This delicious Carrot, Radish, and Sweet Pea Salad is a perfect choice if you’re looking for a vibrant and refreshing side dish that celebrates the bounty of spring. Featuring a bright and zesty Lemon Basil Vinaigrette, it’s loaded with colorful veggies, sliced avocado, and creamy feta crumbles, all served on a bed of fresh greens.
Ingredients coming into season in the spring are some of my favorites – especially carrots, radishes and sweet peas. Colorful, crunchy, and flavorful, they add depth and texture to baby lettuces. The other day, I was brainstorming what sort of salad I would put together to go with my Lemon Basil Vinaigrette – my version of a dressing they serve at our country club. All these vibrant spring vegetables were jumping out at me at the grocery store, so I decided to put a few of them together.
It seems that shaved carrots are all the rage right now. They’re easy to prepare, and so pretty on the plate, too! So, I decided to start with shaved carrots (see Tip below). Radishes are crisp and delicious – and would add a bit of spice to my salad. Sugar snap peas would add a bit of sweetness, to balance the tartness of the dressing, so in those went, too. A few slices of avocado (as I love it with this dressing!), and some feta cheese finished it off. So pretty, and delicious, too!
For ideas on how to serve this beautiful salad, check out my Fresh and Flavorful Spring Dinner Menu.
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Carrot, Radish and Sweet Pea Salad with Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette
Ingredients
Lemon Basil Vinaigrette (Makes around 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, or more to taste
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh garlic, around 3 cloves, chopped
- 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil, or canola oil
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Fresh ground pepper, to taste
Carrot, Radish and Sweet Pea Salad
- 3/4 pound sugar snap peas, shelled (around 3/4 cup peas) – see Note
- 4 medium carrots
- 1 bunch radishes, preferably rainbow colored
- 1 large ripe avocado
- 1 1/2 cups mixed baby lettuces, like red and green leaf and romaine
- 1/3 cup feta cheese crumbles
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Fresh ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
Lemon Basil Vinaigrette
- Place the basil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, vinegar and garlic in a blender or food processor and blend until well mixed.
- In a measuring cup, combine oils. With the machine on, slowly add oil mixture.
- Season to taste with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Let sit for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to blend.
Carrot, Radish and Sweet Pea Salad
- Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add shelled peas and cook just until crisp-tender, around 2 to 3 minutes. Strain and immediately place peas in a bowl of ice water (this will stop them from cooking and also keep their pretty green color!). Set aside to cool.
- Peel and shave the carrots into long strips (see Tip below). Place in ice water with the peas.
- Trim off greens and pointy ends from radishes. Shave or thinly slice.
- Peel, pit and slice avocado.
- On one large platter or six individual salad plates, arrange the mixed lettuces. Top with avocado slices. Sprinkle with some of the feta cheese crumbles. Arrange carrot strips decoratively over the top. Place radish slices around the carrots. Sprinkle with remaining feta and cooked, drained peas. Season with salt and pepper. Lightly drizzle with some of the dressing over the top, passing the rest on the side.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
