This asparagus and peas green salad is a delicious, delicate salad that’s perfect for this season. Made with asparagus, peas, mint and pickled red onions and drizzled with a honey vinaigrette this salad is the star of any table.
I have to be honest, I was never a fan of salads were the green was the main color. For mea good salad was one with a ton of toppings and fix-ins. The more croutons and dressing the better, you know what I mean? At least, that’s how it was until I discovered this asparagus and peas salad.
Because, my friend, this salad is good.
SO SO GOOD
And fresh
And flavorful
And delicate
What I’m trying to say is that this salad is so good you won’t miss all the toppings, quite the opposite actually. It also helps that this is so vibrant and beautiful it makes any table look party ready.
The secret to all the flavor and deliciousness in this salad comes from 3 things:
- First blanching the veggies. Blanching is a fancy cooking term that basically means quickly boiling the veggies for a couple of minutes and then transferring them to an ice bath. That¡s what preserves the intense green color while also giving the asparagus and peas some saltiness and flavor.
- Second is the pickled red onions. Just toss red onion bits with vinegar and sugar and let them set for a couple of minutes. This quick pickling time gets rid of the bit raw onions usually have while also giving them more flavor.
- Finally, the honey vinaigrette. Just mix honey, lemon juice, vinegar olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder together. Shake vigorously and coat your veggies evenly with it. This vinaigrette is super flavorful and tossing the veggies with it will pack them with even more flavor (see the theme here? Every single ingredient packs as much flavor as possible).
Ingredients you need:
- Asparagus
- Peas
- Garlic
- Red onion
- Balsamic vinegar
- Granulated sugar
- Honey
- Olive oil
- Lemon
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Pepper
- Mint leaves
Making your Spring fresh salad
- In a small bowl mix the balsamic vinegar with sugar. Add salt and pepper and mix in the onion. Set aside.
- Add garlic to boiling salted water. Blanch veggies and remove to ice bath. Drain and let dry.
- Mix honey, oil, lemon juice, and seasonings. Drizzle over veggies.
- Plate dressed veggies, then top with red onion and mint leaves.
What to serve with this salad
Other Spring Salads to try
Asparagus Pea Salad
Ingredients
- 1 Pound asparagus, ends trimmed
- 3 Cups peas
- 1 Garlic clove, crushed
- 1 Red onion, thinly sliced and chopped
- 6 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- ¼ Cup honey
- ¼ Cup olive oil
- Juice from one lemon
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ Cup mint leaves
Instructions
- Pickle the red onion: In a small bowl mix the balsamic vinegar with sugar. Add salt and pepper and mix in the onion. Set aside.
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the crushed garlic and let it cook for 3 minutes so the water gets infused with the garlic flavor. Add asparagus and peas and cook for 4 minutes or until bright green. Remove from heat, drain water and quickly transfer to an ice water bath. Drain and pat dry.
- Whisk together the honey with olive oil, lemon juice, garlic powder and salt and pepper to make the dressing. Drizzle it over the asparagus and peas and toss to evenly coat.
- Discard the vinegar used to pickle the onions, decorate the salad with the pickled onion bits and mint leaves.
Recommended Products
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Simply Organic Pepper, Black Medium Grind Certified Organic, 2.31 Ounce Container -
REDMOND Real Sea Salt - Natural Unrefined Organic Gluten Free Fine, 26 ounce pouch (1 Pack) -
Kirkland Signature Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2L (2QT 3.6 fl. oz) -
McCormick Garlic Powder, 8.75 oz -
Kirkland Minced California Garlic, 48-Ounce Super Easy Guacamole Edit or replace -
Colavita Aged Balsamic Vinegar of Modena IGP, 3 years, 8.5 Floz, Glass Bottle
Two of my kid’s favorite things haha they’d love this!
Such a vibrant and gorgeous springtime salad! I’ll be making this over and over again.
YES please! This looks SO good.. Love that colour!
Thanks.. It’s on the menu this week!
I love all this green! Asparagus looks really good in my store right now so I can’t wait to try this!
What a lovely, vibrant, fresh Springtime salad! Asparagus is my favorite so this is a must-try!
what a fresh, flavorful combo . . . love how you didn’t hide the flavors of these quintessential spring veggies!
This salad is perfect for spring, and I love all of the flavors going on in it.