Say goodbye to the chilly weather and dark evenings, and hello to vibrancy and colour with sunshine and fresh green produce. No longer will you need to come in after a long day and take respite with a hearty meal, though we have the best recommendations for comfort foods when that’s what you’re craving. Instead, you can enjoy a crisp, flavour-packed salad with the champions of the season: asparagus, cucumber, radish, purple sprouting broccoli, potato, parsley and more.
Our deliciously crisp and tangy smashed potato, dill, feta and pickled red onion salad makes a standout choice for spring, best enjoyed al fresco on sunny days. We’ve also gathered the best classic salads and tasty twists to inspire you and show that salads need not be relegated to a side dish, but can hold their place as the star of the show.
For more ideas, check out our healthy salad recipes, vegetarian salads and vegan salads. Plus, read our list of 10 salad dressings you can make in minutes.
For more seasonal spring inspiration, check out our top 10 spring dinner ideas, the 10 most popular spring recipes on the site and our favourite low-calorie spring recipes. Celebrate the best of spring without breaking the bank with our budget spring recipes, and get all the nutrients you need with our healthy spring recipes and healthy vegetarian spring recipes.
If you’d like to learn to forage for some of your seasonal produce, check out our helpful beginner guide to foraging. Wild garlic and nettles are popular produce to find in spring, so once you’ve gathered your haul check out our wild garlic recipes and nettle recipes for more inspiration.
25 vibrant spring salads
1. Smashed potato, dill, feta & pickled red onion salad
This colourful salad sees baby potatoes roasted until golden and crisp, then tossed with tangy feta, fresh dill and pickled red onions. The combination of roast potatoes and fragrant herbs makes it a standout choice for spring gatherings. It’s simple to prepare and works well as a side for grilled meat or fish, or as a centrepiece for a light lunch. Enjoy it al fresco on sunny days.
Discvoer more feta salad recipes.
2. Halloumi, lentil & all the herbs salad
This vibrant salad is packed with golden halloumi, puy lentils, tomatoes, cucumber and a medley of herbs, making it both hearty and refreshing. It’s quick and easy to prepare, ideal for a fuss-free weekday meal or a relaxed al fresco lunch when the sun is out.
Check out more halloumi recipes.
3. Green goddess cabbage salad
This green goddess salad stars chopped green cabbage, cucumber and spring onions, all tossed in a creamy avocado and basil dressing. It’s a high-fibre, low-calorie dish that’s both healthy and satisfying, with a dressing that brings a burst of fresh herby flavours. Serve it with smoked trout, cooked chicken, prawns or keep it vegetarian with falafel or halloumi.
See more cabbage recipes.
4. 5-a-day noodle salad with citrus ginger dressing
Bursting with colour and crunch, this salad is a brilliant way to pack in your five-a-day and over ten plant points in one bowl. Edamame, kale, carrots, peppers, spring onions and purple cabbage come together with wholemeal rice noodles and a zesty citrus-ginger dressing. Topped with pan-fried trout, it’s a healthy option that’s quick to prepare and makes a nourishing lunchbox or vibrant dish to enjoy outdoors.
Discover more noodle salad recipes.
5. Spicy miso salmon & kale salad
This bold and nourishing salad features oven-baked salmon glazed with white miso and sriracha, served atop a bed of kale, edamame, red pepper, carrot and spring onions. The kale base keeps the salad crisp, making it ideal for packing for lunch. Finished with a punchy sriracha dressing and a sprinkle of sesame seeds, it’s a great choice for when you want something both wholesome and exciting.
See more salmon salad recipes.
6. Radish salad
Enjoy this salad in spring or summer to make the most of seasonal radishes – serve with warm focaccia for scooping, or as part of a charcuterie spread.
Discover more radish recipes.
7. Spring green salad with parsley & blue cheese
Serve this vibrant salad with blue cheese as a light supper or side dish. Kale or chard will also work in place of the spring greens.
Check out more spring green recipes.
8. Crispy smashed new potatoes with asparagus, jammy eggs & pickled radish
Let’s welcome the bounty of spring produce with this vibrant salad. As late spring rolls around in the UK, feel free to incorporate podded broad beans or sweet peas for an extra burst of freshness. The earthy flavour of new potatoes pairs beautifully with the zesty tang of pickled radish, creating a delightful harmony of flavours.
Discover more new potato recipes.
9. Allotment salad
If you’re feeding a crowd, this allotment salad is a brilliant choice as it serves up to eight people. It’s healthy, vegan and gluten-free so it can be enjoyed by everyone and it makes the most of spring staples radish, cabbage, spring onion and asparagus. Discover our how to cook asparagus guide.
Discover more healthy vegan spring recipes.
10. Chicken satay salad
Vamp up Little Gem lettuce with this no-fuss, midweek meal that’s high in protein and big on flavour. Marinate chicken breasts, then drizzle with a punchy peanut satay sauce.
Discover more chicken salad recipes.
