Every season needs that perfect go-to salad with an irresistible dressing. This is my ultimate spring butter lettuce salad with a very delicious and versatile basil yogurt dressing.
Let’s talk about this basil yogurt dressing. It just screams spring to me. The ingredients are very modest… a little basil, some yogurt, vinegar, lemon, honey..
But, really, I think the best dressings have the simplest of ingredients. They’re just combined in a way that creates a really lovely, balanced recipe. I love using yogurt here because it turns what essentially is a vinaigrette into something really creamy and smooth.
The dressing is light enough so that it doesn’t weigh down the lettuce, but it has enough body to allow for a beautiful mouthfeel. If you can’t tell, I just love it!
My main tip here is to make sure not to use a heavy extra virgin olive oil. It’ll create a bitter taste within the dressing. You want a light olive oil for this or even a more neutral oil such as grapeseed.
When making salads, I really like to think of recipes as just guidelines. All salads should be made with what ingredients are in season and the amounts that feel right to you. So, follow my “recommendations”, but if you find some beautiful radishes or cucumbers at your local market, shave them thin and throw them in!
Use your instincts when constructing salads. And the best way to do that is to stop by a farmer’s market (especially since now that it’s spring and gorgeous outside) and see what is growing around you. Everything will taste so much better when approaching food this way rather than just picking up the same ingredients at your grocery store all year long.
Okay, and with that, I am off to plan our Mother’s Day weekend menus! We’re having family over both tonight and tomorrow night, so there will be lots of cooking happening over here. Follow along on Instagram stories for some behind the scenes.
This salad & basil yogurt dressing will most likely end up happening. And absolutely these crepes for brunch tomorrow.
Enjoy!
PrintSpring Butter Lettuce Salad with Basil Yogurt Dressing
a bright spring butter lettuce salad with a creamy basil yogurt dressing
serves: 4
Ingredients
Basil Yogurt Dressing
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 cup packed basil leaves
- 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp honey
- ¾ cup light olive oil or grapeseed oil
- ½ tsp salt
Salad
- 4.5 oz butter lettuce
- 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
- 1 bunch asparagus, peeled and shaved
- 4 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced (I used white and purple carrots)
- 1 large handful snap peas
- edible flowers (optional)
Instructions
Basil Yogurt Dressing
Add the Greek yogurt, basil leaves, sherry vinegar, lemon juice, and honey to a food processor. Pulse until combined, making sure the basil has blended into the yogurt. With the processor running, very slowly drizzle in the olive oil until smooth and incorporated. Blend in the salt. Set aside.
Salad
Assemble the salad by tearing the butter lettuce into slightly smaller pieces and tossing them into a large mixing bowl. Add the thinly sliced fennel, shaved asparagus, thinly sliced carrots, and snap peas. Drizzle in enough of the basil yogurt dressing to reach your desired consistency, tossing the salad as you go. Any leftover dressing can be stored in the refrigerator for another use. Serve the salad in a large bowl with the edible flowers as a garnish (if using).
