Spring Vegetable and Arugula Salad With Labne and Cucumbers Recipe

Name: Spring Vegetable and Arugula Salad With Labne and Cucumbers Recipe
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2 medium Persian cucumbers, split lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch disks (about 6 ounces; 170g); Kosher salt; 1 small red onion, thinly sliced (about 4 ounces; 115g); 12 ounces fava beans in their pods or 4 ounces shucked fava beans (120g shucked beans); 12 ounces English peas in their pods or 4 ounces shucked peas (120g shucked peas); 8 ounces asparagus, woody ends removed, stalks cut on a sharp bias into 1-inch pieces (225g); 6 ounces snap peas, strings removed, sliced on a sharp bias into 1/2-inch slices (170g); 8 ounces broccolini, woody ends removed, cut on a sharp bias into 1-inch pieces (170g); 1 tablespoon (15ml) fresh juice and 2 teaspoons (5g) finely grated zest from 1 lemon; 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (10g); 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (45ml), plus more for serving; 4 ounce arugula (115g; about 4 packed cups of leaves); 3 ounces toasted sunflower seeds (85g); 6 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut or torn into 1/2-inch chunks (170g); 8 ounces labne or Greek yogurt (225g)

Why It Works

Blanching spring vegetables sets their color and texture so the salad is extra-sweet and crisp.
Salting cucumbers concentrates their flavor.
Soaking sliced onions in hot water tames their bite and brings out their sweetness.
Labne adds richness and tang to complement the flavor of the vegetables.

Come spring, it helps to keep the fridge stocked with the season's best produce, already blanched and chilled and at the ready. Here we combine sweet peas, grassy asparagus, green fava beans, crisp snap peas, and broccolini, along with some peppery arugula, a juicy cucumber, a red onion, and some fresh mozzarella cheese. Served with a good dressing and some labne and we have a spring salad that eats like a meal.

A Li'l Mozz and a Lotta Labne Make This Spring Vegetable Salad Shine

Active: 30 mins

Total: 30 mins

Serves: 4 servings

Rate & Comment

2 medium Persian cucumbers, split lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch disks (about 6 ounces; 170g)
Kosher salt
1 small red onion, thinly sliced (about 4 ounces; 115g)
12 ounces fava beans in their pods or 4 ounces shucked fava beans (120g shucked beans)
12 ounces English peas in their pods or 4 ounces shucked peas (120g shucked peas)
8 ounces asparagus, woody ends removed, stalks cut on a sharp bias into 1-inch pieces (225g)
6 ounces snap peas, strings removed, sliced on a sharp bias into 1/2-inch slices (170g)
8 ounces broccolini, woody ends removed, cut on a sharp bias into 1-inch pieces (170g)
1 tablespoon (15ml) fresh juice and 2 teaspoons (5g) finely grated zest from 1 lemon
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (10g)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (45ml), plus more for serving
4 ounces arugula (115g; about 4 packed cups of leaves)
3 ounces toasted sunflower seeds (85g)
6 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut or torn into 1/2-inch chunks (170g)
8 ounces labne or Greek yogurt (225g)

Season cucumber slices with kosher salt and set in a fine mesh strainer or colander over the sink or a bowl. Set aside while you prepare the rest of the vegetables.
Meanwhile, place red onions in a 1- to 2-quart container and cover with hot tap water. Set aside while you prepare the rest of the vegetables.
If using fava beans and English peas in their pods, shuck the beans and peas from their pods, keeping them separate. Discard the pods. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and prepare an ice bath. Working with one vegetable at a time, blanch the favas, peas, asparagus, snap peas, and broccolini in the boiling water for 1 minute each, transfer to the ice bath to cool, then transfer to a paper towel-lined tray and pat dry. Remove and discard the skins from each individual fava bean. Set vegetables aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together lemon juice and mustard. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drain, rinse, and dry the cucumber and red onion. Add blanched vegetables, cucumber, onion, arugula, sunflower seeds, and mozzarella to the dressing, and toss to combine, adjusting seasoning with salt and pepper.
To serve, spread a spoonful of labne on the bottom of individual plates, or cover the bottom of a large serving platter with the labne. Drizzle the labne with olive oil, then pile the salad on top. Serve immediately.

This Recipe Appears In

A Li'l Mozz and a Lotta Labne Make This Spring Vegetable Salad Shine

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
554	Calories
40g	Fat
30g	Carbs
24g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	554
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 40g	51%
Saturated Fat 14g	68%
Cholesterol 59mg	20%
Sodium 1993mg	87%
Total Carbohydrate 30g	11%
Dietary Fiber 10g	36%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 24g
Vitamin C 60mg	300%
Calcium 375mg	29%
Iron 4mg	23%
Potassium 1010mg	21%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Spring Vegetable and Arugula Salad With Labne and Cucumbers Recipe

Why It Works

This Recipe Appears In

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