Crunchy Spring Salad with Peas and Buttermilk-Tarragon Dressing

Spring calls for crunchy salads, and this one fits the crave. Crunchy Spring Salad is not much – just crisp iceberg lettuce tossed with fresh, springy peas and chopped sugar snap peas, also springy. The dressing adds a kick, with tangy yogurt and buttermilk, acidic white wine vinegar, a little jalapeño, and a generous sprinkle of fresh tarragon. Some good feta crumbled over the top rounds it out. Creamy, crunchy, tangy, salty. It’s all there.

This is a great lunch salad, or a side to simply grilled steak or chicken. It also stands on its own at dinner with the addition of either soft-boiled or poached eggs, or protein in the form of rotisserie or grilled chicken. Take advantage of the bags of fresh peas in the farmer’s market or the produce section of the grocery. You could also use frozen peas, they just won’t supply as much crunch or fresh-veggie taste.

Happy Spring!

Crunchy Spring Salad with Peas and Buttermilk-Tarragon Dressing

For the Buttermilk-Tarragon Dressing:
1 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 ½ tablespoons minced fresh tarragon
1 jalapeño, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small clove garlic, grated

For the Salad:
1 head iceberg lettuce, core removed, leaves dried and torn into bite-sized pieces
2 cups fresh peas (frozen is also fine)
2 cups chopped sugar snap peas
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
½ cup good feta, drained and coarsely crumbled (do not use pre-crumbled feta – it’s blander and stiffer)

Make the dressing. In a small bowl, stir together all the dressing ingredients. If you are not using it immediately, chill in the fridge.

Toss the lettuce, peas, sugar snap peas, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Sprinkle the feta over the salad, then top with dollops of the dressing.