Spring green is the theme for this quick salad that announces much-awaited spring vegetables. After so . many . months of kale, collards and broccoli, sugar snap peas at the farmers market signal a big shift in what we’ll have on our plates for the coming weeks.
Sugar snap peas are a variety where the tender pod is eaten along with the pea inside. They are adorably plump and tender, a rightful star of this quick salad. (An Asian-style snow pea is similar but has a flat pod.) Just remember to remove the string that runs along the length of the pod.
I make a version of this salad when sugar snap peas are prolific (read: a bit more affordable) at my favorite farmers’ stands. It’s an easy adjustment to use asparagus, sliced cucumbers, and/or radishes, if you enjoy those options, but sometimes a few exquisite ingredients are all that are needed for a perfectly satisfying salad.
I leave everything raw as I love the taste of fresh, raw sweet peas. And the crunch. But feel free to do a quick blanch in boiling water, then a plunge into an ice water bath, if that’s how you prefer. Admittedly this does result in a showier, bright green snap pea.
Hopefully this will be a springboard (!) into multiple variations to enjoy in the coming months.
Snappy Pea and Spinach Salad with Lemony Mint Dressing
Ingredients
For the dressing
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 3 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint minced
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt to taste
- 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground, to taste
For the salad
- 10 ounces sugar snap peas sliced thinly on a steep diagonal
- 6 ounces baby spinach the size of a typical bag of triple-washed greens
- 1/4 cup chives cut in 1/2-inch lengths
Instructions
- For the dressing: Combine the mustard, lemon juice, sea salt and pepper in a small bowl and mix well. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking to help emulsify the dressing. Add the minced mint. Set aside while you prepare the salad.
For the salad
- Rinse the sugar snap peas and remove the tough string that runs down the length of the pod where the peas are attached inside. Slice on a steep diagonal, maybe4 – 5 slices depending on the size of the pod.
- Slice the chives in 1/2-inch lengths
- Add the sliced sugar snap peas to a 3-quart bowl. Add the dressing and gently toss. Add the chives and spinach and toss again to distribute the dressing throughout. This is a very lightly dressed salad, which we prefer, so the delicate flavor of the sugar snap peas shines through.
