Green Spring Salad with Quinoa and Lemon Mustard Vinaigrette

This gorgeous green spring salad is packed with healthy flavor from quinoa, fresh peas, herbs, and a homemade Lemon-Mustard Dressing. And it's 100% vegetarian and vegan too!

Spring is my favorite time of the year! The arrival of spring brings flowers out of hibernation while the warmer weather beckons you outside.  And with spring, comes the arrival of all my favorite spring fruit and vegetables.

This quinoa salad, for me, is a celebration of springtime. Vibrant green snow peas, sugar snaps, baby peas and broad beans are the star of the show.

Quinoa adds body and bulk, turning this salad into a hearty meal. While mint adds a further bit of brightness which contrasts beautifully with the sweet greens. The finishing touch is a simple lemon and mustard dressing, and a sprinkle of poppy seeds. Yum!

Helpful Tips & Variations

If you don't have poppy seeds: try roughly chopped almonds or toasted pine nuts, or skip the nuts altogether.

Add some cheese: A crumbling of feta would be great here too, if you don't need to keep the recipe vegan. I'd go for Danish feta, which is lovely and creamy, rather than Greek.

Mix up the Herbs: I used fresh mint, but anything you have in your garden can work. Basil is also a great choice.

More Tasty Ideas

If you love this Green Spring Salad, be sure to check out these other delicious recipes:

• Kale Avocado Salad
• Artichoke Chickpea Salad
• Shaved Fennel Salad
• Easy Greek Salad (with no lettuce!)

📖 Recipe

Green Spring Salad with Quinoa and Lemon-Mustard Vinaigrette

from Oh My Veggies

This gorgeous green spring salad is packed with healthy flavor from quinoa, fresh peas, herbs, and a homemade Lemon-Mustard Dressing.

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Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

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Ingredients 

US Customary - Metric

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
• 4 oz snow peas
• 4 oz sugar snap peas
• 4 oz broad beans
• 4 oz peas, frozen is fine
• ½ cup mint leaves, roughly torn

DRESSING:

• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoon lemon juice
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper

Instructions

• Rinse the quinoa under cold running water for a few minutes, swriling the seeds with your fingers to make sure they are well rinsed to remove their bitter coating. Drain and place in a small saucepan with 1 cup of water over a high heat. Bring to a boil, cover with a lid, and reduce to low and cook for 13 to 15 minutes. When the quinoa is cooked remove from the heat and leave covered while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
• Place the poppy seeds in a small frying pan over a low heat and toast for 2 to 3 minutes. Leave to cool.
• Remove the broad beans from their shell and trim the sugar snaps and snow peas. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil and fill a large bowl with cold water and throw in a couple of ice cubes. Add the snow peas, sugar snaps and broad beans to the boiling water and cook for 1 minute. Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the water and place in the bowl of iced water. Now cook the peas, for 1 to 2 minutes and place in the iced water.
• Remove the broad beans from their leathery jackets. Julienne the snow peas and cut the sugar snaps in half, lengthways.
• Make the dressing by placing all of the ingredients in a small jar and shake until well combined.
• Use a fork to fluff up and quinoa and place in a large serving bowl. Add the spring vegetables and to the bowl along with the mint leaves and dressing. Toss to combine before scattering the poppy seeds over the top.

Nutrition (estimated per serving)

Calories: 372kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 12gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gSodium: 27mgPotassium: 556mgFiber: 9gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1084IUVitamin C: 50mgCalcium: 111mgIron: 5mg

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American, French

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword: Delicious Everyday, green spring salad recipe, Green Spring Salad with Quinoa and a Lemon Mustard Dressing, salad recipe, spring greens, spring greens salad

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