Vegetable Salad with Green Peas – Light and Appetizing

Vegetable salad with green peas, sweet bell peppers, and crisp napa cabbage is a true celebration of freshness and nutrition on your table. Green peas not only brighten the dish with their vibrant color but also provide a valuable source of plant-based protein and essential vitamins. Using frozen peas lets you enjoy that sweet, spring-like flavor all year round, while a quick blanching locks in their tender texture and natural sweetness. Light yet satisfying, this dish perfectly fits into a healthy eating lifestyle.

Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooking: 5 minutes
Quantity: 2 Servings
Per serving
Calories: 216 kcal
Proteins: 6.8 g
Fats: 8 g
Carbohydrates: 32.6 g

Ingredients

  • 150 g (5 oz) frozen green peas
  • 150 g (5 oz) napa cabbage
  • 100 g (3.5 oz) leek
  • 1 sweet bell pepper
  • 2 small tomatoes
  • flaxseeds

For the Dressing

  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 dried chili pod
  • 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • salt to taste

How to Make Vegetable Salad with Green Peas

Pour the frozen green peas into a saucepan and season with salt to taste.

Frozen green peas in a saucepan

Pour the frozen green peas into a saucepan and add salt to taste.

Pour in a cup of boiling water and bring back to a boil. Let it simmer for just 1 minute. Immediately drain the peas through a fine-mesh sieve and transfer them into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. This shocks the peas, keeping them tender, sweet, and vibrantly green.

Blanched green peas draining in a fine-mesh sieve

After one minute of boiling, immediately chill the peas to lock in their vibrant color and natural sweetness.

Thinly slice the napa cabbage into strips and place it in a salad bowl. If you prefer, crisp iceberg or romaine lettuce makes a great substitute.

Thinly sliced napa cabbage in a clear glass bowl

Napa cabbage makes a perfectly crisp base for this light salad.

Halve the tomatoes, remove the stems, and scoop out the seeds. Dice the flesh into small cubes. Core the sweet bell pepper, remove the seeds, and slice it into thin rings or narrow strips. Add the diced tomatoes and sliced pepper to the napa cabbage.

Diced tomatoes and sliced red bell pepper in a salad bowl

Add finely diced tomatoes and strips of sweet bell pepper to the cabbage.

Add the cooled, blanched green peas to the salad bowl.

Tossing fresh vegetables with vibrant green peas

Now it is time to add our cooled, tender peas to the salad bowl.

Slice the leek stalk in half lengthwise and rinse thoroughly under cold running water to remove any sand, then slice into thin rounds and add to the salad. Save the tough dark green leaves for making stock; they are too fibrous for a raw salad.

Sliced leek rounds scattered over the fresh salad vegetables

Leeks bring a much more delicate and refined flavor to the dish compared to regular onions.

Make the dressing. Pour the red wine vinegar into a small mixing bowl. Season with salt to taste, add the granulated sugar, and sprinkle in the ground white pepper. Whisk everything together until the salt and sugar dissolve, then drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil.

Mixing vinegar, oil, and spices for salad dressing

Whisk red wine vinegar with salt, sugar, and olive oil to create perfectly balanced flavors.

Remove the seeds from the dried chili pod, crumble it into small flakes, and add it to the dressing. If you prefer a milder flavor, simply skip this step.

Adding crumbled dried chili flakes into the dressing bowl

Crumble in dried chili for a touch of heat. Feel free to skip this step if you prefer milder flavors.

Whisk the dressing thoroughly once more and pour it over the vegetables.

Finished chili salad dressing in a small mixing bowl

Whisk the dressing thoroughly to ensure the salt and sugar dissolve completely.

Gently toss the vegetables with the dressing until evenly coated. Your fresh, light, and mouthwatering vegetable salad with green peas is now ready to be served.

Pouring the prepared dressing over the fresh vegetable salad

Pour the prepared dressing over the vegetables right before giving it a final toss.

Vegetable salad with green peas served in a white bowl

Gently toss the salad to ensure the dressing coats all the vegetables evenly.

To make your vegetable salad with green peas even more filling and texturally exciting, try tossing in a handful of toasted pumpkin seeds or chopped walnuts right before serving. For a more robust flavor profile, you can swap the extra virgin olive oil for unrefined sunflower oil or brighten the dressing with a splash of fresh lemon juice. This salad pairs beautifully with whole-grain croutons and serves equally well as a light standalone dinner or a vibrant side dish for your main course. Remember, it is best to dress the salad just before serving so the vegetables do not release too much moisture and lose their appetizing crunch. Sprinkle the finished dish with flaxseeds or sesame seeds for an elegant touch and an extra nutritional boost. Enjoy your meal and happy cooking!