Parmesan Asparagus Salad


Parmesan Asparagus Salad is made with a handful of simple ingredients and overflows with flavor. Quick to assemble, this beautiful salad is satisfying and delicious!Blue-rimmed plate with asparagus salad and pickled red onions

This cold asparagus salad with Parmesan has an amazing mix of flavors and textures.

Steamed asparagus and tangy pickled onions offer a slight crunch, and the Parmesan has a nutty, sharp flavor. All surrounded with soft lettuces and a subtly sweet dressing, every bite is a bit different.

many peeled asparagus spears with peels next to themPeeling asparagus isn’t required, but if the spears are especially thick and/or spiny, peeling them will greatly improve the eating experience.

How to Prepare Asparagus for a Salad

  1. Trim and peel the asparagus if the stems are thick and/or especially spiny.
  2. Steam the asparagus just until it’s tender.
  3. Then “shock” it in ice water. This simply means to submerge the asparagus in ice water as soon as it’s done cooking. This helps it keep its bright green color and stops the cooking process.
  4. When it’s cool, drain and dry it.
  5. Cut it into smaller pieces and it’s ready for a salad.

(More detailed instructions are below.)

steamed asparagus spears in ice water“Shocking” green vegetables after they’re steamed or boiled does two important things: it stops the cooking process, and helps maintain the bright green color. It’s ideal to do this if the vegetables will be used in a salad. 

Recipe Tips and Substitutions

  • As I said above, it’s not a must, but I usually peel the asparagus. With thicker spears, the outer layer can be tough. When the spears are skinny, you don’t need to worry about this. And you can save the scraps for this awesome asparagus garnish.
  • If you’re making this Parmesan asparagus salad at the last minute, you can use thinly sliced red onion or shallots. I love them pickled, but you’ll have a tasty salad either way.
  • If you’d like to make this a vegan salad, you can omit the cheese and add marinated artichokes or hearts of palm.
  • My favorite way to make salad dressing is in a jar. Simply add all of the ingredients, put the lid on, and shake.

bright green, steamed asparagus on white towel

Parmesan Asparagus Salad is great as a first course or side dish. You can add a protein, like roasted chicken, and it’ll be substantial enough to serve as an entrée.

Parmesan Asparagus salad in wood bowl on wood board

I hope this asparagus salad is a hit at your house!

More delicious asparagus recipes:

wooden bowl with Parmesan Asparagus salad
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Parmesan Asparagus Salad

Parmesan Asparagus Salad is made with a handful of simple ingredients and overflows with flavor. Quick to assemble, this beautiful salad is satisfying and delicious!
Prep time doesn't include making the Pickled Onions, which can be done up to a week ahead, and takes about 10 minutes.
Course Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword pretty salads, salad for spring, recipes with asparagus
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 248kcal

Ingredients

For the dressing

  • 2 tablespoons lime juice, (or pickling juice from the onions)
  • 1 teaspoon whole grain mustard
  • teaspoons honey
  • teaspoon salt
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

  • Prep asparagus. Fill a large bowl with ice water and set it aside.
    Cut off the tough bottom portion of the asparagus spears -- this is usually about 3-inches or so. It should actually "snap" off at the right place if you use your hands.
    Then peel the asparagus and set up a steamer on the stove with water just beneath the rack. Bring the water in the steamer to a boil and place the peeled asparagus spears on the rack and cover. Steam until tender, about 6 minutes, depending on how thick the spears are. (They should not be soft, just tender.)
    Drain the asparagus and "shock" it by placing it in the bowl of ice-water for about 3 minutes. This will stop it from cooking any further and help to keep the bright color. Drain again and pat dry with paper towels.
    Cut the spears in half or into bite-sized pieces.
  • Combine salad ingredients. In a large mixing or serving bowl, toss the asparagus with the greens, onions and cheese. Set aside.
  • Make the dressing. In a small mixing bowl, combine the lime juice with the mustard, honey and salt. Gradually whisk in the olive oil and season to taste with the pepper and more salt if necessary. (You can also add all of the ingredients to a small jar and shake.)
  • Add dressing and serve. Toss the salad with the dressing and serve at once!

Notes

* If you're making this salad at the last minute, you can use thinly sliced red onion or shallots. I love them pickled, but you'll have a tasty salad either way.
Calorie count is only an estimate.

Nutrition

Calories: 248kcal

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