Enjoy the delicious fresh flavors of asparagus and tomatoes when they come together in Asparagus Tomato Salad--a beautiful and healthy, easy to make side dish that features a simple vinaigrette and crumbled feta cheese.
We've all been in the cooked asparagus temperature battle (seriously, how does it cool off so quickly?). But when this salad is served, there's no worrying about the dreaded cool off. That's because this eye-catching, flavorful side dish is served chilled.
That's one of the many reasons why I love this asparagus salad recipe. The flavors and textures are second to none. Crisp asparagus stalks are mixed with fresh mini tomatoes, which are then drizzled with a simple--but tasty--balsamic vinaigrette.
But the best part?--That just might be the salty and creamy feta cheese, which accentuates the flavors so nicely, and provides an extra layer of texture and tang.
Everything's betta with a little feta--don't you agree? See Chickpea Cucumber Feta Salad and English Cucumber Salad for more feta goodness.
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👪Why you'll love it
| Easy, make ahead recipe- Asparagus Tomato and Feta Salad is incredibly easy to make. Simply blanch the asparagus, let it cool, then mix with the other ingredients. The longer the salad sits, the better it tastes, making this a great prep ahead side. Versatile- This beautiful and delicious salad pairs well with so many grilled proteins. It's also a great choice for potlucks and picnics since it's served chilled. Packed with good for you ingredients- Asparagus is rich in Vitamin C and potassium. It's also low in calories. By blanching it for only 4 minutes, we retain most of the nutrition for this fantastic salad! |
🥘Ingredients
For a complete list of ingredients with measurements, see the printable recipe card below
- fresh asparagus- medium thickness works best; try to use asparagus within 3 days of buying it for best results
- mini tomatoes- we love cherry and grape tomatoes for this
- light balsamic vinaigrette dressing- rather than making it from scratch, I recommend Ken's Steakhouse
- ground mustard & black pepper- additional seasonings for the dressing
- crumbled feta cheese- for a little added protein and tang; feel free to use goat or burrata cheese instead
🔪Instructions
For more detailed instructions, see the printable recipe card below
- Trim the woodsy ends off of the asparagus; then cut the remaining into 1 inch pieces.
- Bring water to boil in large pot; add asparagus and cook for 4 minutes only.
- Immediately drain and transfer asparagus to an ice water bath for 1-2 minutes, then drain once more.
- Add the asparagus and halved tomatoes to a large bowl; gently toss.
- In a separate small bowl, mix the balsamic vinaigrette, dry mustard and pepper. Mix well to avoid clumps.
- Drizzle the dressing over the asparagus and toss; gently toss.
- Add ⅓ cup of feta to the salad and mix. Reserve the remaining the sprinkle on top of the salad before serving.
- Cover and chill.
Hint: You can eat this salad right away, but I find it tastes best after sitting in the fridge for at least 1 hour. This gives a chance for the dressing's flavors to absorb into the asparagus and tomatoes.
🥣Substitutions
Cheese: Bleu cheese crumbles make an excellent substitute for the feta because bleu cheese pairs well with asparagus. If making for a gathering, I would stick with feta because it's not as strong in taste and not as polarizing (not everyone's a bleu cheese fan).
Vegan: Hold the feta or use vegan feta. Ken's Light Balsamic Vinaigrette is vegan because there are no animal byproducts in it (the full fat version uses honey), so the light dressing that's recommended in this recipe is fine to use.
📖Variations
Greek Asparagus Tomato Salad: Add 1 can of drained, rinsed chickpeas and ½ c. sliced black olives. Optional to sprinkle pine nuts on top before serving.
Italian Asparagus Tomato Salad: Instead of feta, use fresh mozzarella pearls or burrata cheese. Add ½ c. sliced red onion.
🍽Equipment
- large pot with lid
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- colander
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- large mixing bowls
- small mixing bowl
- mixing spoons
- slotted spoon (for serving)
🍶Storage
Store in an airtight container and refrigerate. Enjoy within 3-5 days. Keep in mind that the longer this salad sits, the soggier the asparagus will get!
💭Top tip
The longer asparagus cooks, the less stunning it looks. By only cooking it for a few minutes (blanching), it doesn't lose much green. Shocking it next with the cold ice water bath stops the asparagus from cooking further to help preserve its vibrancy.
🥄Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
🍴Pairing
These are my favorite spring dishes to serve with Asparagus Tomato Salad:
📋Recipe
Asparagus Tomato Salad
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb fresh asparagus medium thickness, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 cup small red tomatoes cherry or grape, cut into bite-sized pieces
- ½ cup light balsamic vinaigrette Ken's Steakhouse highly recommended
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅔ cup crumbled feta cheese divided
Instructions
- Rinse asparagus; pat dry and place on cutting board. Using a chef's knife, trim off the woodsy ends and discard. Then cut the remaining into 1 inch pieces. The tips are used in this salad too, so be sure to include them in your preparation. Set aside.
- Place tomatoes on cutting board. Using a chef's knife, halve the tomatoes. Set aside.
- Set large pot with lid filled with water on stove. Bring water to a boil, then reduce the heat slightly and place the trimmed asparagus pieces in the pot. Blanch the asparagus by cooking it over medium to high heat for only 4 minutes. Do not overcook!!!
- While the asparagus in cooking, fill a medium sized mixing bowl with cold ice water. After 4 minutes of cooking, pour the asparagus into a colander to drain, then immediately transfer to the cold ice water. Leave cooked asparagus in cold water for 1-2 minutes. Then drain asparagus again in colander.
- In a medium mixing bowl, gently toss the drained asparagus and tomatoes together.
- In a separate small bowl, mix the balsamic vinaigrette, dry mustard and pepper. Mix well to avoid clumps. Then drizzle over asparagus and tomatoes and mix well.
- Next, add only ⅓ cup of the crumbled feta and mix.
- Chill. Although it can be enjoyed right away, this salad tastes its best when it sits in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 3-5 days.
Barbara K. says
We love asparagus and I'm always looking for new ways to enjoy it with dinner. This sounds like a great recipe to try.
Kitchen Ready Betty says
Thanks! It's super easy to make.
Liz M.. says
We love salads and this asparagus salad sounds like a winner. I'll be sure to add this to my list and try.
Kitchen Ready Betty says
It's one of our favorites! hope you enjoy.