This spring pea salad is fresh, vibrant, and full of flavor. Made with sweet peas, fresh herbs, and a light lemon dressing, it’s a simple, healthy pea salad that comes together quickly and works beautifully as a side or light lunch.
🌿 A Fresh & Healthy Spring Pea Salad
This spring pea salad combines sweet peas, fresh herbs, creamy feta, and a bright lemon-olive oil dressing for a dish that’s light, flavorful, and perfectly seasonal. It’s a healthy pea salad that skips heavy ingredients in favor of fresh, simple ones, making it ideal for potlucks, picnics, or easy everyday lunches. Quick to prepare and full of flavor, it’s a pea salad healthy enough to enjoy any time.
💛 Why You’ll Love This Spring Pea Salad
- Fresh, bright, and full of spring flavor
- Quick and easy to make
- Naturally healthy and light
- Perfect for picnics, brunch, or meal prep
- Works as a side or a light lunch
🥗 Why This Spring Pea Salad is a Healthier Alternative
Traditional pea salads often rely on heavier ingredients like mayonnaise, bacon, and full-fat cheeses. This version takes a lighter approach by swapping those for creamy feta, fresh herbs, and a simple lemon-olive oil dressing. The result is a healthy pea salad that still delivers on flavor; bright, fresh, and flavorful without feeling heavy. Perfect for picnics, potlucks, parties, or even just a weekday lunch, this salad is as versatile as it is delicious. Best of all? It’s quick and easy to prepare!
Looking for more ways to use peas and other seasonal vegetables? Check out my collection of recipes using spring vegetables.
🛒 Ingredients for This Healthy Pea Salad
(For full measurements, see the recipe card below.)
- Peas: Fresh or frozen both work well.
- Radishes: Add a crisp, peppery bite and beautiful color contrast. Slice them thinly for the best texture.
- Feta: Adds a creamy, tangy contrast to the sweet peas.
- Lemon: Brings brightness and balance to the dish.
- Olive Oil: Adds richness while keeping the salad light.
- Fresh Herbs: Parsley and mint work beautifully together.
👩🍳 How to Make a Spring Pea Salad
(Full instructions are in the recipe card below.)
- Prepare the peas:
Blanch peas and snap peas briefly in boiling water, then transfer to an ice bath to cool then drain well. - Make the dressing:
In a large bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil and salt until well combined. - Assemble the salad:
Add the drained peas, sliced radishes and herbs. Toss gently to coat. - Finish and serve:
Top with feta and serve immediately, or chill briefly before serving.
✨ Tips for the Best Spring Pea Salad
- Don’t overcook the peas—they should stay bright and tender
- Slice the radishes thinly so they don’t overpower the peas
- Use plenty of fresh herbs for the best flavor
- Taste and adjust the lemon before serving
🔄 Variations for a Healthy Pea Salad
- Cucumber: For a refreshing, mild crunch, use thinly sliced cucumber in place of the radishes.
- Dill: Swap parsley for fresh dill for a slightly different flavor.
- Goat Cheese: Not a fan of feta? Try crumbled goat cheese for a similar tangy, creamy finish.
- Yogurt Dressing: For a creamier version, whisk a spoonful of yogurt into the dressing.
❓ Spring Pea Salad FAQs
Can you use frozen peas for pea salad?
Yes! Frozen peas are a great option—they’re picked at peak freshness and naturally sweet.
Is pea salad healthy?
It can be! This version is a healthy pea salad made with simple, fresh ingredients and a light dressing instead of mayonnaise.
Can you make spring pea salad ahead of time?
Yes, you can prepare it a few hours ahead. Add the feta just before serving for the best texture.
🍋 A Healthy Spring Pea Salad You’ll Make Again and Again
This spring pea salad is bright, flavorful, and effortless to prepare. With sweet peas, crisp radishes, fresh herbs, creamy feta, and a light lemon-olive oil dressing, it’s a healthy pea salad that’s perfect for potlucks, picnics, or simple weekday lunches. It’s a dish that feels fresh, seasonal, and easy to enjoy throughout the spring months.
🌸 More Spring Salad Recipes
If you enjoy this spring pea salad, you might also like:
Spring Pea Salad
Ingredients
- 6 ounces/170g frozen petite peas
- 5 ounces/141g sugar snap peas
- 2 Tablespoons/30ml extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons/20ml fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint (plus more for garnish)
- 2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- 5-6 radishes, thinly sliced
- 3 ounces/85g feta cheese, cubed or crumbled
Instructions
- Prepare an ice bath filled with ice cubes and cold water in a large heatproof bowl. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the snap peas and blanch for 1 minute, or until bright green. Strain and place into the ice bath to stop cooking.
- Add peas and blanch for 1-2 minutes. Strain and place into the ice bath to stop cooking.
- Remove snap peas and peas from the ice bath and spread on a clean kitchen towel to drain thoroughly.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, herbs and salt.
- Add the snap peas, peas, radishes and cheese. Toss gently to combine and serve.
Notes
Variations:
- Cucumber: Use thinly sliced cucumber in place of radishes.
- Dill: Try fresh dill instead of parsley.
- Goat Cheese: Substitute crumbled goat cheese for a similar tangy, creamy flavor.
- Yogurt Dressing: Add a bit of yogurt with the dressing.
Storage:
Snap peas and peas can be cooked ahead of time and dressed when ready to serve.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Dietary Info:
Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegetarian, For Vegan omit cheese or substitute vegan feta, Egg-Free, Nut-Free
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 177Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 139mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 4gSugar: 4gProtein: 4g
Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
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