Spring salad with vegetables and cheeses
- Energy Kcal 594
- Carbohydrates g 34.3
- of which sugars g 19
- Protein g 42.2
- Fats g 32
- of which saturated fat g 15.37
- Fiber g 8.6
- Cholesterol mg 94
- Sodium mg 1133
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Prep time: 20 min
- Cook time: 20 min
- Serving: 4
- Cost: Low
PRESENTATION
Insalata primavera really captures the heart of Northern Italy when spring hits—fresh vegetables, formaggi freschi, and those bright flavors coming together like a dream. Picture this: biting into the salad and feeling the crunchy goodness of taccole and green beans. So satisfying. Plus, the tender zucchini slices and confit cherry tomatoes? They burst with sweet and tangy delight. And the sauce? That's where the magic happens. It's creamy Dijon mustard and yogurt—just brings everything together.
You’ll find these verdure di stagione in bustling markets of Lombardy or Piedmont. They make dishes taste so much like spring in Italy—seriously good. What makes this salad really special is the mix of textures, especially with the fried zucchini flowers. Stuffed with cheese and anchovies—they add a crispy, rich touch that’s way better than your usual insalata mista.
The balance of fresh and savory is spot on. The cubes of formaggi freschi like Tislit and the delicate Parmesan flakes offer a creamy and salty flavor that’s unbeatable. And listen, even if you're not a salad fan, this one keeps things interesting. The combination of seasonal veggies, a touch of fried delight, and a simple yet flavorful sauce makes it perfect for lunch or a light dinner.
Each bite gives you a glimpse into how Northern Italians celebrate spring—mixing the best verdure di stagione with local cheeses. And a few tasty surprises. Whether it’s part of a casual meal or the star of the show, this salad really captures the joyful spirit of Italian spring cuisine. The way these ingredients come together not only shows off the region's love for fresh produce but also its knack for creating dishes that are both simple and refined, just perfect for sharing with friends and family. Pretty simple, pretty amazing.
INGREDIENTS
- Ingredients for the salad
- Baby Zucchini (summer squash) 0.66 lb (300 g)
- Snap peas 1 ⅓ cup (200 g)
- Green beans 7 oz (200 g)
- Cherry tomatoes 1 cup (150 g)
- Carrots 1 cup (130 g)
- Tilsit cheese 7.1 oz (200 g)
- Grana Padano PDO cheese 3.5 oz (100 g)
- Marjoram 1 sprig
- Thyme 1 sprig
- Oregano 1 sprig
- for the zucchini flowers and batter
- Zucchini flowers 4
- Sparkling water 0.625 cup (150 g)
- Tilsit cheese 1.75 oz (50 g)
- Type 00 flour 0.4 cup (50 g)
- Anchovies in oil 4 fillets
- Baking soda ½ tsp
- Fine salt to taste
- For the sauce
- Natural plain yogurt ¾ cup (190 g)
- Dijon mustard 5 tbsp (80 g)
- Honey 1 ½ tbsp (30 g)
- Sweet mustard 1 spoonful
- Lemon juice to taste
How to prepare Spring salad with vegetables and cheeses
To prepare the spring salad with vegetables and cheeses, first prepare the confit cherry tomatoes following our recipe which you can find by clicking Cherry Tomatoes Confit. While the cherry tomatoes are cooking, wash the vegetables and trim the ends of the green beans 1 and snap peas; separate the baby zucchini from the zucchini flowers 2 and remove the internal pistils and stem; keep 4 whole and cut the remaining ones into strips 3.
Also trim the ends of the zucchini and slice them lengthwise 4. In a steaming pot, heat the water with the aromatic herbs 5, place the steamer basket on top, and add the snap peas 6, cook for a few minutes as the snap peas should remain crunchy, once cooked drain them and set them aside.
Proceed in the same way by cooking the green beans 7; then move on to the baby zucchini 8. After cooking the vegetables, take the Tilsit cheese, cut 4 sticks, and reduce the rest to cubes 9.
Then proceed with the preparation of the batter, pour the cold sparkling water into a bowl 10, sift the flour inside 11, mix the compound with a whisk, then add the salt and baking soda 12.
Take the whole zucchini flowers you set aside, fill half of them with anchovy fillets 13 and the other half with Tilsit sticks 14. Close the zucchini flowers by gently rolling the leaves to seal the filling. Carefully coat the stuffed zucchini flowers in flour 15,
then in the batter 16, and finally fry them in plenty of peanut oil: for optimal frying, the oil temperature should be kept constantly at about 340°F. Cook the zucchini flowers until golden, then drain them 17 and place them on a tray lined with absorbent paper. At this point, start assembling the salad: place the steamed vegetables in a dish, then add thinly sliced carrots using a vegetable peeler 18,
the confit cherry tomatoes and Tilsit cubes 19. To add flavor, take the Grana Padano and thinly slice it into flakes with a vegetable peeler 20. Now that the salad is ready, prepare the accompanying sauce: in a small bowl combine Dijon mustard, honey 21,
classic mustard 22, lemon juice, and yogurt 23; mix the ingredients with a teaspoon and garnish your salad with the sauce (you can serve the rest of the sauce separately). Place the stuffed zucchini flowers on top 24.