Simple Spring Mix Lunch Salad

This Simple Spring Mix Lunch Salad is loaded with seasonal ingredients like radishes, shredded carrots, and microgreens. Customize with your fave protein and dressing. Save money by making this delightful Spring salad at home!

Note from Danielle

This recipe was originally published in April 2019, nearly 5 years ago. Today, I’ve given this whole post a major upgrade. I re-tested the recipe, took new photos, and hopefully added more helpful tips for you.

And still, 5 years later… all those premade salads at Trader Joe’s have me drooling basically every time I step ten feet in the door. I never buy them, but I always browse.

 

 

Those TJ’s salads are usually just 4-6 main ingredients with a protein and a dressing. So I decided to think along those lines! This one is simple, customizable, and packed with seasonal Spring veggies. Save money by making it at home!

By the way – here in the post content, you’ll find detailed information on the ingredients used, possible substitutions, and helpful tips for successful results based on my experience with this recipe.

For the printable recipe card with a list of ingredients followed by concise instructions, please keep scrolling down or hit the ‘Jump to Recipe’ button at the top of the page. Frequently asked questions are located below the recipe card.

Ingredients in this Simple Spring Mix Lunch Salad:

To keep the Spring harvest vibe alive but also keep it simple, I identified three main Spring ingredients that could be found at most grocery stores.

What’s even better is that these ingredients are on the cheaper side during Spring time when they are in season (at least here in Seattle where I bought them). Here are the ingredients I used in the salad, and a little info on each:

• Spring Mix greens – Love the variety of this mix, and I should be eating it more! The mix pictured has: green leaf lettuce, mizuna, tango, oak leaf, chard, baby spinach, arugula, frisee, red leaf lettuce, lolla rosa, radicchio, baby butter, and kale. I would literally never ingest this many different types of greens without the Spring mix!
• Radishes – Good news! Radishes are relatively cheap, plus easy to wash and slice. I was able to purchase a whole bunch (enough for about 4 salads) for $1.25 at the regular grocery store! You can also use other varieties of radish if you have a preference. 
• Shredded carrots – Carrots are of course a year-round staple at the grocery store, but I’ve learned that they do have a Spring crop and a Fall crop. When I realized I could get a 16 ounce bag of pre-shredded carrots from Trader Joe’s for 99 CENTS, I was way too excited. No prep required. Of course you can grate or shred them yourself!
• Microgreens or watercress – Virtually all herbs and microgreens are in season in Spring. When I first tested this salad, I used watercress, which is fairly peppery in taste. Microgreens are available at Trader Joe’s and some grocery stores – my local Safeway sells broccoli and alfalfa microgreens. Pick what you like!
• Pistachios – For a little crunch, I’ve added some pistachios to the salad. Any nut you have on hand would work, I just love the flavor of pistachios.
• Feta cheese – For a salty kick and creamy texture, I like to heavily sprinkle some feta right over the top. This is totally optional!

How to customize the Spring Mix Lunch Salad:

Pick your protein: I enjoyed this salad both with thin-sliced cooked chicken breasts, and sliced turkey breast. However, this salad could easily be enjoyed with a non-animal protein like chickpeas or lentils as well. 

Pick your dressing: I enjoyed this salad both with ranch, and my homemade Cilantro Lime Tahini Dressing. Pick your favorite dressing and enjoy!

Add more spring veggies: Arugula, peas and pea greens, ramps, spinach, other varieties of radish!

Ways to use up leftover ingredients:

I like a good salad, but I rarely like the same one four days in a row. To help keep your week versatile, I’ve created this recipe to make only one serving at a time. Of course, make more if you love yourself some Spring salad!!

BUT when you buy these ingredients to make only one salad, you’re gonna have leftovers. Here’s what to do in that case:

Microgreens: On burgers, tacos, over meat, pretty much anytime you want to dress up a meal with some fancy looking greens. No limits!

Radish: Add sliced radishes to any kind of salad (not just the spring salad), add to tacos, soups, or just eat plain with some yummy dip because they are crunchy, cheap and delicious!

Shredded carrots: Like I said above, I recently started buying pre-shredded carrots from the grocery store because they’re very reasonably priced, and such an incredible time saver. I’ve been putting them on all kinds of salads, in tacos, in stir fry, even on pizza. Yes, pizza.

Feta cheese: In burgers, on gyros or pitas, on pizza! Wherever you like cheese, really.

Can this salad be turned into a mason jar salad?

Yes, most definitely! Here’s how to layer the ingredients for best quality, in the order they go in the jar:

1. dressing
2. hardy veggies (carrots & radish)
3. cheese (feta)
4. meat or other protein (chicken breast)
5. microgreens
6. spring mix (stuff the jar!)

How to store this Simple Spring Mix Lunch Salad:

This salad, with the dressing kept separately or at the bottom of the mason jar, will keep for up to 4 days in the fridge.