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!
Danielle 05.16.2014
I made this salad last night and we loved it. I added in butternut squash and roasted it with the golden beats. So good and even my husband liked it. Thanks for sharing. This will definitely be in our rotation.
Melissa 05.14.2014
That salad looks insanely delicious…I was intrigued at the words Cobb Salad – my all time favorite. And Vegas with your girlfriends, how incredible!
Laura 05.13.2014
Just tried this salad tonight. Now there are times on a game day where I’m known to have 3 IGE recipes going at once, but this is one of my new favs! All of the flavors went so well together! Let it be known that May 13 is the day my boyfriend said “these beets taste really good in this!” Haha
Lois 05.12.2014
Great salad – made it this weekend. The honey goat cheese was a great addition and it was my first time trying yellow beets. Roasted radishes – who knew?
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Trisha 05.08.2014
A few friends and I have talked about getting together for a very similar Britney/Vegas weekend. I’m bummed to hear the show was’t all you’d hoped for, but can’t say I’m surprised. I’ve had tickets to see Britney twice and both concerts were cancelled for different reasons so I’ve only ever seen her open for *NSYNC. Knowing my luck I’d get all the way to LV and she’d cancel, but at least there would be plenty of other things to do!
http://guiltlessviewpo593163.pen.io 05.07.2014
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Teal 05.07.2014
I love looking at your photographs. You must have an amazing camera to get those close up photos so fabulously. Salad looks amazing!
Abby @ Happy Food Happy Home 05.07.2014
This salad is going into my lunch rotation right now!
I can’t wait for the radishes to grown in Mom’s garden so I can eat them.
My grandma has actually roasted radishes for as long as I can remember. Who knew she was so trendy ;)
Thanks for this great recipe!
Abby
Katie @Glutes and Ladders 05.07.2014
I miss going to the farmer’s market. When I lived in Washington state, I went every single Friday. Farm fresh produce is the best!
Jennifer 05.06.2014
My husband and I had this salad tonight and it was beyond wonderful! I just love your salad dressings! We ended up using carrots, as I could not find just one beet anywhere near me. I’m kind of new to beets, so I wasn’t going to buy an entire bunch and our hy-vee had no price for them once again. (About 1/3 of the produce never has a sign or price.) Carrots in the fridge so carrots to the rescue! Thanks for another delicious meal!
eat good 4 life 05.06.2014
Oh wow, how fun. I have never been to Las Vegas but I intend to soon now that my little brother just moved there. Great looking salad. I love the mixture of the veggies and the meat in it!
Nat 05.06.2014
How big a part does the honey in the cheese play in getting a balance of flavor? I know I won’t find that here, so will normal chevre work?
Love your recipes by the way! Your hummus meatloaf is on our regular cycle in my house!
Jennifer 05.06.2014
I made it tonight with regular chevre tonight and it still tasted wonderful. It is the creaminess of the cheese with the honey dressing that makes it so yummy! My husband is not a sweets person so I told him I would skip the honey-cheese.
Kristin 05.07.2014
Regular chevre will definitely still work!! Honey chevre is just an extra treat if you can find it. :)
Amy @ Thoroughly Nourished Life 05.06.2014
This Cobb salad looks amazing! Not a meat eater so I’ll leave the bacon for my other half and stock mine up with those delicious looking roasted radishes. We are settling into autumn and winter here in Australia so there are plenty of roasting friendly vegetables going around. I can’t wait to try them.
I’m hoping Britney is still performing next time I make it to the USA, even if she is a little tired it would be great to rock out to the hits I grew up with :) Glad you had a great time in Vegas!
Heather 05.06.2014
That salad is making my mouth water! I love beets and asparagus…and bacon! I am also long overdue a trip to Vegas. It looks like such a great time! Check out these other inspired salads: http://watchfit.com/diet/recipe-suggestions/top-10-healthiest-salads/
Danielle 05.06.2014
This salad looks absolutely delicious! Looks like you had a great time on your trip!
LaurenO 05.06.2014
Next time you are in Chicago there is a Mon Ami Gabi in the Lincoln Park neighborhood as well as suburban Oak Brook Terrace :)
Jodi @ M is for Mimosa 05.06.2014
This looks perfect! Great idea using roasted in-season veggies for a cobb salad. I can’t wait to give this a try.
Thanks!
Elizabeth @ All Things Libby 05.06.2014
Your dishes are always so picture perfect!
I’m inspired!
Thanks!