The Farmer’s Market just opened for the season (wooot!) and while there’s not a whole lot to choose from in terms of produce right now, especially after the insanely cold spring we’ve had, I wanted to challenge myself to create a recipe using what is available. This gorgeous Roasted Spring Vegetable Cobb Salad with Honey-Herb Vinaigrette is what I came up with!
Fresh spring vegetables including beets, asparagus, and radishes are simply seasoned then roasted to really bring out their delicious flavors, then paired with classic cobb salad ingredients like crumbled bacon, hard boiled eggs, and cheese. Honey chevre to be exact, which nearly made my head explode it was so good.
If you’re like me and see these veggies at the Farmer’s Market every week in the spring and aren’t exactly sure what they heck you’re supposed to do with them, this salad is for you. It’s so delicious and hearty, and made me feel really good about actually being able to enjoy those sometimes hard to use foods. Give it a try!
How to Make the Hard Boiled Eggs:
Start by making a couple hard-boiled eggs – a cobb salad staple. This salad recipe serves two so technically you’ll only need 2 hard-boiled eggs but I always make extra to keep around for breakfast and snacks.
Add the eggs to a pot then cover the tops by 1″ with cool water. Bring the water to a boil then place a lid on top, remove from the heat, and then let the eggs cook for exactly 12 minutes. Remove the eggs to a bowl filled with ice water then let them chill out (literally – ha!) until they’re cool enough to handle.
Once the eggs are cool enough to handle, lightly smash each one down on a cutting board then roll it with a little bit of force to crack the egg all the way around. Then, peel!
Tip:Â always peel hard-boiled eggs when they’re freshly cooked. If you refrigerate with the shell on then try to remove it later it’s nearly impossible to peel.
Meanwhile, get the bacon cooking. Line a baking sheet with foil then place a cooling rack on top and spray with nonstick spray. You’ll only need 3 slices of bacon for this recipe but when’s the last time you only made the amount of bacon a recipe calls for?!
Place the baking sheet into a COLD oven THEN set it to preheat to 400 degrees. The bacon will cook low and slow while the oven heats up resulting in crispy, perfectly cooked bacon.
How to Roast the Spring Vegetables:
Time for those spring vegetables. Again, I used beautiful golden beets, asparagus, and radishes, but use whatever you have available in YOUR area. I can almost guarantee that whatever it is, it’ll roast fabulously.
Start with the golden beet. You’ll need 1 large beet or 2 small ones, and you can absolutely use a red one if that’s all you can find. Just know that your fingers may be stained a little pink after handling them. Slice off the top and bottom then peel and cut into large pieces. Toss with extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper (there’s no magical amount, just use what feels right,) then pop into the preheated oven on a baking sheet to roast for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, slice the tops and bottoms off 1 bunch radishes then cut each one in half or into quarters if they’re large. Toss with EVOO, salt, and pepper, and then add to the baking sheet with the beets and roast for 10 minutes. You will LOVE roasted radishes. I can’t believe I waited 30 years to try them!
Finally, trim 1/4lb asparagus then chop into 2″ sections and, you guessed it, season with EVOO, salt and pepper. Add them to the sheet pan with the roasted beets and radishes then roast for 5 more minutes.
So, to recap, the beets will have roasted for 30 minutes total, the radishes for 15 minutes, and asparagus for 5. Got it? Good!
While the veggies are roasting, make that Honey-Herb Vinaigrette which is very Farmer’s Market friendly as there’s always a ton of local honey and herbs at the market in the spring time. In a jar or bowl add 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, the juice of 1/2 lemon, 1 Tablespoon honey, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1-1/2 teaspoons fresh herbs of your choice,) salt, and pepper then shake or whisk to combine.
My original intent for this vinaigrette was to use fresh herbs but of course my fresh thyme went missing in the black hole that is my fridge when I went to find it. Good lesson though – when swapping dried herbs for fresh, use 1/3 of the amount. I would have used 1-1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme in this recipe, but used 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme instead. Still delectable!
