Bright Lemon Vinaigrette Salad (Printable Version)

A fresh spring salad with radishes, peas, and a bright lemon vinaigrette dressing.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 4 cups mixed spring greens such as arugula, baby spinach, and watercress
02 - 1 cup sugar snap peas, trimmed and sliced diagonally
03 - 1 cup fresh or thawed frozen green peas
04 - 6 radishes, thinly sliced
05 - 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced

→ Lemon Vinaigrette

06 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
08 - 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
09 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
10 - 1 teaspoon honey
11 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
12 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Garnish

13 - 2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped
14 - 2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese, optional

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - In a large salad bowl, combine the mixed greens, sugar snap peas, green peas, radishes, and red onion.
02 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
03 - Drizzle the lemon vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
04 - Transfer to a serving platter or individual bowls and garnish with fresh chives and crumbled feta cheese if using. Serve immediately.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It comes together in fifteen minutes flat, which means you can actually make it on a Tuesday night instead of just thinking about it.
  • The vinaigrette is bold enough to taste homemade but forgiving enough that you can't really mess it up.
  • Every bite has a different texture—crisp snap peas crack against tender greens, radishes add that peppery snap—it keeps your palate interested.
02 -
  • Don't dress the salad more than five minutes before serving, or the greens will start to wilt and get sad—I learned this by making this salad two hours early for a dinner party and watching it slowly surrender.
  • If you're making this ahead, keep the vinaigrette separate and dress everything right before it hits the table; the vegetables can hang out waiting, but greens have their limits.
03 -
  • Taste your vinaigrette before it touches the salad—you might want more lemon brightness or honey sweetness, and this is the moment to adjust without fixing it later.
  • Keep your greens as dry as possible; wet leaves repel vinaigrette, which means you'll end up with overdressed herbs and underdressed vegetables.
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