This Asparagus Salad is a great Spring Salad. I miss living in the Mediterranean where seasons rolled on each other every 3 months. Here in Florida we don’t see much of that. But I still try to cook with the seasons and Springtime is especially exciting with all the fresh greens, vegetables and fruits.
This is a very simple salad to make, most ingredients are easy and don’t need a lot of explanations.
Here are couple of tips to make this the best spring salad you can make:).
- Pick fresh asparagus, firm (not wilted), vibrant green color and not woody at the ends.
- Blanch asparagus for best results – this will enhance the green color of the asparagus. If done correctly, you will get a crisp/tender bite that tastes fantastic.
- Crush pistachios – pistachios add some crunch to this salad. I love using salted pistachios, but shelled. It takes and extra minute to remove the shell, but it’s worth it. I crush the pistachios in a mortar with pestle for best results.
- Radishes – wash and slice them very thin for best results. Sometimes I get impatient and don’t slice as thin as I should and it does affect the taste balance of the salad (in my opinion).
- Green peas – I highly recommend you use fresh green peas. In Albania we used to buy them still in pods and remove from pods. However, that’s not always possible where I live now so frozen green peas are ok too.
- Red onions – slice onions very thinly and add to cold water while you prep the other veggies. It helps remove the smell and some of the acidity.
If you’re looking for other asparagus recipes, feel free to check out my cream of asparagus soup recipe.
Salad Dressing
The most common salad dressing I use almost on daily basis is simple olive oil and red wine vinegar. Simple as that, just two ingredients.
But as this blog grew I realized, not everyone wants to eat that simple all the time. While it’s fine with me, I want to make sure my readers are happy too:).
So here are some options for salad dressings that work with this spring salad.
- 3 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (change ratio to your liking)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, juice of half a lemon, sea salt/black pepper, 0.5 teaspoon oregano
- My Meyer Lemon vinaigrette
- If you’re looking for something more fancy, go for a Champagne Vinaigrette. Usually I mix 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 to 2 tablespoons of champagne vinegar, salt/pepper and a teaspoon of honey.
Asparagus Salad
Equipment
- 1 Colander
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
- 1 lb asparagus
- 2 radishes
- 2-3 ozs lettuce or spring mix
- 2 tbsps shelled pistachios usually I buy them roasted, salted
- 2 tbsps sliced red onions place in cold water after slicing
- 0.25 cup corn kernels
- 0.25 cup green peas
- 2 ozs feta cheese adjust how much cheese you add to your taste
Dressing Ingredients
- 3 tbsps olive oil
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 0.5 tsp oregano
- salt/pepper to taste
Instructions
- Clean asparagus, cut the wooden ends and then cut them in 2-3 inch long pieces. Boil for 2 minutes, then remove and add in ice water to stop the cooking process. Pour over a colander and let the pieces air dry.
- Shell the pistachios, add them to a small mortar and crush them into smaller pieces. Set aside.
- Steam corn and green peas until al dente. If frozen, steaming usually takes 4-5 minutes. Drain and set aside as well.
- Slice red onion very thin, add to cold water to remove some of the acidity and smell. Drain before using in salad.
- Grab a salad platter. Add greens like lettuce or spring mix as the first layer. Rinse and slice radishes, add over lettuce. Add the blanched asparagus pieces as well. Top off with crushed pistachios, corn and green peas. Garnish with red onions and crumbled feta cheese.
- Prepare salad dressing in a mason jar – add olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper and oregano. Use a spoon to mix well and pour over salad ingredients. Serve and Enjoy with your favorite meals:)
Notes
- Blanch asparagus or grill them – Here’s a video of how I grill the asparagus.
- Crush the pistachios in mortar and pestle after shelling them. Buy them roasted and salted for best results.
- Use a simple salad dressing like I did or use a more elaborate vinaigrette to your taste.
Nutrition Label
Nutrition
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Additional Salad Recipes
Here are some additional salad recipes:)
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