Line the roasted spring vegetables, sliced hard-boiled eggs, crumbled bacon, and 1oz honey goat cheese (seriously you must find and try honey chevre!) on a big bed of fresh spring greens. Drizzle the Honey-Herb Vinaigrette on top then dig in!
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Roasted Spring Vegetable Cobb Salad with Honey-Herb Vinaigrette
Description
Roasted Spring Vegetable Cobb Salad with Honey-Herb Vinaigrette is a filling, gluten-free entree salad that celebrates Spring produce.
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 3 slices bacon
- 2 small or 1 large red or golden beet, trimmed on both ends, peeled, and then chopped large
- 1 bunch radishes, trimmed on both ends then halved or quartered if large
- 1/4lb asparagus, trimmed then chopped
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 2oz honey goat cheese, crumbled
- 5oz arugula, baby kale, baby spinach, or romaine (or any spring lettuce you like!)
- For the Honey-Herb Vinaigrette:
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1-1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme)
- salt and pepper
Directions
- Place eggs in a saucepan then cover with cold water 1″ above the tops. Bring to a boil, place a lid on top, then remove pan from heat and let sit for 12 minutes. Drain then plunge eggs into ice water or run under cold water for a few minutes. Peel eggs when cool enough to handle then slice. (Can be done ahead of time. Cook then peel eggs and store in the refrigerator, and then slice before serving.)
- Line a baking sheet with foil then place a cooling rack on top and spray with nonstick spray. Line bacon on top of cooling rack then place inside a cold oven. Turn oven to preheat to 400 degrees. Bacon will cook as oven heats up. If bacon's not crispy enough after the oven is finished preheating, let it bake for a few more minutes. Crumble when cooled.
- Toss chopped beets with extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper then roast in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove sheet pan then flip beets.
- Toss chopped radishes with extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl then add to baking sheet with beets. Roast for 10 more minutes. Remove sheet pan then flip radishes.
- Toss chopped asparagus with extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl then add to baking sheet with beets and radishes. Roast for 5 more minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine ingredients for Honey-Herb Vinaigrette in a jar with a tight-fitting lid or bowl then shake or whisk to combine.
- Divide lettuce between two plates then make rows of roasted vegetables, sliced hard-boiled eggs, crumbled bacon, and crumbled goat cheese. Drizzle with vinaigrette then serve.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Enjoy this absolutely yummy, roasted taste of spring!
Debbie Anderson 05.06.2014
Hello Again Kristin.
With regards to my earlier post, I have checked junk folder and they do not show up there either. I also follow Mel’s Kitchen Cafe and she addressed this in a post yesterday. Sadly my top 4 food bloggers are no longer coming to my email. Maybe you could refer to what Mel’s Kitchen Cafe had to say with regards to this wide spread problem. Sure LOVE your recipes.
Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie 05.06.2014
Look at all that amazing food! Love this salad too. I just said earlier today that I need to make a good entree salad soon.
Tanah 05.06.2014
Wow I’ve never thought of roasting radishes! This salad looks amazing!
Nina @ Too Hottie For That Body 05.06.2014
Yay! I was looking for a recipe just like this yesterday. I lack the creative ingenuity to come up with something on my own. So excited to have a use for the thyme that is growing in my garden!
Debbie Anderson 05.06.2014
Hello Kristin~
I used to regularly get your posts via email and somehow the last 2 weeks they have not been coming through. I’ve signed up again and it says “you are already signed up to receive…”. I look forward to your yummy recipes and the updates on the very adorable Lincoln. Any suggestions as to why this is happening?
Kristin 05.06.2014
Hi Debbie! Have you checked your spam/junk folder to see if they’re going in there for some reason?
Bri 05.06.2014
Kristin,
many blogs have recently experienced issues with Feedburner and have switched services I’ve noticed certain blogs have stopped sending emails so you may be included in this issue.
Joanna Gehrke 05.06.2014
This salad is brilliant! I adore golden beets. Such a fun girls trip, too!
