This Greek-inspired Asparagus Salad recipe is easy, zesty, and bright! Made with fresh spring asparagus, pearl couscous, kalamata olives, pine nuts, feta, lemon zest, and fresh mint all tossed in a lemony dressing. Vegan-adaptable.
There is a morning inside you waiting to burst open into Light.
~Rumi~
This asparagus salad recipe is so springy, tasty, and easy! It’s another popular catering recipe we’ve made repeatedly over the years and I think you’ll enjoy it. Make it for a special brunch, dinner, or gathering, or prep it ahead for the busy week for mid-week lunches.
With its Greek flavors, it pairs with many Mediterranean dishes and can be served warm—as a tasty side dish to fish, poultry, or beef—or chilled—as a vibrant and hearty spring salad. If you are going gluten-free, substitute quinoa or wild rice! Orzo also works here.
Buttercups, crocuses, little blue scillas, and budding syringas are everywhere—all telltale signs of Spring. The earth is warming up, and oh my, it feels so incredibly good. In Spring, everything seems possible, doesn’t it?
Another sure sign of Spring is asparagus. It’s also everywhere and finally, at last, reasonably priced. We’ve been buying it up by the case for catering, and of course, the leftovers get to come home… and I’ve been loving this Asparagus Salad!
Asparagus Salad Ingredients
- Fresh Asparagus, trimmed
- Pearl Couscous (aka Israeli Couscous) or use orzo, quinoa, freekah, or regular cous cous
- Kalamata olives ( pitted, sliced)
- Feta cheese (optional, or sub vegan feta!)
- Toasted pine nuts (optional, sub-slivered almonds)
- Fresh Herbs: Mint, Italian parsley, optional tarragon or dill, scallions ( or sub red onion)
- Lemon – fresh lemon juice and lemon zest.
- Fresh Garlic
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Mustard- whole grain or Dijon mustard.
- Red wine vinegar
- Salt and Pepper and optional dried mint.
How to Make Asparagus Salad (instructions)
Step 1: Cook the couscous in a large pot of boiling water and prep and roast the asparagus.
TIP: If pressed for time, you can toss bite-size pieces of asparagus in the boiling pot of couscous water, right at the very end of cooking, for a quick 1-2 minute blanch. Then drain it all together.
Step 3: Once the Israeli couscous and asparagus is cooked, just toss all the ingredients together in a large bowl with the lemony dressing, olives, fresh herbs and feta. Taste and adjust salt and lemon. Serve warm or chill until ready to serve.
Serving and Storage
Serve the Asparagus Salad warm on a serving platter, as a tasty side dish, or chill it for later! If chilling the salad for later, wait to add the fresh herbs, and be sure to taste it one more time right before serving. Sometimes the couscous can soak up the dressing, so you may need to adjust salt and lemon, adding more to taste.
Asparagus Salad will keep up to 4 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
More Spring Salads you’ll love!
Enjoy the asparagus salad and let us know what you think in the comments below!
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Asparagus Salad Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 4-6
- Category: Salad, spring recipes,
- Method: Tossed
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This Greek-inspired Asparagus Salad recipe is easy, zesty, and bright! Made with fresh spring asparagus, pearl couscous, kalamata olives, pine nuts, feta, lemon zest, and fresh mint all tossed in a lemony dressing. Vegan-adaptable.
Ingredients
- 1– 2 bunches of asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1–2 inch pieces.
- 1–2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste, add red pepper flakes if you like.
- 1 1/2 cups dry Israeli Cous Cous (uncooked) or use orzo, quinoa, freekah, or regular cous cous ( about 4 cups cooked)
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives ( pitted, sliced)
- 1/2 cup feta cheese ( optional)
- 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts (optional, sub slivered almonds)
- 1/4– 1/2 cup fresh mint
- 1/2 cup Italian parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoons tarragon (optional)
- 3 scallions, sliced at a diagonal
- Zest from one lemon (divided)
Dressing:
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon or whole grain mustard
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon dried mint (optional)
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- 425 F oven. See tip in #3.
- Bring a pot of salted water to boil for couscous, and cook it until al dente.
- Trim off the tough woody ends of the asparagus. Cut remaining into 1-2 inch pieces. Place in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil; sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt, cracked pepper, optional chili flakes, and half of the lemon zest, and toss well. Spread on a parchment-lined sheet pan until tender, about 20-25 minutes. (*TIP: Alternatively, if you are in a hurry, you could skip the oven and blanch the asparagus in the couscous water during the last 2-3 minutes of cooking time.)
- Make the dressing. In a small bowl, stir the lemon juice, vinegar, dijon, dried mint, and garlic . Whisk in the olive oil and a little at a time, add salt and pepper, mix and set aside.
- Assemble: Drain the couscous and place it in a large bowl. Add the asparagus, olives, pine nuts, fresh herbs, scallions, and remaining lemon zest and toss. Then add the dressing, just enough to generously coat. Toss in the feta. The amount of dressing will depend on how much asparagus you use.
- Taste and adjust salt and lemon to your liking.
- Serve warm, or chill and serve as a salad.
- If serving chilled, taste the salad once more before serving and adjust the salt, lemon, and olive oil one more time, as the couscous may soak up some of the flavorful dressing.
Notes
You want 4-ish cups of cooked pasta or grain.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 375
- Sugar: 2.2 g
- Sodium: 597.1 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 40.5 g
- Fiber: 5.5 g
- Protein: 10.6 g
- Cholesterol: 11.1 mg
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The salad was refreshing. I have a question. The recipe states dried mint, but in your photo, I believe the leaves are fresh mint. Which should be used? If fresh, how much? Thank you
Hi Chris! I use both. The dried mint really bumps up the mint flavor throughout but the fresh mint is nice too.
This is a pretty solid receipe, thank you! I ended up using fresh green beans (that everyone thought was asparagus). The asparagus is still too expensive to buy right now (too early in the season in France). The vinaigrette was really nice. I used too much water with the Moroccan couscous (too soggy)so next time I will do a 1 to 1 ratio. I used sliced almonds but cruncy pine nuts (as you suggested) will probaby be better.
Glad you gave it a try Malia! Thanks for taking time to leave us a review.
To tartiy and vinagry! The lemon would have been enough!
Oh shoot- what type of vinegar did you use Fatima?
This is a wonderfully refreshing and tasty dish. Perfect for springtime! I roasted a fennel bulb along with the asparagus, which was a nice addition.
So glad you enjoyed this one Karen!
Healthy and delicious meal, easily customizable with whatever extra veggies you have on hand (I roasted some extra red pepper with the asparagus, thinking sliced grape tomatoes would be a great addition, too). I had leftover dressing, which tangy and could be used on various salads.
Thanks Barbara!
This is so good!!! Love the brightness of the dressing. I used orzo. I skipped the feta but added edamame. This salad is so hearty and filling! I love it and will make it again 🙂 thank you!
Thanks Angeli!