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Article provided by Good Food

Spring is the season when salads start calling again, but if your idea of salad is a few limp leaves and a sad dressing, it’s no wonder they rarely satisfy for long. The good news? A proper salad can be every bit as filling, flavour-packed and dinner-worthy as a hot meal – you just need the right mix of ingredients.

These hearty spring salads, shared courtesy of Good Food, are designed to fix the age-old ‘sad salad’ problem for good. Think protein-rich steak, prawns and salmon, fibre-filled lentils and chickpeas, satisfying grains, crunchy veg and punchy dressings that bring everything to life. The result is a collection of salads that feel fresh and seasonal, while still keeping hunger firmly at bay.

Whether you’re after a lighter dinner, an easy lunch that actually keeps you going, or a dish that feels bright and nourishing without skimping on flavour, these recipes prove salads can be the main event, not just an afterthought.

5 proper salads for spring

Steak, beetroot, horseradish & warm lentil salad

Steak, beetroot, horseradish & warm lentil salad

Serves 2 – 496 kcals per serving

Kcals496
Fat13g
Sat fat4g
Carbs44g
Sugar20g
Fibre16g
Protein42g
Salt1.6g

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Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp hot horseradish sauce
  • 2 tbsp Greek yogurt
  • ½ tsp honey
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 200g fillet steak
  • 1½ tbsp cold-pressed rapeseed oil
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 200g frozen peas
  • 250g pouch pre-cooked puy lentils
  • 120g runner beans, sliced
  • 200g pre-cooked beetroot, cut into wedges
  • ½ small pack of dill, chopped
  • Two handfuls of rocket

Method

  1. Whisk together the horseradish, yogurt and honey. Season and add lemon juice to taste.
  2. Season the steak on all sides with a little salt and black pepper. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a non-stick frying pan. Add the steak and cook to your liking, 2-3 mins on each side for medium rare. Set aside to rest.
  3. Put the pan back on the heat, add the remaining oil, lightly crush in the garlic, then tip in the peas, lentils, beans and beetroot. Cook for a few mins, stirring, until the peas and beetroot are warmed through. Remove from the heat, then stir through the remaining lemon juice, dill and rocket.
  4. Thinly slice the steak. Divide the lentil salad between two plates, nestle in the steak and drizzle over the dressing.
Orzo, feta & prawn pasta salad

Orzo, feta & prawn pasta salad

Serves 4 – 467 kcals per serving

Kcals467
Fat18g
Sat fat5g
Carbs49g
Sugar3g
Fibre4g
Protein25g
Salt1.91g

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Ingredients

  • 250g orzo
  • 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, or a mixture of 2 tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp oil from the sundried tomatoes
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped dill
  • 2 spring onions, finely sliced
  • ½ cucumber, finely chopped
  • 6 sundried tomatoes in oil, sliced
  • 100g feta, crumbled
  • 300g cooked, peeled king prawns
  • A few handfuls of rocket

Method

  1. Cook the orzo in a pan of boiling salted water for 8-10 mins until tender. Drain, then rinse under cold running water to cool. Drain again.
  2. Tip the orzo into a bowl with the oil, lemon juice and dill. Fold in the remaining ingredients, except the rocket, gently tossing everything together. Transfer to a serving bowl, or if you want to take this on a picnic, pack into an airtight container, then toss through the rocket just before you’re ready to serve.
Butternut, chickpea, feta & pickled radish salad

Butternut, chickpea, feta & pickled radish salad

Serves 4 – 370 kcals per serving

Kcals370
Fat17g
Sat fat4g
Carbs33g
Sugar8g
Fibre11g
Protein16g
Salt0.7g

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Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp rose harissa
  • 1 butternut squash, skin on, seeds removed and cut into large wedges
  • 2 x 400g cans of chickpeas, drained
  • 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
  • 200g mixed radishes, cut into pieces
  • 80g vegetarian feta, crumbled
  • 1 small pack dill, chopped
  • 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds, toasted

Method

  1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Mix the oil with the harissa, then toss with the butternut squash and some seasoning in a large roasting tray. Roast for 30 mins. Add the chickpeas, toss together, then cook for a further 20 mins.
  2. Meanwhile, heat the sherry vinegar in a saucepan with a big pinch of sugar and salt with 1 tbsp water. Bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat and tip in the radishes. Mix and set aside.
  3. Pile the butternut and chickpeas onto a platter, mix through most of the feta and dill, then scatter over the pickled radishes and their liquor. Top with the remaining feta, dill and pumpkin seeds.
Honeyed beetroot & carrot salad with feta & hazelnuts

Honeyed beetroot & carrot salad with feta & hazelnuts

Serves 4-6 – 437 kcals per serving

Kcals437
Fat24g
Sat fat6g
Carbs38g
Sugar19g
Fibre9g
Protein13g
Salt1.1g

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Ingredients

  • 4 carrots (about 450g), cut into batons
  • 4 beetroots (about 450g), peeled and cut into thin wedges
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 150g quinoa and bulgur wheat mix
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 2 lemons, zested and juiced
  • 1 orange, zested and juiced
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 75g hazelnuts, roughly chopped
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • A small bunch of mint, leaves picked and chopped
  • A small bunch of parsley, chopped
  • A small bunch of dill, chopped
  • 200g feta, crumbled (ensure vegetarian if needed)

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Tip the carrots and beetroot wedges into a roasting tin, drizzle with the olive oil and season. Toss to coat and roast for 25 mins.
  2. Meanwhile, cook the quinoa and bulgur wheat mixture in a pan of boiling salted water following pack instructions. Drain in a sieve, then set aside to cool slightly.
  3. Combine the honey, lemon zest, orange zest and juice, the cumin and coriander. Remove the tin from the oven and pour the honey mixture over the veg. Stir, then scatter over the hazelnuts and return to the oven for another 10 mins.
  4. Tip the cooked grains onto a serving platter. Squeeze over the lemon juice and drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil. Top with most of the herbs and the feta, season well, and toss together. Pile the roasted veg and hazelnuts on top, pouring over any roasting juices from the tin. Scatter with the remaining herbs just before serving. Best served warm or at room temperature.
Fresh salmon niçoise

Fresh salmon niçoise

Serves 4 – 404 kcals per serving

Kcals404
Fat19g
Sat fat4g
Carbs23g
Sugar9g
Fibre8g
Protein31g
Salt0.6g

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Ingredients

  • 1 red onion (about 130g), finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 12 pitted Kalamata olives, quartered
  • 2 tbsp chopped dill
  • 2 tsp chopped tarragon leaves
  • 400g small baby potatoes
  • 2 eggs
  • 320g fine green beans, trimmed
  • 4 wild salmon fillets (about 100-125g each), defrosted if frozen
  • 2 x 160g Little Gem lettuces, 1 shredded
  • 4 tomatoes, cut into wedges

Method

  1. Combine the onion, vinegar, oil, olives and herbs in a medium bowl.
  2. Boil the potatoes in the base of a steamer for 10 mins. Add the eggs (top up with boiling water from the kettle if they’re not submerged). Tip the green beans into a pan and put the steamer on top, then cook for 8 mins more.
  3. Remove the potatoes and eggs from the steamer, but don’t drain. Add the salmon to the water and cook for 5 mins. Stir the warm potatoes into the dressing.
  4. To serve, divide half the lettuce between two plates (or pile onto one platter) along with half the green beans and tomatoes, then spoon half the dressed potatoes on top. Remove and discard any skin from the salmon, then flake half the fish over the salad. Peel one egg, halve and serve one half over each salad. Chill the remaining ingredients for the next day to eat cold. Will keep covered and chilled for up to a day.

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