Keto Mixed Green Spring Salad

Welcome spring with this fresh and vibrant keto mixed green salad! Bursting with a variety of spring produce on a bed of crisp greens, this low-carb salad makes the perfect light meal or side dish. The combination of flavors and textures in this salad is simply amazing. Keep reading for the step-by-step recipe to make this colorful salad at home.

Salad Ingredients

This keto salad stars a mix of spring greens and is topped with an assortment of fresh vegetables, herbs, nuts, cheese, and a zesty lemon dressing. Here's what you'll need:

• 1 head butter lettuce, chopped
• 5 oz spinach, chopped
• 5 oz arugula, chopped
• 1 cup shredded red cabbage
• 1 cup chopped asparagus
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1 cucumber, sliced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1⁄4 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1⁄4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
• 1⁄3 cup slivered almonds
• 1⁄3 cup crumbled feta cheese

Greens

Using a mix of lettuces gives a nice variety of flavors and textures. Butter lettuce and spinach provide body, while arugula adds a pleasant bitterness.

Veggies

The asparagus, avocado, cucumber, cabbage, tomatoes, and onion offer different colors, tastes, and crunchy textures.

Herbs & Toppings

Fresh parsley and chives infuse bright, herby flavor. Almonds crunch, and feta cheese crumbles add salty creaminess.

Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette

This tangy, mustardy dressing brings all the salad ingredients together beautifully. Whisk up this easy vinaigrette:

• 1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon honey
• Pinch of salt and pepper

Dressing Tips

Feel free to tweak the dressing ingredients to your taste. Red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar also work well.

Assemble the Spring Salad

Now it's time to put our colorful low carb salad together!

1. In a large bowl, combine the lettuces, spinach, arugula, cabbage, asparagus, avocado, cucumber, tomatoes and onion. Toss to mix.
2. Drizzle 3⁄4 of the dressing over the salad. Toss gently until evenly coated.
3. Add the fresh herbs, almonds and feta on top.
4. Drizzle over remaining dressing.

Tossing Tips

Be gentle when tossing to avoid bruising the tender greens and vegetables.

Serving Suggestions

This bright, fresh keto salad can be enjoyed in many ways:

• As a side salad next to grilled chicken, steak, or fish
• On its own as a light lunch
• Over cauliflower rice for a salad bowl
• Stuffed into lettuce wraps
• Topped with cooked shrimp or chicken

Pair it with an olive oil and vinegar cruet on the side so guests can drizzle on more dressing.

Making it a Meal

Add sliced grilled chicken, tuna, or salmon to turn this salad into a hearty low-carb dinner.

Spring Vegetable Options

One of the great things about this salad is you can switch up the veggies depending on what's in season.

Some spring vegetable ideas:

• Asparagus
• Artichokes
• Peas
• Fava beans
• Green beans
• Sugar snap peas
• Radishes
• Baby carrots

Experiment with different produce for variation.

Storage and Leftovers

Store leftover keto spring salad in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days. Dress just before eating. The flavors continue developing as it sits.

Repurpose leftovers by:

• Wrapping in lettuce leaves for lettuce wrap sandwiches
• Adding to omelets or frittatas
• Topping cauliflower pizza crust as a low-carb pizza

Health Benefits

Some of the many health benefits of the ingredients in this salad include:

• Spinach - Iron, folate, Vitamin K
• Arugula - Antioxidants, Vitamins A, C, K
• Asparagus - Fiber, antioxidants, folate
• Avocado - Healthy fats, fiber, potassium
• Tomatoes - Lycopene, Vitamin C

On the keto diet, this salad provides healthy fats from the avocado, cheese, nuts and oil-based dressing. The multitude of non-starchy veggies contributes fiber without significantly raising carbs. It's packed with nutrition!

Nutrition Info Per Serving

Based on 8 servings, 1 serving provides:

• Calories: 160
• Net Carbs: 7g
• Fat: 13g
• Protein: 5g
• Fiber: 4g

Recipe Variations

Some easy ways to tweak this spring salad recipe include:

• Using different greens like kale, romaine, radicchio, endive, etc.
• Adding chopped nuts like pecans, walnuts, pine nuts or pumpkin seeds
• Topping with crumbled cheese like feta, goat, blue or parmesan
• Using different fresh herbs like dill, basil, cilantro or mint
• Swapping out the lemon dressing for an olive oil balsamic version
• Adding sauteed mushrooms for extra richness

Make it your own with your favorite low-carb ingredients!

More Tasty Keto Salad Recipes

If you love creative salad ideas, try these other keto-friendly salads:

• Keto taco salad with taco meat and cheese
• Keto chicken caesar salad
• Keto Cobb salad with bacon, egg, avocado
• Keto Greek salad with feta, olives, pepperoncini
• Keto steak salad with arugula and blue cheese

There are so many delicious ways to get your greens on a low-carb diet!

Conclusion

This fresh, flavorful keto mixed green spring salad is the perfect way to enjoy the bounty of spring produce. Bursting with crisp lettuces, tender seasonal vegetables, tangy feta cheese, crunchy almonds and a bright lemon dijon dressing, it's sure to be a new favorite. The variety of tastes and textures in this salad keeps it interesting with every bite. Change up the veggies and greens based on availability for endless low-carb salad ideas. Enjoy this salad as a side, light lunch, or complete meal on its own.

FAQs

Can I meal prep this salad?

It's best to prep the dressing and chop ingredients ahead but assemble the salad just before eating so the greens stay fresh and crunchy.

How long will leftover salad keep?

Store undressed leftover salad in an airtight container up to 3 days. Dress just before eating for maximum freshness.

Can I use balsamic instead of lemon dressing?

Yes, an olive oil balsamic dressing would be delicious. Use 3 parts oil to 1 part balsamic vinegar.

Can I add grilled chicken?

Absolutely. Grilled chicken goes great on top of this salad. Add about 4 oz sliced grilled chicken breast per serving to make it a heartier meal.

What about other add-ins like bacon or avocado?

You can top this salad with any of your favorite keto ingredients. Some ideas are bacon bits, shredded cheese, extra avocado, hard boiled egg, olives, nuts, seeds, etc. Get creative!