Fresh Asparagus Salad Recipe

Fresh asparagus, creamy avocado, salty feta, and bright tomatoes come together with a dijon vinaigrette for the ultimate vegetable salad.  Asparagus salad is a healthy and colorful side dish you can whip up in minutes! Enjoy it in the Spring or Summer at the peak of asparagus season or any time you can find fresh asparagus at the store!

How to Use Asparagus in a Salad

Green salads don't require lettuce, they just require green!  And this chopped salad with asparagus is such a nice variation to your run o' the mill green salad.

A few years back some friends brought this tasty asparagus salad to a BBQ.  This salad was gone in 2 seconds flat. Everyone asked for the recipe, including me, and it has been a staple ever since.

The base of this recipe is blanched asparagus.  We've amped up the flavor with tomato and avocado along with a tasty dressing.

Ingredients

The ingredient list for this summer asparagus salad is pretty simple. Asparagus tomato salad only requires four ingredients and the homemade dressing just a few more. Here's what you'll need:

• Asparagus: Making asparagus salad definitely requires fresh asparagus. These days it's usually available in the store year round but in the spring and summer you will find it at the best price with the most flavor.
• Avocado: The creaminess of avocado adds a nice contrast in texture to the crisp veggies.
• Tomatoes: Use grape or cherry tomatoes which require much less prep and sweeter flavor.
• Feta cheese: The tanginess of the feta cheese is the final touch on this easy cold asparagus salad.
• Lemon: For best flavor use fresh!
• Olive oil: The most flavorful healthy oil to use in salads.
• Dijon mustard: For a punch of flavor to the simple dressing.

Variations

There's tons of flexibility in this cold asparagus salad recipe and you can change it up in a variety of ways.

• Add a protein: It would be great with some chickpeas, diced chicken breast, or egg added to it.
• Mix in some pasta: Transfer form it into an asparagus pasta salad by toss in your favorite short pasta and some extra dressing. 
• Add a grain: If you want to keep it gluten-free, quinoa works great or you can also add in cooked brown rice or another favorite grain.
• Add more veggies: Peas, red onion, sliced radish, and chopped spinach are just a few recommendations.
• Swap the asparagus for green beans! They work great cooked in the same way and served with the same veggies and dressing.

How To Make Asparagus Salad

Making this salad requires just a few steps. Here's how to make it.

1. Prep all the veggies. Slice your tomatoes in half, dice your avocado, and cut the asparagus into 1-2" pieces 

PRO TIP: Bend the asparagus spear until is breaks.  This is where you should trim off the woody part of the spear.

2. Blanch the asparagus. Drop it into boiling water and cook for 1-2 minutes.  

3. Drain the hot water immediately and place the asparagus in an ice bath to stop the cooking.
4. Prepare the dressing by combining lemon juice, olive oil, dijon, and salt and pepper in a blender or jar. Blend or stir until well combined.

5. Pour the dressing over the asparagus in a large bowl and toss to coat.
6. Add the avocado, tomatoes, and feta to the asparagus and toss. Garnish with fresh basil.

How to Serve Asparagus Salad with Asparagus

This dish is PERFECT for summer evening dinners.  It goes with a wide variety of dishes but here are a few favorites for some inspiration!

• You will love this along with any sort of grilled meat.  Try it with our smoked pork tenderloin or Santa Maria tri tip.
• It also goes great with chicken in lime marinade or Instant Pot bone-in chicken.
• Serve it up as a healthy side for easy casserole dinners like our chicken veggie quinoa bake and Italian pasta bake.
• It makes a great summer side dish for parties and picnics along with corn salad, potato salad, and coleslaw with apple for simple meals.

Expert Tips

• Don't overcook the asparagus. For a salad, asparagus is best with a little bit of crunch so avoid overcooking it and definitely give it an ice water bath to stop the cooking.
• If making ahead for a party, prep up all the veggies but wait to add the avocado, feta and dressing until just before serving.
• Add the dressing just before serving so the asparagus stays nice and bright green.
• Store leftovers in the fridge for up to two days. Asparagus salad doesn't freeze well.

FAQs

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