How to Make Sautéed Spring Vegetable Salad

Prepare the Ingredients

• Wash, dry, and remove the ends from the zucchini. Also, remove the hard portion from the bottom of the asparagus.

  Slice the zucchini 3/4 – 1-inch-thick slices. Slice the asparagus into 2-inch-long pieces.

  Add the salted pistachios to a Ziplock bag and gently pound them to lightly crush them. Finally, wash, dry, and roughly chop your fresh dill.

Make the Dressing

• Combine extra virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, fresh squeezed lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, kosher salt and cracked black pepper in a small mixing bowl. Whisk until well combined. Set aside.

Sauté the Vegetables

• Heat a large sauteuse pan over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons avocado oil. Once the oil is hot, add the zucchini center side down so it can get a nice brown sear. Sauté for 3-4 minutes without moving.

  Once lightly browned, flip the zucchini over and add the prepared asparagus to the pan. Season with a pinch of kosher salt and a few turns of cracked black pepper. Use the kosher salt sparingly, because the pistachios and feta cheese are already salty.

  Sauté for another 3-5 minutes or until the asparagus begins to soften. I like my asparagus al dente, but you can cook everything to your liking.
• For thick asparagus: Quickly blanch asparagus in hot water for 2-3 minutes to help soften it. By softening thick asparagus first, you will prevent the zucchini from overcooking and getting mushy in the pan. Just be sure to dry it well before adding it to the pan.

  Super thin asparagus might only need to sauté for a few minutes to be ready. So, keep any eye on everything and taste test periodically.

Assemble

• Once everything is cooked to your liking, add the sautéed zucchini and asparagus to a serving dish and let it cool a touch.

  Then, top with crushed pistachios, crumbled feta, fresh chopped dill, and the lemon Dijon dressing. You can add as much or as little dressing as you desire.

  Taste for seasoning and enjoy! Best enjoyed immediately after tossing with dressing and still warm.