Bri | Bites of Bri 05.06.2014
I also missed the first week of my local farmer’s market, but I’ll totally be there this weekend! I love radishes, but have never had them roasted only raw in salads. I can’t wait to try them roasted! Thanks, Kristin!
Hope 05.06.2014
My very dear friend and (former)coworker is the drummer for Britney Spears. I hope you atleast liked the band? lol
glad you had fun!!
Kristin 05.06.2014
Too funny – I actually did remark that it was cool she had a live band up on stage, and that they did a great job! I’d be curious to hear what he thinks of the show. Obviously they’re not watching if they’re playing, but they’ve got to have an idea of how it is!
Hope 05.06.2014
I can’t comment here in public what he says.. lol
but he loves being there!!
oh, and he said Britney is very sweet.
Kristin 05.06.2014
Bahaha, ok, glad to know it wasn’t just us and our high expectations. :) She was very sweet, I definitely agree with that!
Jennie M. 05.06.2014
Whoa – the hubby and I were just in Vegas this past weekend too! I could have gone to see Brit-Brit if I were on my own, but we ended up getting last-minute tickets to Cirque du Soleil’s Zarkana – breathtaking!
My food allergies prevent me from getting too adventuresome when traveling, but my top restaurant was SHe by Morton’s Steakhouse. Sometimes you just need a well-prepared steak!
Kristin 05.06.2014
Amen!
Matt Robinson 05.06.2014
An absolutely beautiful salad, wow!
Polly @ Tasty Food Project 05.06.2014
Looks like you had a great time in Vegas! I wish I could see Britney in concert! I’ve been a fan of hers for ages!
That cobb salad looks so delicious! I like how the ingredients are roasted. That vinaigrette also looks yummy!
Kristin from MN 05.06.2014
I too am a Britney fan from back in the day! LOL! My friends and I went to her concert a few years ago and she lip synced the whole thing, but it was still so fun to see her in person! Haha! Does she lip sync in Vegas? And YES PLEASE you need to recreate that salmon meal you had in Vegas… OMG it looks so amazing!!!
Kristin 05.06.2014
Of course she does! I wasn’t that upset about her lip synching because that’s kind of a given with her, but the DANCING was atrocious! She didn’t even try. :/
Hannah @ CleanEatingVeggieGirl 05.06.2014
Thanks for the hard boiled egg tip! I always find that process to be SO frustrating!
Jackie 05.06.2014
I just got back from Vegas too!
Elaine 05.06.2014
This salad looks amazing!!
Elizabeth {Positively Healthy} 05.06.2014
Loving your salad!! Loving the fresh colors! Sounds like you had a great weekend!
Pam 05.06.2014
How ironically cool…I was in Vegas for a three day weekend too! Britney was on the top of my list but my daughter was begging to see Criss Angel (who was equally so-so). I loved enjoying the great variety of food too, although I sheepishly admit we stopped at my fav burger joint (In and Out) a couple times because they do not have them back here in Illinois. Glad you had a great girls out! The veggie cobb salad looks delish!
Kristin 05.06.2014
If we had a car we would have been there too – I&O is a total treat! ;)
Britt@MyOwnBalance 05.06.2014
This salad looks amazing! What a great challenge since, like you point out, there is not much produce available at the farmer’s market yet!
Laura @ Raise Your Garden 05.06.2014
Stunning visual appeal on the salad…..
I also like to check out roadside stands for fresh produce all summer into fall, sometimes you really score cheap. I get things like peppers cucumbers and summer squash for 25 cents a piece! Beets and rhubarb too! But I still love Farmers Markets.
And I would encourage everyone to grow their own herbs this year! They’re easy and fun! I supply all my neighbors with free herbs all summer so if you live close…..swing by…hehe
Colleen 05.06.2014
Yum, that looks fabulous! I went to my farmers market this past weekend and all they had vegetable-wise was lettuce :( Maybe next week…
I’ve heard the exact same thing about Britney! I still think it would be a show worth seeing though
Kristin 05.06.2014
It was definitely worth it – if anything just because I would have always wondered how it was if I never got the chance to go!