Asparagus Salad | Life Made Sweeter

This Asparagus Salad is healthy, refreshing and easy to make with crispy asparagus, peppery arugula, cucumber, cherry tomatoes tossed with a homemade lemon herb dressing. It’s the perfect lunch or light spring dinner and simple to customize with your favorite crunchy toppings.

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Updated May 2024

Healthy Asparagus Salad: A Fresh and Flavorful Delight

Who doesn’t love a fresh, healthy and flavorful bowl of veggies to add to their meal rotation? This Asparagus Salad is bright, beautiful and full of spring flavors. It features crispy and tender aspargus is roasted to perfection and served with a medley of peppery arugula, refreshing cucumber and more! What we love about making spring salads like this is that you can put them together quickly with ingredients that can easily be swapped out for what you have on hand.

After throwing it together in less than 30 minutes, each bite you take will seem like it’s too good to be true. You can keep the roasted asparagus as simple or dress them up however you’d like – their versatility makes them a fail-proof side dish for all sorts of different main courses! From big holiday feasts to light weekend lunches, this tender-crisp asparagus makes an amazing addition to any meal.

Asparagus Salad: A Fresh and Flavorful Delight

Looking for a vibrant and nutritious salad option that’s bursting with color and flavor? Our Asparagus Salad recipe is just what you need. With a medley of fresh vegetables, crunchy nuts and seeds, and a zesty lemon herb vinaigrette, this salad is not only visually appealing but also a treat for your taste buds.

Ingredients You’ll Need:

• Asparagus: Adds a vibrant green color and a satisfying crunch to the salad.
• Arugula and Mixed Greens: Provide a nutritious and flavorful base for the salad.
• Grape Tomatoes and Cucumber: Infuse the dish with bursts of sweetness and freshness.
• Fresh Parsley: Offers a pop of herbal flavor to complement the other ingredients.
• Optional Add-Ins: Toasted walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, and hemp seeds provide additional texture and nutritional benefits.

Lemon Herb Vinaigrette:

• Fresh Lemon Juice: Provides a tangy and refreshing flavor to the dressing.
• Avocado Oil or Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Adds richness and helps emulsify the dressing.
• Dijon Mustard: Adds a hint of tanginess and helps bind the ingredients together.
• Maple Syrup or Preferred Sweetener: Balances the acidity of the lemon juice and adds a touch of sweetness.
• Minced Shallots, Fresh Mint, and Fresh Rosemary: Infuse the dressing with layers of flavor.
• Sea Salt and Freshly Cracked Black Pepper: Seasonings that enhance the overall taste of the salad.

Why we love this salad recipe

Not only is this asparagus salad delicious, it’s also so simple to make! It makes a quick and easy lunch, dinner and is naturally gluten-free and fits into various diets such as paleo, low carb, Keto, vegan and Whole30 compliant.

You can serve make a big batch for summer barbecues, picnics or serve as a side to a comforting and cozy dinner.

Ingredients you need

• Arugula 
• Mixed greens of choice – I used green leaf lettuce, green and red cabbage but feel free to use escarole, romaine lettuce or iceberg lettuce
• Asparagus: cut on a bias
• Cucumber: you can use one medium English cucumber or two Persian cucumbers.
• Grape Tomatoes: cut into halves
• Toppings – Pecans, pistachios, sliced almonds and hemp seeds add that perfect crunch
• Herbs – Chopped parsley

For the Lemon Herb Vinaigrette

The light and bright asparagus salad dressing is made with just a few simple ingredients:

• Lemon juice: about 1/4 cup
• Dijon mustard: just 2 teaspoons
• Avocado oil (or extra virgin-olive oi)
• Shallots: minced
• Fresh herbs: mint and rosemary
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• Optional sweetener: we used maple syrup but you can use Sugar-free maple syrup, yacon syrup or your preferred liquid sweetener. Leave out for Whole30.

