Ingredients
Salad:
- 6 cups organic spinach
- ½ head red or green cabbage, shredded
- 1 cup microgreens (or alfalfa sprouts)
- ¾ cup frozen peas, thawed
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
- 2 Persian cucumbers, sliced or roughly chopped
- 3 radishes, trimmed and chopped or sliced
- ¼ cup pickled red onions OR very thinly sliced raw red onion
- ½ cup pitted Castelvetrano green olives, halved
- 1 medium ripe avocado, sliced or chopped
- 4 ounces crumbled feta or goat cheese
- ¼ cup roasted and salted pistachios
- ¼ cup roasted sunflower seeds
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Lemon Basil Vinaigrette:
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey or sugar
- 4 basil leaves, finely chopped
- Freshly ground salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Lemon Basil Vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together the fresh lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, honey (or sugar), and finely chopped basil leaves until well combined and emulsified. Alternatively, blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender for a smooth vinaigrette. Season with freshly ground salt and pepper to taste.
- Toss the Spinach with Dressing: Place the organic spinach in a large bowl and drizzle half of the prepared lemon basil vinaigrette over it. Toss gently to evenly coat the spinach with the dressing.
- Assemble the Salad: Transfer the dressed spinach to a large serving platter or leave it in the bowl if preferred. Layer and arrange the shredded cabbage, microgreens, thawed peas, cherry tomatoes, Persian cucumbers, radishes, pickled or raw red onions, Castelvetrano olives, sliced or chopped avocado, crumbled feta or goat cheese, roasted pistachios, and roasted sunflower seeds evenly on top of the greens.
- Season and Serve: Lightly season the assembled salad with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve the salad immediately alongside the remaining lemon basil vinaigrette so guests can drizzle extra dressing if desired.
Notes
- Use fresh seasonal greens and vegetables for the best flavor and texture.
- You can substitute goat cheese for feta or omit cheese to suit dietary preferences.
- If you prefer a vegan version, replace honey with maple syrup and omit cheese.
- Roasted and salted nuts and seeds add a nice crunch and flavor contrast.
- The salad is best served fresh but can be prepared a few hours ahead by keeping dressing separate until serving.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
