The Easter Salad
The Easter salad is nothing short of stunning and perfect for such a joyous day! Delicate greens, fresh herbs, charred roasted carrots and a sweet lemony dressing. It's vibrant, flavorful and the perfect addition to your spring holiday tables.
Oh baby do I love this salad! Holiday salads are beginning to be a favorite recipe category of mine and this one is no exception. If I could dream up the perfect merriment of spring flavors, this is exactly what I would want to eat.
The base is a mix of baby spring mix and a plethora of tender herbs that will make you think, "why do I ever eat salad without fresh herbs mixed in?" We've also got lightly charred carrots, juicy blueberries, crunchy pistachios and just a touch of paper thin shallots for bite. Goat cheese is optional because I know it's a love or hate relationship but let it be known that I highly endorse it! The best (and perhaps most important) part of this salad is the bright lemony dressing that just really shines.
Here's what you need to make this gorgeous Easter salad.
Easter Salad Ingredients
- spring mix or other favorite delicate greens
- fresh tender herbs - I used a mix of dill, basil and mint and think it's worth buying all three
- carrots, which you'll roast
- blueberries
- shallots, sliced extra thin on a mandoline
- pistachios (those are my favorite because they're roasted and salted)
- optional: goat cheese for creaminess
- dressing ingredients: neutral oil, lemon zest and juice, honey, whole grain mustard
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Roast the carrots (you can even do this a day ahead of time if you wish!)
- Make the dressing
- Toss the greens/herbs with half the dressing and transfer to a platter
- Top with blueberries, carrots, pistachios, shallots and carrots
- Drizzle more dressing on top
I think adding more herbs as a garnish is beautiful (like a few little bundles of mint leaves). Edible flowers would add a special touch if you can find them too.
What's the Best Way to Cut and Roast the Carrots?
Chop each carrot into thirds on a bias, then half each of those lengthwise (see photo below). Find the detailed instructions in the recipe card below, but you'll toss the carrots with some oil and seasonings and roast until they are fork tender and look a little charred on the edges.
While I generally use parchment paper for roasting, I really wanted to lean in to the color on these carrots so I chose to skip it this time. If you want optimal caramelization, it's sometimes worth the extra effort to clean the pan.
Salad Presentation Tips
For special occasions and/or when I'm feeding a larger number of people, I almost always opt for a platter for salad (p.s. if you need a platter, I have and love this one). This solves the age-old problem of the good stuff sinking to the bottom of the bowl.
Toss the greens with some dressing and transfer to a platter, then finish with all of the toppings and additional dressing. It's a beautiful presentation and your guests will get a little of everything in each bite!
FAQs and Substitutions
Roast the carrots up to one day in advance. Make the dressing up to three days in advance. The rest comes together fairly quickly! I would not toss the greens with the dressing until just before serving, as they will begin to wilt.
It you only buy one, I'd recommend the mint and only use about ¼ cup.
I'd say 8 comfortably as part of big holiday spread.
This salad really has it all! Creamy, crunchy, juicy, roasted, raw, fresh, acidic. I love it so much and I hope you do too. I'd be honored if you added it to your holiday spread.
More Showstopping Salads
The Easter Salad
The Easter salad is nothing short of stunning and perfect for such a joyous day! Delicate greens, fresh herbs, charred roasted carrots and a sweet lemony dressing. It's vibrant, flavorful and the perfect addition to your holiday tables.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 servings 1x
- Category: Sides, Salads
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients:
- 4 large carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise, then cut into 2” chunks on a slight bias (see photos)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
- 5 oz container baby spring mix
- ½ cup fresh tender herbs, torn or roughly chopped (such as dill, basil, mint)
- ¾ cup blueberries
- 1 small shallot, sliced very thin (preferably using a mandoline)
- ¼ cup roasted and salted pistachios, chopped
- Optional: goat cheese crumbles
Dressing Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil (or other neutral oil)
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425° F.
- Transfer carrots to a sheet pan and drizzle with the olive oil, granulated garlic, a generous pinch of salt and a few cranks of black pepper. Toss until well coated and roast for 15-20 minutes, or until browned and fork-tender, flipping once about halfway through.
- Meanwhile, make the dressing: add all ingredients to a small jar and whisk or shake until well combined.
- Just before serving: add spring mix to a large bowl and drizzle with a few tablespoons of the dressing. Scatter on a large platter and top with herbs, blueberries, roasted carrots, shallots, pistachios and goat cheese (if using). Drizzle with extra dressing if desired.
Notes
- The equipment section above provides affiliate links to things I use often in my kitchen and love.
- Make-ahead: roast carrots and make the dressing up to one day in advance. I don't recommend dressing the salad until just before serving as the greens will start to break down quickly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 128 calories
- Fat: 9 grams
- Carbohydrates: 11 grams
- Fiber: 2 grams
- Protein: 3 grams
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This was absolutely delicious. Will definitely be making this again and again.
Thank you so much Kimber! I appreciate you coming back to leave a star rating and review. Glad it was a hit!
100% amazing! Made this salad for Easter yesterday. People went back for seconds! I even had to make another small batch: thankfully I had extra dressing already set. A must make!
Yes!!! So glad to hear it Emily. Thanks for giving this one a try!
So good! This is going to be one on rotation, even beyond Easter!
I am so so happy to hear that! Definitely a great choice all spring - thank you Leigh!
Looks amazing! Hoping to make this an Easter main dish for my vegetarian friends at a mixed company (vegetarians and non-vegetarians) holiday dinner. Any recommendations to up the protein? Cannellini or garbanzo beans marinated in the delicious lemony dressing maybe? Looking forward to trying this!
I think your idea sounds delicious! Let me know if you try it, the dressing is fresh and punchy so I think it would work great. A slow roasted salmon on the side would be special for the non-vegetarian protein option. Hope it turns out great for you!