Try Our Crunchy Spring Mix Salad Recipe

Looking to add a bit of life to a boring bag of salad greens? Well, our Spring Mix Salad Recipe is a work of art in a salad bowl! Full of crisp colourful veggies and crunchy seeds that you can serve with anything and on every occasion.

Have you ever had a look at a bag of lettuce and wanted to make it exciting? Well, get ready to zhush it up with our brightly coloured spring mix salad recipe! 

We are going to add some sweet brightly coloured tomatoes, crisp spring snow and sugar snap peas, cool cucumbers and crunchy seeds then drizzle them with a delightful yet simple red wine vinegar and olive oil dressing for a sensational spring salad recipe you won’t soon forget. 

Ingredients & Substitutions

• A bag of Spring Mix or Mesclun Salad – this is the base of our salad but it is easily replaced with any bagged lettuce variety you have on hand or with other greens –  rocket/arugula leaves, baby spinach, or any lettuce ranging from soft-  Bibb or oak leaf to crisp – romaine/cos lettuce. 
  Oh if you need some tips on how to choose bagged salad then you have got to read our post on Pre packed Salads.
• Snow Peas & Sugar Snap Peas – added for their delectable crunch and sweetness but if you prefer you can swap with some lightly blanched asparagus or fresh green beans instead.
• Yellow & Red Grape/Roma Tomatoes – a mix of both for their sunny colour and sweetness. Any combination of small tomatoes would be good here including cherry tomatoes, mini truss tomatoes or a colourful tomato medley. If you only have regular tomatoes on hand then just simply dice them up to add to this salad.
• Cucumbers – used for their cool freshness, as an alternative you can use some thinly sliced celery instead.
• Fresh mint for its wonderful aroma and cool sweetness. Can easily be substituted with other soft herbs such as basil, coriander/cilantro, dill or tarragon. 
• Seeds – we have used some pepitas, but you can add any of your favourites or add a mix. Choose from sunflower, linseeds, and both black and white sesame seeds. Prefer nuts? Then try some almond slivers, pistachios, cashews or hazelnuts. 
• Dressing – we have kept it simple here to allow our spring veggies to shine and simply used a red wine vinegar and olive oil dressing (a teaspoon or two of mustard doesn’t hurt either). But, you could also drizzle it with some balsamic glaze if you prefer..
• CONSIDER ADDING – diced up avocado to add some creaminess and to boost the healthy fats.

How to Make It

Step 1 – String and Cut Snow + Sugar Snap Peas

Unless you have purchased a stringless variety, the strings for sugar snap peas and snow peas should be removed. In all honesty, if you just can’t be bothered, it is not the end of the world if you don’t!

No need to panic; it’s a cinch! Just pinch the stem end of the pod with either your fingers or a knife, then pull the string down towards the other end and just throw the strings away.

Your mature pods may need stringing on both sides and often you can do this in one go. Cut the stem carefully and pull the strings down from both sides at once.

Stack a few snow peas on top of each other and julienne them.

Cut your sugar snap peas in half lengthwise or if they are thick cut them into thirds, lengthwise.

Step 2 – Prepare Spring Mix

Carefully rinse your salad mix in a colander under cold running water, then remove any wilted or damaged leaves.

Pat dry with a towel, or for the best results, spin dry in a salad spinner, this allows the dressing to stick to the leaves without watering it down, and it will also stop your salad from going soggy.

Step 3 – Prepare Remaining Ingredients

Rinse your tomatoes in a strainer under cold running water; pat dry to remove excess water, then cut them in half using a serrated or tomato knife, their edges make it so much easier to cut through the delicate flesh without squishing them.

Rinse your cucumber, trim the ends, and then slice thinly either using a sharp knife or with a mandoline/v-slicer.

Rinse the mint leaves, pat them dry, and then strip the leaves from the stems.

Step 4 – Assemble Your Salad

Place all the vegetables in a large mixing bowl, add the seeds, add the red wine vinegar and olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.

Toss your salad until ALL the salad ingredients have been coated with the dressing. Taste the salad and adjust the seasonings according to your taste.

Transfer it to a salad bowl (leave the dressing behind) and serve immediately.

Common Questions and Tips

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