featuring a crisp garden salad base topped with creamy avocado, salty feta, and crunchy pecans. Drizzled with a 5-minute homemade balsamic vinaigrette, this recipe is a simple yet professional way to bring seasonal flavours to your table.
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 4-6 Cups Mixed Greens & Baby Spinach
- 1 Cup Cherry Tomatoes Halved
- 1/2 Cucumber Quartered
- 60 g Feta Cheese
- 1/4 Cup Roasted Sunflower Seeds Unsalted
- 2 tbsp Chopped Pecans
- 1/2 Large Avocado Sliced
For the Dressing
- 1/3 Cup Olive Oil Extra Virgin
- 1.5 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 tsp Honey
- 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until it's fully combined and creamy.
- In a large salad bowl, toss the mixed greens and baby spinach together, then layer in the halved cherry tomatoes, cucumber, sliced avocado, and feta.
- Top with the chopped pecans and roasted sunflower seeds. Drizzle the homemade balsamic vinaigrette over the salad and gently toss just before serving.
Taste the dressing and make adjustments at this step as needed.
This salad is incredibly customizable! These measurements are a great starting point, but feel free to "measure with your heart." If you love a saltier bite, add an extra crumble of feta; if you're a fan of crunch, toss in another handful of pecans or sunflower seeds. Make it your own!
Notes
- If you're looking to prep this salad a head of time I would suggest getting the salad base and ingredients ready and stored separately from the dressing to ensure everything stays crisp and fresh. The dressing can also be made a head of time and kept in a mason jar in the fridge for 4-5 days. If the dressing looks a bit thick after being in the fridge, let it sit out on the counter for a few minutes before giving it a shake and drizzling onto the salad.
- Depending on the time of year or where you're located, some of the ingredients may be harder to find, or out of season. Feel free to try different varieties of fresh veggies or toppings! Thinly sliced radishes or dried cranberries could be a nice substitute!