Spring Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

Name: Spring Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 16 ounces
Ingredients: 1 5 Ounce Bag of Spring Salad Mix- Washed; 4 Ounces of Shredded Carrots; 1 Ounce of Shredded Parmesan Cheese ((optional)); 8 Ounces of Mandarin Orange Juice; 4 Ounces of Lemon Juice; 4 Ounces of Lime Juice; 6 to 8 Ounces of Extra Virgin Olive Oil; 1 Tablespoon of Chopped Shallot; 1 Tablespoon of Chopped Garlic; Salt and Pepper to taste

Originally posted: February 22, 2017. Last modified: September 29, 2019.

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Spring salad with citrus vinaigrette combines olive oil, lemons, limes, and oranges to create a sweet but tart dressing perfect for crisp mixed greens.

Ladies and gentlemen, Spring is on its way. Temperatures are slowly climbing, and that means barbecues and picnics are definitely in the future. With that being said, a lot of people still have to dine indoors. But that doesn’t mean they have to miss out on Spring’s delicious flavors.

For this recipe, we decided to prepare a crisp dish that can be enjoyed indoors or outside. Our Spring salad with citrus vinaigrette will leave you feeling like you just enjoyed a fresh meal under bright blue skies and warm sunshine.

Citrus dressing being poured on a salad.

Nothing starts a meal quite like a fresh salad with brisk dressing. It cleanses the palate and entices the taste buds in preparation for the satisfying main course.

Since the Spring months are approaching fast, your produce section will begin stocking itself with a variety of salad mixes. We chose the Spring mix for obvious reasons. It’s the perfect blend of crunchy texture and earthy flavors to play host to this sharp yet delightful vinaigrette.

The balance of acid to sugar in this dressing mingles well and provides an alternative to heavy cream dressings. Also, you could pair this salad with our egg rolls for an Asian inspired vegetarian meal. We hope you decide to incorporate it into your next meal plan. Wishing you great food, lots of love, and longevity!

Unfortunately, there is no real backstory or cute narrative to accompany this recipe. I wish I had some memoir to add, but I simply do not. If you are looking for fiction, feel free to look me up on Amazon.

Instead, I have decided to go with a different tone for this post and sincerely hope you still find it satisfactory. If not, hang in there, we will surely make a dish that has an engaging narrative very soon. For now, sit back, relax and enjoy the food!

How to Make a Spring Salad:

Salad Preparation:

I know I say this a lot, but this recipe is simple to prepare. The real star is the dressing, and it only takes a few minutes to put together. Now, on the recipe card, I put the traditional method to making a vinaigrette; however, if you look in the “Notes” section you will see how I make a vinaigrette. I will go into a little more detail below. But first, let’s get started on the preparation work.

To begin, wash the Spring mix and either use a salad spinner or paper towels to dry the greens. Then put them in a large mixing bowl and set it aside.

Next, shred the carrots and add them to the salad mix. Afterward, shred the parmesan cheese into a separate bowl and put it aside for later. Go ahead and chop the garlic and shallot and put them into another mixing bowl. Now that everything is prepped you can make the vinaigrette.

Ariel view of mixed greens salad on a white plate.

Citrus Vinaigrette:

In the same bowl as the garlic and shallot, add the lemon, lime, and orange juices. Give the ingredients a quick whisk to make sure they are blended. For the traditional method, slowly add the olive oil to the mixture while whisking at the same time.

This action causes them to combine into the vinaigrette. With that being said, when I make a dressing, I chose the easy route. I add the garlic, juices, olive oil, shallot, and any seasonings to a mason jar, seal it, and then shake vigorously. That has always worked for me, and I invite you to give a shot as well.

You may find it to be the easiest way to make your favorite dressings. Make sure you taste the dressing and add any salt or pepper if needed. All that is left to do now is to add the vinaigrette to the salad, mix and then garnish with the Parmesan cheese. Alternately, you can plate each salad individually, dress, then add the Parmesan cheese. The choice is up to you, enjoy it any way you like.

Looking for more salad dressing recipes? Try our Parmesan Caesar Dressing or Spicy Ranch Dressing.

If you like this recipe, please leave us a comment and rate the recipe card. You can also find us on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram searching for Berly’s Kitchen!

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5 from 1 vote