Name: Asparagus Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 pound asparagus, ends removed, washed and cut into bite-sized pieces; 1/2 lemon; 2 teaspoons garlic powder; 2 teaspoons onion powder; 8 ounces orzo pasta, cooked according to package directions, rinsed and cooled; 1 cup tri-colored grape tomatoes, cut in halves (or tomatoes of choice); 5 green onions, sliced thin; 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped; 1/4 cup champagne vinegar; 2 Tablespoons dijon mustard; 2 Tablespoons Maple syrup; 2 Tablespoons water

As spring arrives, the markets fill with farm-fresh produce. And, nothing tastes better than the taste of roasted asparagus! With warm weather, come beautiful vibrant vegetables and fresh salads. One of my favorite vegetables is asparagus, so I decided to make a roasted asparagus salad recipe.

Although asparagus is available all year long, spring is the best season to buy asparagus. Not only is asparagus fresh in the spring, but it’s also inexpensive in April and May.

When choosing asparagus at the store, look for firm, straight and smooth stalks. Asparagus, however, comes in four sizes: small, standard, large, and jumbo. In my experience, the thinner the asparagus, the more flavorful and fresh it is. With that being said, I know a lot of people who prefer a thicker stem and less flavor. For that reason, choose whichever thickness you prefer.

Keep in mind, however, m cooking instructions apply to a thinner stalk of asparagus, so adjust accordingly.

WHAT VEGETABLES ARE INCLUDED IN ASPARAGUS SALAD?

Asparagus
Green onions
Tri-colored grape tomatoes (or tomatoes of choice)
Parsely

PREPARING ASPARAGUS FOR ASPARAGUS SALAD

Instead of using oil, I washed and tossed the asparagus in fresh lemon juice and sprinkled with garlic powder and onion powder. Another tip to roasting without oil is to use a silicone baking mat.

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
Roasted for 15 minutes
Remove asparagus from the oven and all to completely cool before adding to the Asparagus salad ingredients.

HOW TO COOK ORZO FOR ASPARAGUS SALAD

Although orzo looks like rice, it is actually a rice-shaped pasta. Even though traditional orzo is not gluten-free, gluten-free orzo is currently available and works well with this recipe. For instance, Dellalo makes a gluten-free, corn, and rice orzo, which is fabulous. For this asparagus salad recipe, though, I used regular orzo, since it was all I could find during the pandemic.

Unlike other pasta, orzo cooks incredible fast (8 minutes), so the majority of the work for this salad is in chopping the vegetables and preparing the quick and easy dressing.

Another helpful hint is to make sure you run cold water through the cooked orzo to stop cooking since the asparagus salad is served cold.

Once the orzo and asparagus cool, add all the ingredients to a large bowl. Because of the type of ingredients in asparagus salad, dress the salad in advance, and refrigerated until ready to serve.

INSTEAD OF ORZO, CHOOSE AN ALTERNATIVE GRAIN OR GREENS!

If you don’t like orzo, don’t let that stop you. Because I enjoy mixing it up, I like making asparagus salad using a variety of other grains and replacing the orzo with:

Quinoa
Farro
Barely
Brown Rice
Kale
Romaine lettuce
Spinach

Furthermore, I toss the salad in the dressing before refrigerating, so the dressing brings the flavors together like a marinade.

OIL-FREE CHAMPAGNE VINAIGRETTE DRESSING FOR ASPARAGUS SALAD

Whenever I make a new salad recipe, the think about dressing first. For me, salad is all about the dressing! Over time, I learned quickly how to create oil-free dressings I adore. For instance, champagne vinaigrette is one of my favorite dressing.

Champagne vinegar, for example, is mild in flavor and acidity, which makes a light and fresh dressing. Of course, another bonus is the four simple ingredients:

Champagne vinegar
Maple Syrup
Dijon Mustard
Water

Additionally, I suggest eating asparagus salad on its own or adding more greens for a more nutrient-dense salad. For this particular version of asparagus salad, for instance, I served asparagus salad on a bed of live lettuce.

LOOKING FOR GREAT SPRING AND SUMMER SALAD IDEAS TO MIX IT UP?

6 servings

Asparagus Salad

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Roasted asparagus highlights this fresh and light asparagus salad with simple ingredients dressed in an oil-free champagne vinaigrette dressing. Asparagus salad tastes like springtime in a bowl.

Ingredients

Roasted Asparagus

1 pound asparagus, ends removed, washed and cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 lemon
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder

Salad Ingredients

8 ounces orzo pasta, cooked according to package directions, rinsed and cooled
1 cup tri-colored grape tomatoes, cut in halves (or tomatoes of choice)
5 green onions, sliced thin
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Champagne Vinaigrette

1/4 cup champagne vinegar
2 Tablespoons dijon mustard
2 Tablespoons Maple syrup
2 Tablespoons water

Instructions

Roasting Asparagus

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper
Wash and remove tough ends of asparagus.
Cut asparagus into bite-sized pieces.
Squeeze 1/2 lemon over a single layer of asparagus on the baking sheet
Sprinkle with garlic and onion powder
Cook for 15 minutes
Remove asparagus from the oven and allow to cool completely before adding to the salad

COOKING ORZO

Cook orzo according to the package directions
Remove from heat at drain pasta in a colander, rinsing with cold water until pasta is cooled. Shake excess water from the colander.

Champagne Dressing

Add all ingredients to a measuring cup
Whisk together
Keep in the refrigerator until ready to dress the salad

Making the Asparagus Salad

Pour cooled orzo into a bowl
Add all ingredients including cooled roasted asparagus
Pour the dressing over the salad
Toss and refrigerate until you are ready to serve.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Comments