I still remember the first time I made this salad for company — it was one of those gray, early-spring dinners where nothing outside looked particularly hopeful, and then someone brought a bowl so bright and crisp it felt like sunshine on the table. That bowl was a version of Spring Green Salad with Lemon Basil Vinaigrette, and ever since I have kept the core idea in my head for any time I want something light, flavorful, and impossibly easy to pull together. If you like bright, herb-forward dressings and the satisfying pop of seeds, you will probably end up making it all the time too. For inspiration on other salads I love on busy nights, I sometimes glance back at a favorite feta cranberry chickpea salad recipe that uses a lemon vinaigrette in a different, hearty way feta cranberry chickpea salad.

The Secret Behind Perfect Spring Green Salad with Lemon Basil Vinaigrette

The thing that makes this work is the contrast: tender mixed spring greens against crunchy seasonal produce; the silky creaminess of avocado meeting the bright, herbaceous lemon basil vinaigrette; and finally the little nutty crunch from seeds like sunflower or pumpkin. In my kitchen the ingredients live on the counter like characters in a play — mixed spring greens, fresh seasonal produce such as cucumbers, radishes, and cherry tomatoes, seeds (sunflower or pumpkin), a creamy avocado, a lemon, a handful of basil, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Everything is simple, but when you treat each component with a tiny bit of care the result sings.

A Few Things I’ve Learned

When I teach friends how to make this, I always start by saying not to overdress the greens. Too much vinaigrette wilts everything in seconds. For the method I follow the straightforward steps I learned the first time around: 1. In a large bowl, combine mixed spring greens and chopped seasonal produce. 2. Slice the avocado and add it to the salad. 3. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, chopped basil, olive oil, salt, and pepper to create the vinaigrette. 4. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to combine. 5. Sprinkle with seeds before serving. Enjoy! I like to whisk in the lemon juice first, then add a good glug of olive oil while whisking so it emulsifies, and I always taste for salt and pepper before pouring it over the greens.

A small practical tip: dry the greens thoroughly. I use a salad spinner or gently pat them with a towel. If the leaves carry extra water the vinaigrette just slides off and the salad loses its chance to cling to flavor. Another tip is to slice the avocado last and add it right before serving to keep it from turning brown. If an avocado is just shy of ripe, sprinkle the sliced pieces with a tiny brush of lemon juice so they stay pretty and bright.

Getting the Texture Just Right

Textures matter here. I like my cucumbers thinly sliced so they snap but do not overwhelm; radishes give a peppery pop if you slice them paper thin; cherry tomatoes burst with juicy sweetness when you bite into them. The avocado should be creamy, almost melting into the leaves. To know when it’s done right look for a few things: the greens should still be crisp and not soggy, the avocado should be ripe but not mushy, and the vinaigrette should lightly coat rather than flood the salad. You should hear a faint crunch from the seeds as you eat — that sound is as satisfying as the first bite. If you want a bit more body, I sometimes toss in a handful of toasted seeds; toast them in a dry skillet for a couple of minutes until they smell toasty and nutty, then cool before sprinkling on top.

I often pair this salad with grilled proteins. It goes especially well next to something with a bold citrus or spice profile like the lemon chili grilled chicken bowls I make on nights I want a heartier meal lemon chili grilled chicken bowls. If you prefer a vegetarian plate, serve it with warm, crusty bread or a scoop of grains.

Small Ways To Make It Yours

A few variations are easy and let you tailor the salad to the season or your pantry. If you want a salty, creamy lift add crumbled feta or goat cheese. For a smoky contrast try grilling the tomatoes lightly. Swap basil for mint in hot weather for a cooling twist, or toss in some cooked quinoa or farro if you want the salad to feel like a main. One of my favorite twists involves halloumi — grill slices until golden and add them on top with a drizzle of the lemon basil vinaigrette; it turns the salad into something indulgent yet still fresh, reminiscent of a halloumi cranberry butter beans salad that pairs herbs and lemon beautifully halloumi cranberry butter beans salad.

Personal trick number one: bruise the basil leaves between your palms before chopping them and they release a perfume that makes the dressing pop. Trick number two: zest the lemon into the vinaigrette for extra aroma. Trick number three: if you’re making this for a picnic, keep the seeds in a little jar and sprinkle them on at the last minute so they stay crunchy.

When I Make a Batch Ahead

I often prepare the components separately when I want to make lunch for a few days. Wash and dry the mixed spring greens and store them in a paper towel lined container in the fridge. Chop cucumbers and radishes and keep them in a sealed box. Make the vinaigrette and refrigerate it in a jar; the oil will solidify slightly if your fridge is cold, so bring it to room temperature and give it a shake before dressing the salad. Avocado is always added just before serving, but if you must prep one early, squeeze lemon over the slices to slow browning.

Leftovers keep for a day if you toss everything together, but they are best when the dressing is added right before eating. If you have dressed leftovers, expect the greens to soften and the texture to shift; store them for up to a day in an airtight container, and if anything gets a bit limp, a quick toss with a squeeze of fresh lemon brightens them up.

The Memory I Carry

One of my favorite memories is sitting on a picnic blanket with a friend who taught me to love basil in salads. She held up a leaf between two fingers and said that basil is shy yet bold, like summer attempting to introduce itself in spring. That little metaphor stuck with me and now whenever I smell crushed basil I get transported back to that picnic — which is why I always add basil to the vinaigrette rather than just scattering leaves on top. It mixes in and becomes part of the dressing’s voice.

If you try this salad, notice the way lemon and basil make ordinary lettuce feel like something celebratory. Notice the scent when you whisk the lemon and basil together, the way the olive oil smooths the acidity, and the satisfying textural contrast as you bite through a cherry tomato into creamy avocado with a crunchy seed on top. It is a small thing that can brighten a weeknight dinner or anchor a spring brunch.

Conclusion

If you want another spring-forward take on a market salad that uses similar bright flavors, take a look at this lovely Everything Spring Green Salad with Basil Lemon Vinaigrette for more ideas and seasonal inspiration.