Spring Salad with Asparagus, Zucchini, and Hazelnuts with a Lemon Vinaigrette
Recently, I was making a rich pork dish for dinner and wanted a nice light salad to pair it with so I went in search of inspiration online and found a salad on Proud Italian Cook that looked wonderful. I loosely kept the recipe the same but didn’t have goat cheese so I left it out (but would totally add it next time if I had some) and I also made a simple lemon vinaigrette with lots of garlic and some Dijon. This salad took a little more time and effort to make but was totally worth the effort. I thought this spring salad was beautiful, light, lemony, and delicious and worked really well with the pork I served it with. My husband and daughter also thought it was a nice, light, & tasty salad but my son said it was “just okay, but not my favorite.”
How to Make a Spring Salad with Asparagus, Zucchini, and Hazelnuts with a Lemon Vinaigrette
Make the lemon vinaigrette by combining the vegetable oil, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, Dijon mustard, and honey, to taste, minced garlic, and sea salt & freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Whisk until well combined; set aside to allow flavors to mingle.
Make the spring salad by preheating the oven to 375 degrees.
Place the asparagus on the baking sheet then drizzle a bit of olive oil then season with sea salt & freshly cracked pepper, to taste; toss to coat. Place into the oven to roast for 5-7 minutes, until the raw taste is gone but still rather firm. Remove from the oven and place on a plate to cool. Once cool, shave with a vegetable peeler or slice thinly with a knife.
Combine the butter lettuce with the spinach and arugula in a bowl along with the shaved asparagus, zucchini, radish slices, and peas; drizzle with some well-whisked lemon vinaigrette, to taste. Gently toss the salad to coat then pour into a serving bowl. Top with the toasted hazelnuts, a bit of shaved parmesan, and season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Serve immediately with additional vinaigrette and lemon wedges on the side. Enjoy.
Ingredients
Lemon Vinaigrette:
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
- Zest from 1 lemon
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp honey, to taste
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Spring Salad
- 5-6 thick stalks of asparagus, woody ends trimmed
- Olive oil, to taste
- Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
- 2 cups butter lettuce
- 2 cups baby spinach and arugula
- 1 small zucchini, shaved (with vegetable peeler)
- 2 radishes, (shaved with vegetable peeler)
- ¼ cup fresh (or frozen & thawed) peas
- ¼ cup toasted hazelnuts
- Fresh parmesan, shaved
Instructions
Lemon Vinaigrette:
- Make the lemon vinaigrette by combining the vegetable oil, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, Dijon mustard, honey, to taste, minced garlic, and sea salt & freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Whisk until well combined; set aside to allow flavors to mingle.
Spring Salad:
- Make the spring salad by preheating the oven to 375 degrees.
- Place the asparagus on the baking sheet then drizzle a bit of olive oil then season with sea salt & freshly cracked pepper, to taste; toss to coat.
- Place into the oven to roast for 5-7 minutes, until the raw taste is gone but still rather firm. Remove from the oven and place on a plate to cool. Once cool, shave with a vegetable peeler or slice thinly with a knife.
- Combine the butter lettuce with the spinach and arugula in a bowl along with the shaved asparagus, zucchini, radish slices, and peas; drizzle with some well-whisked lemon vinaigrette, to taste.
- Gently toss the salad to coat then pour into a serving bowl. Top with the toasted hazelnuts, a bit of shaved parmesan, and season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.
- Serve immediately with additional vinaigrette and lemon wedges on the side. Enjoy.
So interesting that the asparagus only gets slightly roasted. Looks quite refreshing!
Hard to beat a good salad. While out there a couple of years ago, we learned that OR is the hazelnut capital of the country.
What a terrific salad! We’re eating loads of them at the moment, and looking for new ideas. This one is a winner! Thanks.
This salad absolutely amazing @
What a fresh and tasty salad! this is. Love that you used hazelnuts.
Looks so fresh and springy!
I love asparagus so this would go down very well with me. Take care Diane
I made this for Easter dinner and the bowl was empty! I simplified a bit by picking up a container of spring mix. The veggie mix was great, and the dressing added a nice fresh note to the salad. It was wonderful and I’m sure I’ll be making it again!
Julie,
Thanks for letting me know! I’m so happy the salad was a big hit.
-Pam
This is really fabulous! A wonderful combination of flavors, thanks!