11. Sriracha & lime potato salad
Everyone loves a classic potato salad, a tried-and-tested favourite. But arguably, it’s getting a bit tired and needs some jazzing up. This potato salad with spicy sriracha and zesty lime dressing is a lively addition to any picnic or barbecue. Pair it with flavourful meats like our jerk-ish pork skewers or Korean chilli, sesame & honey chicken.
Discover more salads for a barbecue.
12. Quinoa with roast asparagus, eggs & capers
For a filling vegetarian salad that is also healthy, low in calories and high in fibre, try this quinoa with eggs and veg. With asparagus, courgette, onions and beetroot, it packs in all of your five-a-day.
Discover more quinoa salad recipes.
13. Trout caesar salad
Trout season begins in March and is a great protein for a light lunch or supper. Add rye croutons, our easy homemade dressing and plenty of parmesan flakes.
See more trout recipes to add to your Spring rotation.
14. Halloumi, carrot & orange salad
Serve this halloumi, carrot, orange & watercress salad with a mustard & honey dressing for an easy lunch or starter. It takes just 20 minutes to make and delivers one of your five-a-day.
Discover more halloumi salad recipes.
15. Green goddess avocado salad
Let avocado take the spotlight in this colourful chicken salad. Packed with crisp lettuce, green apples, celery, and cucumber, it’s all tossed in a creamy dressing featuring a blend of avocado, yogurt, chives, dill, parsley, spring onions, rice vinegar, olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice.
Discover more chicken & avocado recipes.
16. Honeyed beetroot & carrot salad with feta & hazelnuts
This warm salad of roasted carrots and beetroot mixed with bulgur wheat and quinoa makes an excellent meal for a spring evening entertaining friends, serving up to six people. Combine the honey, lemon zest, orange zest and juice, cumin and coriander to create your dressing and toss with roasted veg, grains, hazelnuts, feta and herbs.
Discover more carrot salad recipes.
17. Warm cauliflower salad
Cauliflower is often overlooked, perhaps because traditional boiled cauli doesn’t impart much flavour. This warm cauliflower salad demonstrates the perfect way to enjoy cauliflower, roasted and drizzled in a simple vinegar and honey dressing. For more inspiration on how to use cauliflower, check out our guide for 10 ways with cauliflower and read up on all the health benefits that cauliflower has to offer.
Discover more cauliflower salad recipes.
18. Spring celebration salad
This vibrant green salad celebrates the best of spring’s produce using new potatoes, asparagus, apples, lettuce, spring onions and peas. It takes only 20 minutes to prepare, but if you really want to impress your friends and family you can make your own mayonnaise to coat the new potatoes.
Discover more green salad recipes.
19. Butternut, chickpea, feta & pickled radish salad
This nourishing, tasty salad is full of butternut squash, chickpea, feta, seeds and homemade pickled radish. While the squash and chickpeas are roasting, heat up the sherry vinegar and sugar and pickle the radish. The sweetness of the squash and the sourness of the pickled radish work perfectly together, with the feta bringing in that essential salty flavour profile.
Discover more summer squash recipes.
20. Purple sprouting broccoli, Jersey Royal, burrata & anchovy salad
Make purple sprouting broccoli centre stage in this decadent potato salad, including a whole ball of burrata. The dressing comprises shallots, garlic, chilli, anchovies, lemon zest and juice, mustard, honey, olive oil, and tahini, and creates a balanced flavour profile of sweet, salty and zesty, working beautifully with the creaminess of the burrata and freshness of the roasted broccoli.
Discover more purple sprouting broccoli recipes.
21. Next level potato salad
Take the humble potato salad to the next level with our ultimate version of this ever-versatile side dish. Let your potatoes soak up the flavour of the mustard, vinegar, olive oil and shallot dressing as they cool down after boiling, before tossing through with mayonnaise, soured cream, horseradish, lemon juice and spring onions. Serve in a large bowl and watch it disappear, but don’t forget to garnish with delicious crispy onions.
Discover more potato salad recipes.
22. Spring tabbouleh
This spring tabbouleh is a simple, budget, spring salad that can add a healthy dose of vegetables to your midweek meal. It has a beautiful texture with the crunch of the radishes and cucumbers working with the softness of the pulses and peas. This easy vegan dish also makes great leftover lunches.
Discover more tabbouleh recipes.
23. Tuna, asparagus & white bean salad
This filling and healthy spring salad makes the most of storecupboard ingredients such as tuna, cannellini beans and red onion. Crunchy fresh asparagus has many health benefits and brings a pop of green to the plate.
Discover more tuna salad recipes.
24. Chickpea salad
Use a touch of harissa to liven up a healthy chickpea salad. It takes just 10 minutes to whip up and makes an ideal side dish for slow-cooked Greek lamb.
Discover more chickpea salad recipes.
25. Tomato, burrata & broad bean salad
Chop up tomatoes, toss with salt, top with creamy burrata and slather with a broad bean-flecked salsa verde to make this simple yet super-tasty salad.
Discover more burrata recipes.
Enjoyed this? Find more salad inspiration…
Top 10 summer salad recipes
10 salad dressings you can make in minutes
Storecupboard salad
How to build a better salad
20 winter salad recipes
15 salads for dinner ideas
