Sweet strawberries, smooth dried apricots, warm earthy notes of pistachio all followed by a refreshing pop of mint. So dramatic, but also the perfect description of this spring mix salad recipe. It's truly amazing!
WOW -- sums up this salad in one word.
This salad takes less than ten minutes to make, and once it's done, your taste buds will be having a celebration. I can write lots of words to describe this salad, but I say let's skip an intro and get to making it! Why hold off on greatness?
If you make this spring mix salad, take a picture and tag me on Instagram. I would love to see it! If you're in the mood to make this a meal, I will pair this salad with my pear, grape, and blue cheese focaccia bread. The salad and bread would go great with a glass of wine. Make it a bottle and celebrate spring (and the nearing the end of COVID).
Ingredients
This salad comes together with only ten ingredients, eleven if you add balsamic vinegar reduction to the dressing (it was not pictured). Right now, in early spring, there are a lot of fresh strawberries, and avocado's coming up from Central America. The freshness of the fruit makes this salad pop.
Dressing
The shallot dressing can be made with raw shallots or with sautéed shallots that bring out the flavor. While both options taste great, I prefer using sautéed shallots in the vinaigrette. It only takes about three minutes to cook them on the stove. This step will provide a depth of flavor to your salad that will enrich the overall flavor.
Ingredients for the shallot dressing:
- 1 shallot, finely diced
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar reduction
- 1 teaspoon agave syrup
- salt and pepper to taste
Steps to make the dressing:
- Start with a small or medium sauté pan and heat the pan over medium too low. Add one tablespoon of olive oil, and once the oil starts to "shimmer," add the shallots. Cook the shallots for 2 -3 there minutes until they become fragrant. Once done, remove from heat and pat dry on a paper towel.
- In a small jar, combine olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar reduction, agave nectar, and shallots.
- Add salt and pepper to desired taste.
- Drizzle dressing over the salad.
Note: This recipe makes a large amount of dressing. I prefer light dressing, so I use only a quarter of the dressing. The remaining dressing can be stored in a closed container for up to one week. (Bonus, the flavor only gets better!)
Substitutions and Additions
The nice thing about this salad, and just about any salad, is it's fun to modify into your perfect salad. Any of the ingredients can be swapped out for something you have in your pantry or your personal preference. Below are a few ideas.
Dried apricots - Dried fruits pack a flavor punch that amps up the sweetness of any salad. Currently, I love the flavor of dried apricots; however, just about any dried fruit will pack the same punch. Other substitutions that would also taste great include dried cranberries, mangoes, or pineapples.
Pistachios - This salad is so flexible that just about any nut or seed would taste great. If you are not a fan of pistachio try using almonds, sunflower seeds, or even pepitas.
Agave Nectar - Provides sweetness to the dressing. I prefer agave nectar because it is vegan. Honey is a non-vegan alternative and can be swapped out at a 1:1 ratio.
Cheese - I made this salad vegan for all my vegan friends. However, if you prefer cheese on your salad, I recommend feta or goat cheese. The flavors in both of those cheeses would amplify the flavor for my vegetarian friends.
How to Keep Spring Mix Fresh
I recently found out the best trick to keep the spring salad mix fresh in the refrigerator. It's so easy, and your spring mix, or really any lettuce, will last up to two weeks. All you need is a paper towel. Yep, that's all you need to make your lettuce last. Fold the paper towel and place it inside the spring mix container. Then store the container upside down in your refrigerator. The paper towel will absorb all the extra moisture, and your mix will last longer. My lettuce mixes usually last two weeks.
Storage
This salad can be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. I recommend squeezing fresh lemon on top of the avocado to keep the color looking fresh.
Recipe
Strawberry, Apricot, and Pistachio Salad
Ingredients
Dressing
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon agave syrup
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar reduction
- Salt and pepper to taste
Salad
- 4 cups spring mix lettuce
- 6-8 strawberries, sliced thin
- 1 avocado, sliced thin
- â…“ cup dried apricots, sliced thin or diced
- ¼ cup pistachios
- 5- 7 fresh mint leaves, sliced thin
Instructions
- Dressing: Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the shallots and cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Mix shallots with remaining olive oil, lemon juice, agave, salt, and pepper.¼ cup olive oil, 1 shallot, finely chopped, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon agave syrup, Salt and pepper to taste
- Salad: Divide the salad among 2 - 4 bowls, arrange the strawberries, avocado, dried apricot's and pistachios on top.6-8 strawberries, sliced thin, 1 avocado, sliced thin, ⅓ cup dried apricots, sliced thin or diced, ¼ cup pistachios
- Pour the dressing on top and sprinkle with mint leaves.5- 7 fresh mint leaves, sliced thin
Anonymous
Love the paper towel tip!
Ruth Grindeland
Thank you!!! It makes a huge difference