dinner, lunch, Salad/Salad Dressing

Spring Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette

This Spring Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette combines fresh vegetables with a zesty vinaigrette for a healthy and refreshing meal.
Cilantro and I just get each other.

We have one of those BFF relationships where it doesn’t matter how much time we spend together, we never seem to get sick of each other. I’m that girl that asks for “extra cilantro please” every time I’m going down the line at Cafe Rio (a popular Mexican grill, if you’ve never been lucky enough to experience it)…

I think my love for cilantro came when I was in high school. Ok guys, this is a really weird story…so don’t judge. In high school, my friends and I often ended up with a huge stack of each other’s clothes in our closet. For example, someone would lend me their sweatpants, and then we’d both forget about it and soon enough, their sweats became a part of my permanent wardrobe.

One day, I decided to sleep over at my friend Laurel’s house, so she lent me one of her Dad’s t-shirts to sleep in. Is that weird? I dunno, I didn’t think so. I ended up wearing it home, and soon it became my regular go-to PJ top. And why did I love this oversized t-shirt so much? I’ll tell you why…It smelled like cilantro. It didn’t matter how many times I washed it, the shirt always smelled like cilantro.

And I loved it. I know, I’m weird like that.

This Spring Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette combines fresh vegetables with a zesty vinaigrette for a healthy and refreshing meal.This Spring Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette combines fresh vegetables with a zesty vinaigrette for a healthy and refreshing meal.
So what’s your herby BFF? Ok, I’m making up weird phrases now. Parsley? Basil? Thyme? Or are you a cilantro-lover too?

Whether or not you love cilantro, I’m pretty positive you’ll love this cilantro vinaigrette. It has a bright, zesty flavor that compliments the Spring veggies just right. And then you add that feta and you’re set! A fresh, healthy, and colorful salad. Pass the cilantro pleazzz. 🙂

This Spring Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette combines fresh vegetables with a zesty vinaigrette for a healthy and refreshing meal.

Spring Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Yield: 4-6

Ingredients

    Salad
  • 4 cups mixed greens
  • 1 lbs. waxy potatoes such as fingerlings or small red potatoes
  • 1 lbs. green beans, ends trimmed
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes
  • 1 large cucumber
  • Feta cheese for topping
  • Cilantro Vinaigrette
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp. water
  • 2 handfuls cilantro (about 1 heaping cup)
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • 2 tsp. crushed garlic
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. honey
  • 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

Instructions

    Salad
  1. Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Add a pinch of salt and bring to a simmer. Cook until tender, about 15-20 minutes. (You know they're done when they can be easily poked with a fork.) Drain in a colander and cut into bite-sized pieces.
  2. Blanch the green beans: fill a medium-sized saucepan with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the beans and blanch for about 3 minutes. Drain in a colander and immediately run under cold water, or place in a large bowl with icy water. Cut each green bean in half.
  3. Chop the tomatoes in half and cut the cucumbers into bite-sized pieces.
  4. Assemble the salad: in a large bowl, add the mixed greens, potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese and toss with cilantro vinaigrette.
  5. Cilantro Vinaigrette
  6. Combine all ingredients except the olive oil in a food processor or powerful blender and mix until smooth. Slowly drizzle the olive oil in until incorporated.
  7. Toss desired amount with the salad

Notes

*This cilantro vinaigrette also works great as a salmon/chicken marinade or sauce. Double the recipe and keep extras in the fridge for up to two weeks.

https://www.kiwiandcarrot.com/spring-salad-cilantro-vinaigrette/

*This post contains affiliate links, which means if you purchase a product from a link, we receive a portion of the earnings. This doesn’t affect your price in any way, and we appreciate your help to keep Kiwi and Carrot up and running!

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10 Comments

  • Reply Candy May 20, 2016 at 3:19 pm

    One meal salad perfect for all occasions.

    • Reply Sarah May 21, 2016 at 9:11 pm

      It’s true! Family dinner, neighborhood BBQ, or in a tupperware on the go. 😉

  • Reply Christine | Mid-Life Croissant May 21, 2016 at 5:27 am

    I love this! And I’m so with you on the cilantro. Can’t wait to try this dressing.

    • Reply Sarah May 21, 2016 at 9:12 pm

      Christine, I’m so glad you agree with me about cilantro. It just doesn’t get better 🙂

  • Reply Anne May 21, 2016 at 10:21 am

    Omg I absolutely love all the colors!! So springy/summery -I will definitely be making this soon!

    • Reply Sarah May 21, 2016 at 9:12 pm

      Thanks Anne! Let us know how it turns out!

  • Reply Dannie May 22, 2016 at 12:37 pm

    oh my goodness gracious this looks SO GOOD! Cilantro is totally my bff, but my fiancee hates it. So I legit keep a plant of it and just add my own to everything. Nobody said we had to eat everything the same way, right?

    Seriously, I’m going to make this salad really soon. I need it in my life.

    xoxo,
    Dannie
    http://www.stilefotocibo.com

    • Reply Sarah May 22, 2016 at 7:34 pm

      Haha Dannie, that’s so funny because my husband hates cilantro too! I figure that’s just more for me 🙂

  • Reply Jenna May 23, 2016 at 8:56 pm

    I’ll need to try this dressing! I love cilantro and find that I go through the kind from the market so fast!

    Jenna from http://www.visionsofvogue.com

    • Reply Sarah May 23, 2016 at 10:13 pm

      I’m right there with ya. Cilantro doesn’t last long at my house 😉 Hope you like the dressing!

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