Spring Salad & Arugula Hummus

spring salad with arugula hummus / loveandlemons.com

Lately, we’ve been getting back into our ritual saturday morning walks to the farmers market. In the cooler months, we struggle to leave the house by noon. But the summer heat is starting to set in so we have some added incentive to get up and out a little bit earlier. (That and the vegan Red Rabbit doughnuts waiting for us when we get there).

After we’ve had out fill of doughnuts, breakfast tacos, and coffee, I pick up whatever veggies look the best that day and we head home. A few weekends ago, I came back with this assortment… and I’m especially excited by how colorful (and also tasty) it turned out.

It’s not fancy cooking, but I did take a little time to cut the carrots two different ways – some are roasted and tender, and some, thin and crispy. I dressed the salad very lightly, but scooped a dollop of arugula hummus on the side to mix in. And then, of course, I ate that hummus all week (the recipe will make extra).

spring salad & arugula hummus

 
Author:
Serves: salad serves 2, hummus makes about 1.5 cups
Ingredients
for the salad:
  • approx. 8 small carrots
  • olive oil
  • splash of balsamic vinegar
  • a few handfuls of baby spring greens
  • a few squeezes of lemon juice
  • ½ cup cooked chickpeas
  • ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese (omit if vegan)
  • 1 beet, sliced thin
  • pinches of red pepper flakes
  • salt & pepper
  • dollop of arugula hummus, per plate
arugula hummus:
  • 1 cup chickpeas, cooked and drained
  • ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
  • 2 handfuls of arugula leaves
  • juice of one lemon
  • 3-4 tablespoons olive oil
  • salt & pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Roast the carrots: Using a vegetable peeler, peel 4 of the carrots into ribbons. Slice the other 4 in half, lengthwise, and chop into approx. 3-4 inch pieces. Place them separately on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil, a splash of balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Remove the ribbons from the oven after 8-10 minutes until they're slightly crispy and browned on the edges. Continue to roast the others until golden brown on the outside, about 15 more minutes.
  3. Make the hummus:Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking.
  4. Make the salad: Toss the spring greens with a little olive oil, lemon juice, salt & pepper. Add the chickpeas, feta, sliced beets and roasted carrots to the salad. Top with a spoonful of hummus and serve.

I contributed this recipe last week to Refinery 29.

22 comments

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Rate this recipe (after making it):  

  1. What a gorgeous salad! This screams springtime with all those pretty colors. I have been wanting to make more recipes with beets so this salad is just the ticket! Thanks for posting!

  2. Lisa
    06.06.2013

    Question about the recipe: Is the beet raw?

    • jeanine
      06.06.2013

      It is… I just shaved it thinly and put a few pieces per plate. You could roast your beet at the same time as your carrots if you prefer a roasted beet.

  3. Sally
    05.31.2013

    Just tried the arugula hummus and it was amazing and so easy to make.too.

    • jeanine
      06.01.2013

      so glad you liked it!

  4. Lindsey from dollyandoatmeal.com
    05.30.2013

    wow! that arugula hummus sounds delightful. there is a favorite wrap of mine that has both a smear of hummus and pesto, but i never thought of combining the two into one. i will most definitely be trying this.

    • jeanine
      05.30.2013

      thanks! Pesto & hummus are two of my favorite things too 🙂

  5. shellys
    05.29.2013

    Love the arugula pesto, but chickpeas dont set well with me. What substitute do you recommend?

    • jeanine
      05.30.2013

      Can you have white (cannellini) beans? Those would sub in perfectly…

  6. Kathryne from cookieandkate.com
    05.29.2013

    This salad is gorgeous, Jeanine! And arugula hummus? Woah.

  7. Hanne from ekstremtbra.blogspot.com
    05.29.2013

    Wow, that looks yummy!

  8. I love Saturday mornings at the Farmers Market – especially when they include doughnuts. I have a favorite spot to hit for a homemade doughnut. There’s nothing like perusing fruits and veggies with a freshly-fried dough ball in your hands – haha.

    • jeanine
      05.30.2013

      it’s all about balance, right? 🙂

  9. This looks absolutely delicious!
    I’m a bit of a hummus freak, but I would have never thought to make arugula hummus. Sounds amazing!
    Can’t wait to try it.
    xo Quinn

    Quinn Cooper Style

  10. What a beautiful salad! I like the idea of arugula hummus; I love arugula and hummus and would have not thought of putting them together.

    • jeanine
      05.30.2013

      Thanks! I love both too, not sure why it took me so long to think to put them together!

  11. Janie from hedgecombers.com
    05.29.2013

    That beetroot is so pretty!
    I grow my own veggies and have planted a tonne of mixed Swiss Chard this year purely on how pretty it looks! I’m sure it’ll taste good, but I know it’ll be a stunner of the plate! 🙂
    Janie x

  12. Tieghan from halfbakedharvest.com
    05.28.2013

    Your meals are always so pretty! I love that you get to walk to your famers market and that is open! My famers mark is so lame and it is not walkable. 🙁

    This salad sound delicious, I love the hummus!

  13. you are so lucky to be in walking distance from farmers markets. You could add another layer to this salads by pickling some carrots but I think it is great the way it is. I love the beetroot slice thinly and served raw, so undervalued.

    • jeanine
      05.30.2013

      I actually thought of pickling them for a 3rd variation… next time!

A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.