How to make Asparaugs Salad

Tips for Success

There are a few more things you should know before you get to work on this salad recipe:

• Don’t Cook All the Asparagus At Once: If you over-crowd your Air Fryer or oven, the vegetables won’t cook evenly. They should be spread out in a single layer.
• Avoid Overcooking: Be sure not to overcook the asparagus to maintain its crisp texture.
• Remember to Season the Salad Greens First: It’s important to season the arugula first with a little bit of dressing before adding all the other salad components. This ensures that your salad base is flavored evenly when mixed with the other ingredients.
• Add the Dressing Right Before Enjoying: After a while, the vinaigrette will cause the greens in your salad to wilt. We recommend adding the dressing to individual portions right before you serve them, especially if you expect to have leftovers.

Make Ahead and Storage Tips

If prepping this salad ahead of time, store the dressing separately until ready to serve.

• To Make This Easy Asparagus Arugula Salad Ahead. Prepare the dressing in a jar and seal with an airtight lid. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• Rinse and dry the arugula ahead of time and wrap with a paper towel in a large resealable bag. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Wash and cut the tomatoes and cucumber and store in  a glass resealable container or a separate resealable bag. When ready to serve, assemble the salad.
• To Store. You can store leftover dressed salad in the refrigerator for 1 day. Do not freeze.

Freezer Instructions:

• Asparagus salad is best enjoyed fresh and is not suitable for freezing.

Variation Ideas

Don’t hesitate to make changes to this healthy asparagus salad as you see fit. It’s super versatile!

• Switch Up the Greens: Got spinach in your garden or kale hanging around in the fridge? You can use any greens of your choice in place of the arugula. We like to mix and match!
• Use Another Dressing: There are plenty of other dressings you can pair with Cobb salad. Caesar dressing, Poppy Seed Dressing, or even balsamic dressing would be absolutely scrumptious.
• Vegetables: Add pickled onions, aritchoke or sun-dried tomatoes for an extra punch of flavour
• Cheese: Sprinkle on some vegan ricotta or feta if not dairy-free, Whole30 or paleo
• Protein: Serve with some roasted chickpeas, air fryer tofu to make this a complete vegan dinner or some grilled salmon, whole roasted chicken or any protein of choice.

Serving Suggestions:

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

1. Can I make this salad ahead of time? Absolutely! You can prepare the dressing and chop the vegetables ahead of time. Keep them separate and assemble the salad just before serving to maintain freshness and crunch.
2. Is there a way to make this salad nut-free? Yes, you can omit the nuts and seeds or substitute them with roasted chickpeas or sunflower seeds for a nut-free option.
3. Can I use a different type of dressing? Of course! Feel free to use your favorite salad dressing or vinaigrette instead of the lemon herb vinaigrette provided in the recipe.
4. Can I add protein to make this salad more filling? Definitely! Grilled chicken, shrimp, tofu, or chickpeas would all be delicious additions to this salad to add protein and make it more substantial.
5. Can I use frozen asparagus instead of fresh? While fresh asparagus is recommended for optimal flavor and texture, you can use frozen asparagus in a pinch. Just be sure to thaw and pat it dry before cooking.
6. Is this salad suitable for meal prep? Yes, this salad is great for meal prep. Simply portion it into individual containers, keeping the dressing separate until ready to serve.
7. How can I adjust the sweetness of the dressing? If you prefer a sweeter dressing, you can add more maple syrup or your preferred liquid sweetener to taste. Conversely, if you prefer a tangier dressing, you can reduce the amount of sweetener or omit it altogether.
8. Can I make this salad Whole30-compliant? To make this salad Whole30-compliant, omit the maple syrup or preferred sweetener from the dressing and ensure all other ingredients comply with the Whole30 guidelines.
9. Can I use different herbs in the dressing? Absolutely! Feel free to experiment with different herbs based on your taste preferences. Fresh basil, cilantro, or dill would all be delicious options to try.

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