This cold asparagus salad is a must for asparagus lovers!! It's a simple recipe featuring chilled cooked asparagus with a homemade mustard dressing. No matter how you serve it this asparagus summer salad is so good!
Spring has arrived and the signs are everywhere. The temperature is rising and the days are getting longer. The cherry blossoms bloomed and thousands flocked to catch a glimpse of these gorgeous trees.
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.
If you're wondering how to cook asparagus healthily, this is it!! This mustard vinaigrette dressing is light, healthy and gives this roasted asparagus 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! If you're in need of more salad ideas check out our collection of crunchy salad recipes.
Why You Will Love this Recipe
- This spring asparagus salad is like a ray of sunshine in a bowl! It's light, healthy and so flavorful!
- It comes together quickly and easily using just a few simple ingredients.
- So versatile! Cold asparagus salad can be served as a side dish, main dish, or even an appetizer at any event.
- It's sure to please everyone who tries it - both kids and adults alike!
- Works great as a warm or chilled salad, it's truly spring on a plate!
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 juiced: More acid and lots of brightness to the dressing.
- Avocado oil: My favorite oil for salads is avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil. Though of course, you can choose another.
- Dijon mustard: For the best flavor use dijon mustard. It gives the dressing a bit more zing. You could also use spicy brown mustard or whole grain mustard to bring a different flavor to the dressing. Yellow mustard and honey mustard will change it significantly and I don't recommend using them.
- Honey: Add a teaspoon more of honey to the dressing if you want it to be a bit sweeter. A teaspoon of sugar works well too.
- Salt and Pepper: Flavor enhancers.
- Red bell peppers: Add wonderful flavor and color but feel free to use green, yellow or orange bell peppers instead.
- Cucumber: Adds freshness and crunch.
- Avocado: Adds nutrients and color.
- Red onion: Add mild flavor and color.
- Parmesan cheese: Adds a nutty flavor or use crumbled feta, blue cheese, or goat cheese instead, if preferred.
- Fresh Mint: Adds a refeshing flavor.
Mustard Dressing Variations
- Spicy: Add desired amount of chili pepper flakes or our homemade hot pepper sauce for a bit of spiciness.
- Wine Vinegar: You could also add a teaspoon of white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, balsamic, apple cider, or sherry vinegar to add different flavors to the mustard dressing.
Salad Variations
- Bacon: Cooked and crumbled bacon make a great finishing touch to this easy asparagus salad.
- Add egg: For a salad, a chopped hard-boiled works great or you for a light meal use the asparagus as a base for an over-easy or poached egg.
- Add fruit: Some apple slices, pomegranate seeds, or orange segments would go great.
- Go nuts: Add chopped toasted walnuts, pecans, almonds, pine nuts, or sunflower seeds over the top.
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.
Prepare all of your ingredients.
Blanche the asparagus by placing the asparagus in boiling water for 2 minutes.
PRO TIP: You can also cook the asparagus in a pan with some oil over medium-low heat and until tender. You could also cook asparagus in your instant pot, smoker, roast it in your oven or use an air fryer.
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.
Storage
Refrigerator: Store any leftover asparagus salad in your fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. But note they might not serve up as great the second time around.
Make Ahead: You can make asparagus salad up to 24 hours before serving. Keep in mind that chilled cooked asparagus will start to lose its crunch the more time it spends inside the fridge.
How to Serve Asparagus Salad
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.
Make it a starter for meals and serve with crusty bread or crackers.
Tips
- Choose the freshest asparagus you can find for your salad.
- Trim off any dry ends on the asparagus before cooking and discard them. To do this, hold one end of the spear and then bend it gently until it snaps – the snap point will be the spot where the stalk becomes tough and fibrous.
- Don't overcook the asparagus. You want them to maintain some crunch.
- Use thin or thick spears. Just be sure they are the same thickness so that they all cook in the same amount of time.
FAQ
Yes! You can replace it with blanched green beans, broccoli, brussels sprouts, sugar snap peas, or even thinly sliced zucchini for a similar texture and crunch.
Yes, you can serve raw uncooked asparagus instead of cooked. The spears do 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.
Grated parmesan cheese is a great addition or crumbled feta or goat cheese. Fresh herbs such as parsley, dill, or chives, freshly cracked black pepper, some nuts or sunflower seeds for extra flavor.
More Asparagus Recipes
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
- Choose the freshest asparagus you can find for your salad.
- Don't overcook the asparagus. You want them to maintain some crunch.
- Use thin or thick spears. Just be sure they are the same thickness so that they all cook in the same amount of time.
- You can add cherry tomatoes for extra juiciness or tangy radishes. For a protein boost, include grilled chicken or chickpeas. Toasted almonds or pine nuts can provide a nutty flavor and extra texture.
Nutrition
This post was originally published April 2017. It has been republished with new images and an updated recipe.
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