A bite into these luscious salads reveals the essence of spring with ingredients fresh from the local farmer's market. Think of crisp asparagus, ripe peas, colorful radishes, and sugar snap peas, elegantly combined in a leafy bowl of freshness. When paired with a juicy slice of burrata and sweet, ripe strawberries over a bed of arugula, you have a salad made in heaven.

Ivan Conill from Boston’s Branch Line leverages the juicy crunch of sweet sugar snap peas to lighten a delightful summer salad, while adding firmness with smooth whole-milk ricotta. The melding tastes of beetroot, carrot, and fresh spring clementines, thinly sliced, form a visual feast when tossed in a citrus-scallion vinaigrette. According to recipe contributor Leah Koenig, this vinaigrette is so good, she can't help but "sneak it straight from a spoon."

Try the spicy citrus-soy dressed salad featuring green pea leaves, sprouts, and chives by stellar chefs Katianna Hong and John Hong of Yangban, Los Angeles. For strawberry and cheese lovers, there's a salad with strawberries basking in a honey and balsamic vinaigrette, served over arugula and basil leaves, crowned with creamy burrata. When this salad hits the menu, Nancy Silverton from Osteria Mozza in Los Angeles confirms it's officially the season of new growth.

Heroes of this season include sweet spring onions, first-pick asparagus, and tender lettuces. These are playfully tossed together, with a soy and ginger infused sherry vinegar dressing, to balance the richness of jammy egg yolks. Finished with farro - a chewy, sweet, and earthy grain - it'll have your guests lining up for more.

Other inspiring servings to try are a quick 15-minute salad made with fresh spinach and juicy grapefruit, or a lettuce and edible flowers salad dressed in a vinaigrette of coriander, cumin, and fennel seeds. For a creamy delight, combine pickled garlic scapes and peppery radishes in a green goddess sauce.

You can also invert expected roles, making once secondary ingredients into salad stars. Searing firm avocados is one such way, as the fruit's smoky flavor and creamy texture becomes the primary protein. Baby spinach, cucumbers, and radishes give a pleasing crunch in an easy single-bowl salad.

Chefs aren't falling behind in ingenious spring salad creations, either. Sarah Grueneberg from Chicago spices up her buttermilk dressing with charred ramps, drizzling it over crisp lettuce, celery, and baby turnips. British cooks Jasmine and Melissa Hemsley incorporate a tangy sun-dried tomato and Brazil nut pesto in their vegetable-packed noodle salad.

For layers of flavor, combine leftover grilled leg of lamb, tomatoes, cucumbers, kalamata olives, and feta cheese. Or try Amber Huffman's trick – warm up lettuces with roasted asparagus for a captivating 25-minute salad. Special tip: don’t forget the pea shoots. They perfectly complement sharp arugula and radishes, herbal fennel, and toasty hazelnuts. Finally, Bobby Flay's sweet and smoky salad marries succulent grape tomatoes, briny kalamata olives, and pungent white cheddar beautifully.