Spring Salad Recipes

When the weather starts to warm up a bit and we start seeing a little more sunshine, my thoughts always turn to spring salad recipes. Whether you serve them as an appetizer, side dish or the main event, salads can add variety and great taste to your menus. Most take very little effort and some can even be made ahead, a boon for busy weeknights or easy weekend lunches. If you have leftovers (I almost always make extra on purpose), most are delicious the next day and also make a great packed lunch.

When I was a kid, my mom used to make salad suppers, serving everyone two or three different salad recipes on a plate with garnishes and perhaps a side of crusty bread. She made sure one of the salads had a protein, whether it was meat, fish or pulses. These were some of my favourite meals!

Some of My Favourite Spring Salad Recipes

Recipes with Fruit

My Peach Prosciutto and Parmesan Salad can be made with nectarines or canned peaches if fresh peaches are not available and you can use Parma Ham instead of Prosciutto if you prefer. This recipe is literally the work of moments and makes a delicious appetizer. You can simply add a more generous serving of Prosciutto and serve with a side of hot crusty bread to turn this easy salad into a main meal.

Perfect for a light lunch or salad supper, my Strawberry and Walnut Salad is nutrient dense, so it’s great for helping you to keep your healthy eating resolutions. Simply omit the chicken to make this recipe vegetarian or vegan, adding some extra avocado and walnuts, if you like. 

Waldorf Salad is a a versatile vintage salad recipe featuring crisp apples, crunchy walnuts and a delicious lemon spiked dressing. It can be made with or without chicken, so it has the potential to be a vegetarian or vegan option too.

Appetiser or Main Dish Spring Salad Recipes

I first tried Salade Frisée at our favourite Paris restaurant many years ago and my version of it has featured regularly on our family menus ever since. A warming French salad that is perfect for this time of year, it works equally well as an appetizer or a light main course. Simply serve one poached egg for an appetizer salad and two for a main dish. Add a bit of crusty bread as a side dish for hearty eaters.

My Tuna Pasta Salad is the salad I’m always asked to bring to potlucks and barbecues. People rave about this creamy and flavourful dish, which makes a tasty side but is satisfying enough to work as a pescatarian main course.

Coronation Chicken has a fascinating royal history and really is one of the quintessential British spring and summer salads. Lightly flavoured with curry, this fresh, fruit studded spring salad is often served at picnics and parties. It also makes a great sandwich filling.

Side Salads

Whenever I serve my late Mom’s Potato Salad, everyone always asks for the recipe. Light and full of flavour, this is the perfect spring salad recipe for a side for luncheons or more casual barbecues. The potatoes are marinated in oil and vinegar overnight to give a fabulous depth of flavour. There really is nothing else like it. This recipe makes a great side dish or tastes great as part of a mixed salad plate or in a picnic.

Creamy and luscious with just a hint of tang, my late mom’s Coleslaw recipe makes a beautiful side dish.

More Spring Salad Recipes

Proving that quality ingredients don’t need a lot of fuss, my Easiest Tomato Salad Ever lets the flavour of garden fresh tomatoes and cucumber shine through.  It’s remarkably low effort but it looks really pretty and tastes amazing.

My Healthy Chicken Salad with Salsa and Quinoa makes a really hearty lunch.

For an elegant starter or light lunch, why not try my Beet and Mango Salad with Walnuts (pictured at the very top), inspired by a salad I enjoyed at The Galleria Restaurant in Cambridge.

Meal Planning Ideas

Spring Salad recipes can be a big part of easy meal planning. Most keep well in the refrigerator for about 24 to 48 hours, so they can be used in packed lunches or as planned lunches a couple of days in a row.

You can also vary the way you serve the salads. Coronation Chicken Salad and Waldorf Salad also make delicious sandwiches or wraps. Leftover coleslaw makes a great garnish for sandwiches or wraps too.

Make spring lunches, suppers and picnics easy with these spring salad recipes. They make meal planning simple too!

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