No-Cook Spring Pea and Mint Salad
Fresh peas and mint don’t need cooking to shine. This Mediterranean-style salad takes 15 minutes to assemble and captures spring’s bright flavors with crisp snap peas, sweet green peas, and fragrant mint.
It’s ideal when you want something light and refreshing without turning on the stove.
Why Blanching Peas Makes a Difference
While this is technically a no-cook salad, giving frozen peas a quick blanch transforms them from mushy to tender-crisp. Drop them in boiling water for just 1 minute, then shock in ice water. This brightens their color and improves their texture dramatically.
Fresh peas work beautifully too, but frozen peas are available year-round and often sweeter since they’re picked at peak ripeness. Skip the blanching step only if you’re using very fresh, tender peas straight from the pod.
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No-Cook Spring Pea and Mint Salad
Equipment Needed
- Medium saucepan
- Large bowl with ice water
- Fine-mesh strainer
- Large mixing bowl
- Small whisk
Instructions
- Blanch peas: Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to boil. Add frozen peas and blanch for 1 minute. Immediately drain and plunge into ice water to stop cooking. Drain thoroughly and pat dry.
- Make dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper until well combined.
- Assemble salad: In a large bowl, combine blanched peas, snap peas, mint, feta, and pine nuts. Pour dressing over salad and toss gently to coat. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed.
- Serve fresh: Serve immediately at room temperature, or chill for up to 30 minutes before serving. The salad is best eaten within 2 hours of assembly while the snap peas remain crisp and the mint stays bright green.
Nutrition Facts
Per Serving (1 serving)
