Asparagus Salad – Love and Lemons
Nothing says, “Spring!” like this asparagus salad recipe. It’s light and refreshing, made with crisp veggies, feta, and a creamy avocado dressing.
Each year, I make this asparagus salad recipe to celebrate the arrival of spring…which, in Chicago, is usually later than you’d think.
See, in all the years that we’ve lived here, it’s snowed on Jack’s April birthday. So when we have the odd warm day in March or early April, I don’t get my hopes up. “Winter isn’t over yet,” I tell myself, “Don’t get used to this.” But this year, Jack’s birthday arrived…and it didn’t snow. It was still a little chilly, but the air smelled clean and fresh, and tulips and daffodils bloomed around the neighborhood. Dare I say it? I think spring might really be here. Cue: this asparagus salad recipe!
This asparagus salad combines all my favorite seasonal produce – crisp radishes, asparagus, sweet peas, and fresh herbs. It’s easy to make, and it’s flavorful, bright, and refreshing. Enjoy it on its own for a light lunch, or serve it as a side dish with almost anything you like.
Asparagus Salad Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this asparagus salad recipe:
- Asparagus, of course! Look for 2 bunches with thin, snappy spears.
- Peas – To keep things simple, I use thawed frozen peas, but you could blanch fresh shell peas if you like.
- Garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and sea salt – I lightly dress the asparagus and peas in this mixture before I assemble the salad. It gives them a nice bright flavor.
- Radishes – For color and crunch.
- Avocado dressing – This rich, lemony dressing gives the salad a lightly creamy coating. If you want to get ahead, you can make the dressing up to a day in advance.
- Feta cheese – I love its tangy, salty flavor with the fresh spring veggies here, but if you’re vegan, feel free to skip it. Add a few pickled radishes to the salad instead.
- Pine nuts – For rich, nutty flavor and extra crunch.
- And fresh mint or basil – To take it all over the top.
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
This asparagus salad recipe comes together in 3 easy steps:
- Cook the asparagus. Blanch it for 1 minute in a large pot of salted boiling water. Then, transfer it to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain the asparagus and pat it dry.
- Next, season the veggies. At the bottom of a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add the asparagus and peas and toss to coat.
- Finally, assemble! Transfer the asparagus and peas to a platter, and drizzle them with the avocado dressing. Sprinkle on the radish slices, pine nuts, feta, and herbs, and season to taste.
That’s it!
Asparagus Salad Serving Suggestions
This asparagus salad recipe is my favorite spring side dish! Fresh, bright, and easy to make, it pairs well with all kinds of dinner recipes. Serve it with cookout fare like veggie burgers or black bean burgers, a pasta dish like Spaghetti Aglio e Olio or Fettuccine Alfredo, or any protein you like. It also packs up nicely for a picnic (just add the herbs at the last minute!). Pair it with a Chickpea Salad, Caprese, or Egg Salad Sandwich (see this post for a vegan version).
If you’re in the mood for a lighter meal, enjoy this asparagus salad on its own. I often eat it for lunch with a handful of crispy roasted chickpeas tossed in for extra protein.
More Favorite Spring Salads
If you love this asparagus salad recipe, try one of these fresh spring salads next:
Asparagus Salad
Serves 3 to 6
This asparagus salad recipe is a perfect spring side dish! If you want to get ahead, you can make the Avocado Dressing up to a day in advance.
- 2 bunches asparagus, tender parts, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ garlic clove, grated
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
- Avocado Dressing
- ⅓ cup crumbled feta
- 3 radishes, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- Mint or basil leaves, for garnish
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Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and set a bowl of ice water nearby. Drop the asparagus into the boiling water and blanch for about 1 minute, until tender but still bright green. Transfer to the ice water for 1 minute, then drain. Transfer the asparagus to a kitchen towel to dry and wipe out the bowl.
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At the bottom of the bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add the asparagus and peas and toss until coated. Transfer to a platter, drizzle with some of the avocado dressing, top with feta, radishes, pine nuts, and mint or basil.
This article was originally published by loveandlemons.com. Read the original article here.
