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The main dish, Light and fresh

Spring vegetables with lemony yogurt sauce

This is a spring vegetable dish, peas, fava beans, asparagus and radishes, served warm with a Greek yogurt and lemon sauce, for 6 people. It takes 45 minutes of active work, is mostly made the day before, stays easy to pull off, and costs €3.40 per person. The key is plunging each vegetable into ice water right after cooking, which keeps it bright green and crisp.

The first spring vegetables, crisp and bright green, with a lemony yogurt sauce that makes them sing, it is light and smells like the garden.

Spring vegetables with lemony yogurt sauce
For
6 people
Work
45 min
Total time
1 h 20
Prep
Prepared the day before
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.40
Calories per person
290 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach

This dish smells like the garden at the very start of spring, when peas and fava beans show up alongside the first green asparagus. The Greek yogurt sauce, sharpened with lemon, garlic and fresh herbs, brings just enough brightness to wake up vegetables that stay crisp under the fork. It is fresh, clean, with no heaviness at all.

Serve it as a light main for a dinner with friends, as a generous starter before a richer meat course, or on a spring table where you want bright colors. It works well for a weeknight dinner party because nearly everything is done the day before, leaving just a two minute reheat before serving.

The schedule

What happens when, so you can be with your guests instead of in the kitchen.

  1. The day before 1 step
  2. The same day 3 steps, 15 min
  3. Before the guests arrive 1 step
  4. When it's time to serve 1 step

The day before, make the yogurt sauce and blanch all the vegetables in ice water, then store everything in the fridge. In the morning there is nothing left to do beyond checking the containers. An hour before guests arrive, take out the sauce and vegetables to let them come to room temperature, and at serving time, sauté the vegetables for two minutes before plating.

The ingredients

6 people

Fruits and vegetables

  • Shelled peas 600 g
  • Shelled fava beans 600 g
  • Green asparagus 700 g
  • Pink radishes 2 bunch
  • Lemons 2
  • Chives 1 bunch
  • Mint 0.5 bunch
  • Garlic 1 cloves

Dairy

  • Greek yogurt 500 g

Pantry

  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 5 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 2 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Lactose

The recipe, moment by moment

The day beforeWhat's better after resting overnight in the fridge.

  1. Mix the yogurt with the zest and juice of the lemons, grated garlic, minced chives and mint, oil, salt and pepper, then keep the sauce chilled.

    Drain the yogurt in a fine sieve for an hour if you want a thicker sauce.

The same dayDuring the day, whenever you get a moment.

  1. Bring a large pot of very salty water to a boil and set a big bowl of ice water next to it.

    Salt the water generously, like seawater, it is what seasons the vegetables.

  2. Blanch the peas, fava beans and asparagus separately, a few minutes each, then plunge them straight into the ice water and drain. 15 min

    Pull the asparagus out once a knife tip slides through easily, it keeps cooking a bit after.

  3. Peel the fava beans one by one to remove their second skin, then store all the vegetables in containers with a paper towel.

    A pinch between thumb and finger is enough to pop the bean out of its skin.

Before the guests arriveThe last hour, right before the doorbell rings.

  1. Cut the radishes into wedges or thin slices, take the sauce out of the fridge, and let the vegetables come back to room temperature.

    Fridge cold vegetables lose their flavor, take them out an hour ahead.

When it's time to serveThe final touches, right in front of your guests.

  1. Sauté the vegetables for two minutes in a little olive oil to warm them through, arrange them on a platter with the radishes, and serve the sauce on the side.

    Reheat them only briefly, they should stay firm and bright green.

Our tips to get it right

  • Blanch each vegetable in its own water, peas, fava beans and asparagus don't share the same cooking time, and one vegetable's water quickly colors the next batch.
  • Taste the sauce before chilling it, lemon mellows a bit overnight, so don't be afraid to sharpen it up if making it ahead.
  • Drain the blanched vegetables well on paper towels before storing them, leftover water softens them and waters down the sauce at serving time.

The variations

  • Swap the fava beans for whole snap peas if you're short on time, that skips the one by one peeling step.
  • Add shaved parmesan or crumbled feta on top for a heartier version, then serve it as a standalone main.
  • For kids, serve the vegetables plain with just a drizzle of olive oil, and offer the lemony sauce on the side for the adults.

What to serve it with

  • Grilled country bread
  • A simple roast chicken
  • Homemade lemonade

Storage

The blanched vegetables and the sauce keep for 2 days in the fridge, in separate sealed containers. This dish doesn't freeze well, the vegetables would lose their crunch. Reheat only the vegetables, very briefly, in a pan, never the sauce.

Questions about this recipe

Can you use a different yogurt instead of Greek yogurt?

Yes, but pick a thick one, like Greek style yogurt or drained fromage blanc, otherwise the sauce turns too runny. Regular plain yogurt needs an hour of draining before use.

Do you really need to peel the fava beans one by one?

It's recommended for this recipe, the fava bean's second skin is bitter and a bit tough to chew. It takes a few minutes with several hands helping and really changes the texture.

How do you plate this dish nicely for guests?

Arrange the vegetables in color groups on a large white platter instead of mixing everything together, pink radishes around the edge look great. Serve the sauce on the side in a small bowl so everyone helps themselves.

Can you make this for more than 6 people?

Yes, just multiply the quantities, but blanch the vegetables in several batches so the water stays at a full boil. Also plan for an extra large bowl of ice water if you double the amounts.

Can spring vegetables with a lemony yogurt sauce be made ahead?

Yes, it's even recommended. The recipe needs 45 min of work in total, split up like this, the day before, 1 step, the same day, 3 steps, before the guests arrive, 1 step, when it's time to serve, 1 step.

How long does it take to make spring vegetables with a lemony yogurt sauce?

Allow 1 h 20 in total, including resting and cooking time, of which 45 min is actual work. The recipe is rated "easy".

How many calories are in spring vegetables with a lemony yogurt sauce?

About 290 kcal per person, for a recipe meant for 6 people. The calories are calculated by Kiloach, your kilo coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does spring vegetables with a lemony yogurt sauce cost?

About €3.40 per person, that's €20.40 for 6 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains lactose. Remember to ask your guests about their allergies before putting your menu together.

To round out your menu

Build a menu
Fresh fruit sorbet The dessert

Light and fresh

Fresh fruit sorbet

  • 25 min of work
  • Prepared the day before
  • Easy, €2.10 per person

120 kcalcalculated by Kiloach

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