As the weather warms, it’s the perfect time to adopt a new go-to spring salad recipe. I ranked three easy options perfect for Spring that took me under 30 minutes to make.
#1. Peach, Mozzarella and Prosciutto Salad
This salad contains a base of baby spinach and is topped with peaches, mozzarella, crispy prosciutto, basil, salt and pepper. Olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Greek yogurt and maple syrup come together to make a flavorful dressing. The simplicity of this salad allows all the individual and unique flavors to shine through. All of the ingredients complement each other very nicely with the smokey prosciutto pairing very well with the peach and mozzarella. The vinaigrette dressing is not overpowering but still contributes to the salad without making it feel heavy. This salad made me very excited for the sunny weather and ranked first.
#2. Creamy Cucumber Salad
Consisting of just cucumbers and onions, and dressed with sour cream, lemon juice, dill, sugar and salt, the creamy cucumber salad was the easiest and fastest to make. The zesty dressing flatters the less prominent flavored cucumber nicely. However, the onion-to-cucumber ratio was slightly off, leaving an overbearing onion taste. This profile was somewhat masked by the delicious and creamy dressing, but only for a limited time until the onion flavor overtook it. Because of its simplicity, the salad would be convenient and easy to prepare for school or a party, leaving it ranked second.
#3. Pear Salad
I had extremely high expectations for the dish, which disappointed me even more than the cucumber salad. This salad has lettuce, pear, Roquefort cheese, avocado, green onions and caramelized pecans. The dressing is made with olive oil, red wine vinegar, sugar, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper. The salad’s taste does not accurately reflect the amount of ingredients required for it, as the pear is washed out by all of the other ingredients, and the avocado does not play a significant role in the overall flavor. All of the flavors seemed to cancel out, leaving the salad tasting bland and unsatisfying, resulting in a last-place ranking.
These salads were easy to make, and all of the ingredients can be substituted, making these recipes friendly for people with allergies or other food compromises. Try these out for yourself; you may spring into spring with a new favorite salad.
