Easy Spring Mix Salad is a quick and easy way to enjoy your favorite veggies. Coated in a homemade creamy balsamic dressing, this vibrant salad is bound to become a new staple in your kitchen. Jump to Recipe
If you’re looking for your new favorite healthy side salad, look no further than this Easy Spring Mix Salad. It’s beyond easy to make, loaded with nutrients, and pairs brilliantly with all your favorite savory main courses.
Arguably the best part (or at least my favorite part) of this salad is the homemade creamy balsamic dressing we coat it with just before serving it. Made from a base of rich Greek yogurt, savory balsamic vinegar, and sweet syrupy honey, this dressing is bursting at the seams with incredible flavors.
After I made my own salad dressing for the first time, I vowed to never look back. The base of nearly every dressing on the planet is olive oil and some type of vinegar, so why pay ten bucks for a store-bought dressing that is bound to be filled with artificial sugars and preservatives when I could whip up my own in under a minute?
Whether you’re looking for healthy side dishes for family dinners or quick and easy lunches for meal prep, this Easy Spring Mix Salad is a surefire hit. Try it out for yourself and let me know what you think!
Make it extra special with some grilled onions, grilled salmon, or pack in all the veggies by serving it with this Broccoli Salad at your next barbecue.
What You’ll Need for a Spring Mix Salad
To make this easy salad, you will need the following key ingredients:
- Spring mix: This blend of lettuces is packed with nutrients and makes up the base of our salad. If needed, you can swap this out for arugula, spinach, or romaine lettuce. You can make your own spring mix blend at home or simply grab a store bought blend.
- Cucumbers: These light and crunchy veggies are around 95% water, making them perfect for helping you hydrate during the summertime.
- Tomatoes: I love the sweetness of cherry tomatoes in this dish, but you can use any type of tomatoes you want.
- Carrots: These are loaded with beneficial vitamins and minerals like beta carotene, vitamin K, and potassium.
- Red onions: These add a really great crunch and a sharp flavor that balances out the more mild flavors. If you don’t have red onions, you can swap them out for green onions or shallots.
Croutons: These are optional but absolutely delicious and super easy to make! I love making croutons from scratch with sourdough or whole wheat bread. - Homemade dressing: Made from a base of Greek yogurt and balsamic vinegar, this delicious dressing is the figurative icing on the cake! If you don’t have the ingredients to make your dressing from scratch, feel free to use any kind you have at home.
How to Make Homemade Creamy Balsamic Salad Dressing
My favorite salad dressing to pair with this Spring Mix Salad is easily my creamy balsamic dressing. It’s super easy to make, comes together with just a few shakes of a jar, and tastes insanely delicious. This homemade salad dressing is made with simple ingredients that you probably already have laying around: plain Greek yogurt, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper.
If you have the ingredients and literally one minute to spare, I highly recommend making this dressing. If it’s not a possibility, feel free to swap it out for any kind of salad dressing you like. Consider using this Honey Mustard Dressing, Yogurt Blue Cheese Dressing, or Jalapeno Ranch.
How to Make Croutons From Scratch
While you can purchase store-bought croutons, it’s so much more fun to make them yourself! Not to mention, it can be a huge money saver in the long run. You can make homemade croutons from any kind of bread you like, but my personal favorite is sourdough bread. It has a great taste and crisps up really nicely for the perfect croutons.
You can make homemade croutons either in the oven or in a toaster oven, depending on what’s easier and what you’re working with. Simply preheat the appliance to 400 F, chop your bread into crouton-sized pieces (about ½” to 1”), and spritz them with cooking spray.
Next, you’ll want to season them to your preference. I like to keep it simple with salt and pepper, but you can add garlic, rosemary, or any other seasonings you like. You will then bake the croutons for approximately 8-10 minutes, then set them aside to cool until you’re ready to toss them into your salad. It’s really that simple!
How to Make this Spring Mix Salad Your Own
Here are some of my favorite ways to switch up this dish:
- Add some cheese: Who doesn’t love a little cheese? For some added protein and flavor, try adding a tangy cheese like feta cheese or goat cheese.
- Add a protein source: To make this a more filling meal, toss in your favorite source of protein. Some of my top choices for this salad include grilled or baked chicken, salmon, steak, and shrimp.
- Add something crunchy: Looking for a little crunch? Nuts and seeds are loaded with nutrients, omega-3s, and healthy fats. Try tossing in some chopped almonds, pecans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, or hemp hearts.
- Swap out the greens: If you’re not a fan of spring mix or want to use a different type of leafy green that you have at home, go ahead! Lettuce, arugula, spinach, and kale will all work well here.
- Change up the dressing: While I’m a big fan of the creamy balsamic dressing we use in this recipe, feel free to come up with your own or use your favorite store-bought salad dressing.
- Add fruit: Add some natural sweetness to this dish with fruit. Favorites include chopped apples, pears, strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries.
- Throw in some bacon: Need I really say more? You could also toss in some chopped turkey bacon for a lighter option.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below you will find answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about this healthy salad recipe:
How long does salad last in the fridge?
When stored separately from the dressing, the salad will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. To help keep it fresh, I recommend placing a paper towel under the lid to help absorb the moisture of the veggies.
What can I use instead of spring mix?
If you don’t want to use spring mix, any leafy greens will work. Options include spinach, romaine lettuce, arugula, and kale.
What makes up spring mix?
Spring mix is a combination of up to 14 different types of baby greens. It most often includes romaine lettuce, baby spinach, mustard greens, red chard, and frisee.
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