This Cold Asparagus Salad is a must for asparagus lovers!! It's a simple recipe featuring perfectly cooked, chilled asparagus tossed with a homemade sweet mustard vinaigrette. No matter how you serve it this asparagus summer salad is so good!
Without a doubt, one of my favorite spring vegetables is asparagus and there's nothing like it fresh from the garden. My grandmother introduced me to this simple asparagus cold salad. It was so refreshing and unlike anything I had experienced before.
Her secret was the dressing. The mustard vinaigrette dressing is light, healthy and gives the salad a tangy flavor that will light up your taste buds!
If you love asparagus, give this Instant Pot Asparagus and Broiled Asparagus Recipe a try next! If you're in need of more salad ideas, check out our collection of crunchy salad recipes.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Bright & Fresh: This spring asparagus salad is like a ray of sunshine in a bowl—light, vibrant, and bursting with seasonal flavor.
- Quick & Simple: Made with just a few fresh ingredients and minimal prep, it’s easy to throw together in a flash.
- Totally Versatile: Serve it cold or warm, as a side dish, a light main, or even as a fancy little appetizer. It fits in everywhere.
- Perfect for Spring: With crisp asparagus and a pop of citrus vinaigrette, it’s the perfect addition to any spring meal.
Ingredients
You'll only need a handful of simple ingredients to make this summer salad with asparagus. They're all easily found at your local grocery store. Check out the recipe card at the end of the post for exact amounts.
- Asparagus: Choose fresh, firm, and bright green asparagus spears with a slightly glossy appearance. Make sure the tips are tightly closed, undamaged, without wrinkles or wilting. They should feel firm to the touch with no yellowed, woody ends.
- Lemon Juice: This brings a bit of acidity and lots of brightness to the dressing. Use freshly squeezed for the best flavor.
- Avocado oil: My favorite oil for salads is avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil. Though of course, you can choose another if you prefer.
- Dijon Mustard: This gives the dressing a bit more zing. You could also use spicy brown mustard or whole grain mustard, though they each bring a slightly different flavor to the dressing. Yellow mustard isn't recommended but is ok in a pinch.
- Honey: A bit of sweetness balances the flavor. Feel free to use a different sweetener and to add more or less depending on the flavors you prefer.
- Veggies: Red bell peppers, cucumbers, avocado, and red onion add a variety of textures and colors to the cold asparagus appetizer salad. : Add wonderful flavor and color but feel free to use green, yellow or orange bell peppers instead.
- Parmesan cheese: Adds a savory, salty, and nutty flavor. Feel free to use a different type of cheese such as crumbled feta, blue cheese, or goat cheese instead, if preferred.
- Fresh Mint: Adds a refreshing flavor but you can easily swap it for another fresh herb such as basil, tarragon, or parsley.
Variations
- Spicy: Add desired amount of chili pepper flakes or our homemade hot pepper sauce for a bit of spiciness to the mustard vinaigrette for a bit of heat.
- Bacon: Cooked and crumbled bacon make a great finishing touch to this easy asparagus salad.
- Add Some Egg: A chopped hard-boiled works great grated over the top!
- Add Fruit: Toss in some diced apple, pomegranate seeds, or orange segments for a bit of sweetness.
- Add Some Crunch: Add chopped toasted walnuts, pecans, almonds, pine nuts, or sunflower seeds over the top.
- Swap the Asparagus: Replace it with blanched green beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, sugar snap peas, or even thinly sliced zucchini for a similar texture and crunch.
How to Make Cold Asparagus Salad
Making this recipe is as easy as it gets. The overview is below, but you'll find the exact instructions in the recipe card at the end of the post.
Step 1: Chop all the vegetables. Prepare all of your ingredients using the directions in the recipe card.
Step 2: Blanch the asparagus. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the asparagus to cook for 2 minutes.
Step 3: Stop the cooking. Immediately transfer the asparagus to an ice bath. This helps the asparagus retain its color and texture by stopping the cooking process. Drain and set aside.
Step 4: Make the dressing. Mix together the lemon juice, oil, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Taste and adjust the seasoning and sweetness as desired.
Step 5: Assemble the salad. Combine all the vegetables in a bowl.
Step 6: Add the dressing. Drizzle the vinaigrette and gently toss everything together until combined.
Recipe Tips
- Go for Fresh: Choose the freshest asparagus you can find—bright green stalks with firm tips give the best texture and flavor.
