Spring Salad with Deviled Egg Vinaigrette
I registered for the ginkgo leaf salad servers you see in these photos for my wedding, six years ago. Nobody bought them off our registry, but I used some of our wedding gift money to go buy them for myself ourselves.
Having been obsessed with the unique look of ginkgo leaves for most of my life, these servers struck my eye and I couldn’t get them out of my head.
I bought them, then found a safe home for them in the back of the utensil drawer and didn’t use them once in five years. It’s not because I forgot that they were there. A few times a year, I would unwrap them from their cloth sheath and admire them.
It’s that they seemed too special for an everyday side salad for two. Plus, who puts a salad in a serving bowl for two people, anyway? You just build it in your bowls, duh. Since we spend most holiday meals with our parents, these servers got no love on holidays, either.
But you know how people say you should wear your pearls and nice jewelry instead of saving it for special occasions? If you keep saving things for a special occasion, you’ll never find one special enough. I’m taking this philosophy from now on with these ginkgo servers.
They’re coming out of the drawer this month, because it’s National Salad Month (and National Vinegar Month)! Seems like a special enough occasion to break out a real salad bowl and servers to me.
I missed my chance on making any deviled eggs this Easter (a sinus infection took me out and prevented it). So to make up for that, I’ve made a simple and healthy spring salad with mixed greens, tomatoes, roasted asparagus and hard-boiled egg whites, and topped it all with a deviled egg vinaigrette.
Hard-boiled egg yolks are combined with Dijon mustard, paprika, horseradish, red wine vinegar and olive oil for a vinaigrette that has all of the flavor of classic deviled eggs!
Psst – for a fun, spooky twist on deviled eggs, check out my Halloween Deviled Eggs!
Spring Salad with Deviled Egg Vinaigrette
Ingredients
For the Deviled Egg Vinaigrette:
- 3 hard-boiled egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- Pinch of kosher salt and ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup olive oil
For the Salad:
- 3 hard-boiled egg whites, sliced
- 1/2 pound asparagus, roasted or grilled
- 6 cups spring mix
- 1 cup grape tomatoes
Instructions
- Make the Deviled Egg Vinaigrette: In mini food processor or blender, puree egg yolks, vinegar, horseradish, mustard, paprika, salt and pepper until well combined. With processor running, slowly drizzle in oil until all oil is incorporated.
- Make the Salad: In a large serving bowl, toss together egg whites, asparagus, spring mix and tomatoes. Serve with Deviled Egg Vinaigrette
This is such a creative salad. I love that dressing. I never save any of my dishes for “special.” I even use my antiques. I figure I’m special every day đŸ™‚
You ARE special every day, Jennie. And I love that way of thinking! Life’s too short to save things for special occasions!
What a great salad! We have a friend that brings deviled eggs to our 4th of July celebration every year…and Bill dives right in. I need to make him this yummy dish! PS Are those from Michael Aram? I covet his stuff!!!
Oh, I think Bill would love this, then! And the vegetables are totally open to whatever he likes. The dressing could even be used on grilled vegetables or something.
They ARE Michael Aram, nice eye!
After reading this post I decided to wear my mother’s pearls today while I am cooking for a couple of friends coming over today… and I look fabulous as I wash the dishes.. đŸ™‚
The salad looks great. I never understand people who buy bottled salad dressings when it is so easy to make.
Awesome, Ice! I have a string of pearls my grandma gave me, and I definitely don’t save them for just special occasions – otherwise I feel like I’d never wear them.
I don’t get bottled dressings, either. I was just leaving that same comment on another blog. Homemade is so much easier!
I’ve never used horseradish in a salad dressing, how “spicy” is this one? Is it like runny nose level, or just enough to make you say, “Hey what’s in that?”
Also, cool salad tongs. I like using my fancy salad bowls and random serving pottery as often as possible.
HI Hannah! While some of it will definitely depend on how strong the horseradish you use it, this dressing is NOT at all runny nose level đŸ™‚ In fact, I made it, tasted it, and then actually had to add extra horseradish before getting to the final recipe. There’s still just a little hint of it, jut the way I like it.