Cold Asparagus Salad Recipe
March 21, 2017 3 Comments
This cold asparagus salad recipe will bring you right into spring.
I start serving asparagus to my family when I first see it in the produce section on sale. You will notice it there at the end of the aisle with a lower price than any other time of year. I go a little nuts when I see it and buy it every time I visit. Then, my husband starts serving it too and before you know it my kids say, “asparagus, again?”
“What? We spent all winter without it!” I find myself exclaiming but I hear them. The recipe below uses my favorite roasted asparagus with tomatoes and a balsamic dressing to keep things interesting. You can serve it cold or room temperature.
I happen to love asparagus. There is an ice cream place near me that serves…..asparagus ice cream. No, I am not making that up.
They are asparagus crazy in the town next door.
I make a healthy cream of asparagus soup that features yogurt and a medium potato to reach “creamy” status. You don’t need to use cream!
I keep this salad waiting for me in my refrigerator when I am looking for a snack and I don’t know what to eat. If the container is at eye level, I will choose to eat it and not choose something less healthy (you know where you are potato chips!).
The sweetness of the balsamic vinegar is a perfect complement to the “grassiness” of the asparagus. I love throwing the tomatoes in for color and a pop of flavor.
If you want to make this into more of a meal, you could add walnuts, almonds, feta cheese, or some grilled chicken to the top of the salad. You could serve it over rice oron a Ciabatta (how gourmet!). This salad is great for a picnic or a potluck since it doesn’t have to be hot to taste good.
How do you keep asparagus interesting?
Roasted Asparagus & Tomato Balsamic Salad Recipe
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients
2 pounds fresh asparagus
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pint fresh grape tomatoes, halved
Instructions
Salad dressing:
6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
Heat oven to 400F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil (for easy clean-up). Snap the blunt ends of the asparagus. Toss the stalks with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes until tender.
While the asparagus is roasting, whisk vinegar, olive oil, mustard, and garlic in a small bowl.
Slice cooked asparagus into 1-inch pieces and add to bowl with tomatoes. Drizzle on dressing and toss. Taste for salt and pepper. Serve immediately or store for later. This salad does improve with age and can be stored for 5 days.
Nutrition Facts
For one serving = 126 calories, 9.7 g fat, 1.4 g saturated fat, 8.6 g carbohydrates, 4.5 g sugar, 4.0 g protein, 4.0 g fiber, 26 mg sodium, 3 SmartPts
Points values are calculated by Snack Girl and are provided for information only. See all Snack Girl Recipes
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Lighter Cream of Asparagus Soup
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More Asparagus Please!
This is the easiest time of year to be a blogger if you are into healthy eating....
3 Comments:
Anne
Lisa Cain
Tywana Wright