Celebrate spring with these fresh and fresh salad recipes

deleciousfood | March 19, 2025 | Salad | No Comments

It is still a lot cold and snowy in many regions of the country. But, depending on the calendar, spring is there. The days are warmer and longer, and it’s time to think about new ways of eating lighter. You could feel the desire to pass soups and stews and winter foods to something more brilliant. Like the rods and tulips that signal the spring, salads feel healthy and lighter. This is exactly what my body wants this time of year.

These salads benefit from the first asparagus of the season, tender lettuce and fresh herbs. And because it is always a transition period of the year (warmer days with cold nights), I continue to count on winter citrus (lemon and oranges) for their shiny flavors. Here are three main salads (or side) to light up a new season.

Steam asparagus with bacon and eggs

Steam asparagus with bacon and eggs. (Kathy Gunst / here and now)

A bed of fresh spring asparagus forms the basis of this salad. The spears are garnished with crisp bacon, salty bacon and creamy chopped egg. Olive oil and lemon juice are watered on top. This salad offers colors, textures and a light lemon flavor.

Serves 2 to 4.

Ingredients

Asparagus of 1 book, ends
1 egg
3 slices of bacon thick

The lemon vinaigrette:

½ teaspoon of Dijon style mustard
½ to 1 teaspoon of grated lemon zest
Freshly ground salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
4 tablespoons of olive oil
1 lemon, cut into quarters

Instructions

Fill a large skillet halfway with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the asparagus spears and reduce the heat to a soft simmer. Cook for about 6 to 12 minutes, depending on the thickness of the asparagus, until they are tender but not soft and soft. Drain under cold water gently and drain again. Dry the asparagus spears using a clean cloth or a paper towel. Place the asparagus on a service plate.
Meanwhile, bring a small pot of water to boil over high heat. Gently lower the egg into the pot, reduce the heat to a soft simmer and cook for 6 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the egg rest in hot water for an additional 6 minutes. Drain the water and gently roll the egg in the front pot back until the shell cracks in a few places. Add cold water. Drain and peel the egg. Coarsely chop the egg, white and yellow.
Cook the bacon in a pan until crisp on both sides. Drain on a paper towel. Coarsely chop the bacon.
Make the lemon vinaigrette: in a small bowl, mix mustard, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Make light on the salt because the bacon is also salty. Add the lemon juice then the oil and the taste of the seasoning.
To assemble: spoon the vinaigrette above asparagus. Garnish the bottom of the asparagus rods with the bacon then a layer of egg in the middle of the spears. Surround lemon districts. Serve at room temperature.

Lemon roasted broccoli and orzo salad with garlic with spring chives

Broccoli roasting is a revelation. The florets become a crisp brown along the edges while retaining their fresh green broccoli flavor and the stem (generally thrown) is cut into slices and roasted with the florets – no waste here! Broccoli is roasted with slices of roasted garlic and shallots or onion. The roasted vegetables are mixed with orzo (rice -shaped pasta), a load of lemon juice, lemon zest and olive oil and finished with fresh spring chives.

Serves 4.

Ingredients

1 small broccoli head
5 garlic cloves, cut into thick slices
2 shallots, cut into thick slices or 1 small onion, sliced
2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil
Freshly ground salt and black pepper
1 cup of orzo
⅓ chopped chopped chives
1 teaspoon of grated lemon zest
¼ cup lemon juice
⅓ Olive oil cup

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Cut about ½ inch from the end of the broccoli and throw away. Separate the stem from the broccoli head. Cut the rod into ½ inch thick slices. Cut the florets into small pieces.
On a cookie baking sheet or a baking sheet, throw broccoli, garlic, shallots, olive oil, salt and pepper. Place on the central rack of the oven and roast for 15 to 18 minutes or until the flagships feel soft. It is good if the pieces of the rod still feel a little firm.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salt water to boil over high heat. Cook the Orzo, stirring once or twice, until it is, about 7 to 9 minutes. Drain.
Place the hot orzo in a service bowl and mix with half the chives, lemon zest, lemon juice and olive oil. You want the Orzo to absorb the flavors while it is still hot. Mix well. Add the roasted broccoli, garlic, shallots and all the juices from the bottom of the hob and stir to combine. Sprinkle with remaining chives. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Spring chicken and orange salad with mint, dill and peanuts

It is a super simple salad, especially if you have chicken remains or if you work with a roast roast chicken from your favorite supermarket. But it offers a variety of fresh flavors and textures. Finely sliced or cubes chicken is thrown with the lively and fresh flavor of mint leaves and strands of dill, orange juice, olive oil and vinegar. It is placed on a bed of butter lettuce and surrounded by juicy orange segments. The salad is then garnished with salty and crunchy peanuts. Serve with a hot wand or toast.

Serves 2 to 4.

Ingredients

Chicken:

½ chicken, chest or thigh book or a combination, in finely slices or cubes slices
¼ cup of fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped, plus 8 whole leaves for the garnish
¼ cup of fresh dill strands, roughly chopped
Freshly ground salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of orange juice
1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar or rice wine vinegar

Orange, lettuce and peanuts

1 orange (I used Cara cara), peeled and cut into sections (with a white cup)
1 Small tender head lettuce, like the little gem, the bibb or the butter lettuce
⅓ Cup of savory peanuts, left whole or roughly chopped

Instructions

In a bowl, gently mix chicken, chopped mint, dill, salt, pepper, olive oil, orange juice and vinegar.
Place the lettuce leaves on an average service plate. Using a slit spoon, remove the chicken and place in the center of the plate. Arrange the orange sections around the chicken and sprinkle with whole mint leaves. Sprinkle peanuts. Pour the chicken vinaigrette over the whole salad.

This segment was broadcast on March 19, 2025.