Elegant Dinner Spring Pea and Mint Salad
This vibrant Mediterranean salad combines sweet spring peas with fresh mint and creamy ricotta for a light, sophisticated side dish. It’s ready in minutes but looks like you spent hours on it.
The key is using the best peas you can find – either fresh English peas or high-quality frozen ones work beautifully.
Why Fresh vs. Frozen Peas Matter Here
Fresh English peas give you the sweetest flavor, but they’re only worth it if they’re truly fresh – picked within a day or two. Old fresh peas turn starchy and lose their sweetness. High-quality frozen peas are often better than mediocre fresh ones since they’re frozen at peak ripeness.
If using fresh peas, blanch them for just 2-3 minutes to keep them bright green and tender-crisp. Frozen peas only need a quick 30-second blanch to warm through.
Editor’s Choice
Elegant Dinner Spring Pea and Mint Salad
Equipment Needed
- Large pot for blanching
- Large bowl with ice water
- Fine-mesh strainer
- Large serving bowl
- Small whisk
Instructions
- Blanch peas: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare a bowl of ice water. Blanch fresh peas for 2-3 minutes or frozen peas for 30 seconds until bright green and tender-crisp. Immediately transfer to ice water to stop cooking.
- Cool peas: Drain peas thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels. Transfer to a large serving bowl and let cool to room temperature, about 5 minutes.
- Make dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper until well combined. The dressing should be bright and well-emulsified.
- Assemble salad: Add torn mint leaves and toasted pine nuts to the peas. Pour dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat. Dot with small spoonfuls of ricotta and top with Pecorino Romano ribbons. The salad is ready when everything is lightly dressed and the cheese is evenly distributed.
Nutrition Facts
Per Serving (1 serving)
