Description
Tired of the same old spring salads? This one’s about to change everything!
This Spring Salad with Dill Pickles and Pretzels is just as fresh and crisp as it looks, but with the added fun factor of pickles and crushed pretzels as crunchy topping. It has sweet peas, tender green asparagus, pretty pink radishes adding a bit of snappy sharpness plus zing from bright pink marinated onions. And, as every good salad, it comes topped with a bit of cheese in form of feta, for that briny, salty touch. You can customize it endlessly, but I highly recommend to not skip the creamy Cashew Pickle ranch dressing, making it into a crave worthy plate of freshness.
Ingredients
Dill Pickle Ranch Dressing:
- 1/2 cup cashews, soaked in hot water for 10 min
- 2 tbsp fresh dill or 2 tsp dried
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley or 2 tsp dried
- 2 tbsp fresh chives or 2 tsp dried
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 cup pickle juice
- 1 tsp liquid aminos (or Tamari or soy sauce)
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tsp raisins (optional, for sweetness)
- 1/2 tsp salt, kosher (adjust if using onion/garlic salt)
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- 1/2 cup dill pickles, chopped into small pieces (add after blending)
Salad:
- 2 small red onions (or 1 larger)
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 head Romaine lettuce (or 2, for more greens)
- 1 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
- 1 bunch asparagus
- 1.5 cups radishes (approx. 1 pack)
- 2 avocados
- 1 cup dill pickles, sliced
- 1 cup feta, crumbled
- 1 cup pretzels, crumbled
Instructions
- Prepare Pickled Onions: Thinly slice red onions. In a small bowl or jar, sprinkle onions with salt, pour over lemon juice, stir, cover, and let sit while preparing other ingredients.
- Prepare Veggies & Ice Bath: Put a large pot of salted water on the hob to boil. Prepare a bowl of ice water with a strainer that fits into the pot and the ice water bowl. Chop asparagus (ends into small pieces, tips whole). Thinly slice radishes. Roughly chop lettuce and trim Pak choi ends (chop if preferred). Slice dill pickles if not pre-sliced.
- Blanch Vegetables: Once water is boiling, add asparagus directly to the pot. Pour peas into the strainer and set it on top of the pot so peas are in the water, separate from asparagus. Blanch for 2-3 minutes until tender-crisp. Drain and immediately dip into the ice water until bright green and fresh-looking.
- Make Dressing: In a Nutribullet (or blender), combine soaked cashews, dill, parsley, chives, onion powder, garlic powder, pickle juice, liquid aminos, water, raisins (if using), salt, and pepper. Blend until completely smooth and creamy. Stir in the chopped dill pickles by hand.
- Assemble Salad: On a large plate or in a bowl, start with a base layer of lettuce. Drizzle some cashew ranch dressing over the leaves and mix well to coat. Top with the remaining prepared vegetables (asparagus, peas, radishes, avocado, sliced pickles). Crumble feta over the top. Add more dressing as desired.
- Finish & Serve: Sprinkle the now bright pink pickled onions over the salad. Crumble a handful of pretzels directly over the top just before serving. Dig in and enjoy your fresh spring salad!
Notes
Store salad ingredients (excluding pretzels) in separate lidded glass containers in the fridge for up to a few days. Keep dressing in a lidded jar. Assemble just before eating to maintain freshness and crunch. Salad leaves stay freshest when washed and stored in a box with a grid bottom or lined with paper towels.
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 5
- Category: Salads
- Method: Chop
- Cuisine: American