- Snap, Don’t Chop: Trim off the tough ends by gently bending each spear until it naturally snaps. That’s where the woody part ends!
- Don’t Overdo It: Keep the asparagus crisp-tender by cooking just until bright green. A little crunch goes a long way in a cold salad.
- Match the Thickness: Whether you’re using skinny or thick spears, try to keep them all about the same size so they cook evenly.
- Storing Leftovers: Cold asparagus salad is best served soon after adding the dressing. You can store any leftovers in your fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. But the longer it sits, the more the color and texture will change.
Serving Suggestions
This cold asparagus salad pairs perfectly with grilled salmon or baked tilapia, It is also a great side dish for baked garlic balsamic steak or Alice Springs chicken.
Carry it along to a picnic, cookout, or summer potluck along with cucumber and onions in vinegar and crockpot creamy Italian chicken or BBQ pork roast. For something lighter, try a chicken club sandwich!
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can serve raw uncooked asparagus instead of cooked, but the spears need a little additional prep. Peel off the tough fibrous outer layers and slice the spears into thin strips before serving. For serving raw asparagus, thinner stalks of fresh tender asparagus work best.
You can make the dressing and prep all the vegetables except the avocado for this asparagus salad up to 24 hours before serving. Be sure to store everything separately. I suggest combining the ingredients and adding the dressing no more than 1-2 hours before serving.
Easy Cold Asparagus Salad
Equipment
- large skillet or saucepan to blanche asparagus
- Large mixing bowl for ice bath
Ingredients
- 2 bunches fresh asparagus
- 1 lemon juiced
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup red bell peppers diced
- 1 cup cucumber diced
- 1 avocado diced
- ½ cup red onion diced
- ½ cup parmesan cheese shredded
- 2 tablespoons mint julienned
Instructions
- Break off the bottoms of the stems of the asparagus and discard. Cut the asparagus into thirds.
- Blanche the asparagus by placing the asparagus in boiling water. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Immediately transfer the asparagus by shocking it in an ice bath to retain its color and to stop it from cooking. Drain and set aside.
- In a bowl add the lemon juice, oil, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper. Mix until combined. Taste to see if more honey is needed.
- Add the remainder of the ingredients to the bowl. Gently toss until combined.
Notes
- For the best flavor and texture, start with asparagus that’s bright green with firm, closed tips. The fresher, the better!
- Instead of chopping, try bending each spear near the base until it naturally snaps—this helps get rid of the tough, woody ends without guesswork.
- Cook the asparagus just until it turns vibrant green and slightly tender. You want it to hold on to a bit of bite, especially since it’s served cold.
- Whether you use thin or thick spears, keep them uniform in size so they cook at the same rate and come out evenly tender.
- This salad is best enjoyed fresh after dressing, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Just know the asparagus might lose some of its crispness and bright color over time.
Nutrition
This post was originally published April 2017. It has been republished with new images and an updated recipe.
Nick says
Who knew that you could do this with asparagus! What a great salad. It has a nice crunch too! Thanks fir the recipe!
Karin and Ken says
As always you’re most welcome! I try my best. Take care. Karin
Jo says
Hey Karin & Ken! This salad is soooo delicious!! We tried it for the first time this evening and we will be making it again for sure. We did think that the ratio of dressing to vegetables was quite generous, so next time we will need to cut back on the dressing ingredients a little or add more salad vegetables. Just personal preference. Thank you so much for posting this recipe. It was wonderfully fresh, a little tangy thanks to the lemon juice, and just perfect for a spring or summer meal. Yum, yum, yum!!
Karin and Ken says
Thank you for taking the time to comment. This salad is a personal favorite! You just made my day! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Hopefully you find some other recipes on this site that you enjoy just as much. All the best. Karin 💕
Carol Barnebey Etheredge says
This was just lovely on a very hot day
I placed the asparagus on a bed of mixed greens on a square salad plate. The asparagus was positioned diagonally. I had sliced lemon at one corner and sliced avocado at the other. After pouring the dressing over each salad (with a ladle - don't want to wind up with one salad having a ton), I sprinkled it with shaved Romano, Asiago, and mozzarella cheese. My guys loved it. They ate every bite
Alas, no one took a picture!
Karin and Ken says
Sounds wonderful. I’m going to try some of those suggestions myself. I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to let me know. All the best. Karin