Fresh, delicious and easy to make, think spring with Asparagus Tomato Salad!
Why We Love It
Let’s admit it: we’ve all been in the cooked asparagus temperature battle (seriously, how does it cool off so quickly?). But when Asparagus Tomato Salad is served, there’s no worrying about the dreaded cool off. Why? Because this eye-catching, flavorful side dish is served cold.
That’s one of the many reasons why we love this recipe. (See Asparagus In-spear-ation below!) 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 crumbled 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?
Why You’ll Love It
Looking for a new holiday or potluck side? How about a new way to jazz up your next meatloaf, grilled chicken or pork chop night? Asparagus Tomato Salad has you covered! So versatile and so simple to make, this cold side dish pairs well with so many entrées! As an added bonus, it only has a few simple ingredients and tastes so delicious!
Do you love asparagus as much as we do? Be sure to check out Asparagus Canapés and Cream of Roasted Asparagus Soup!
Asparagus Tomato Salad Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces (medium thickness works best)
- 1 cup of your favorite mini tomato, cut into bite-sized pieces (we love cherry and grape tomatoes for this)
- 1/2 cup light balsamic vinaigrette dressing (Ken’s Steakhouse recommended)
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese, divided
How to make Asparagus Tomato Salad
You’ll want to gather the following equipment:
- large pot with lid
- cutting board
- chef’s knife
- collander
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- two medium sized mixing bowls
- one small mixing bowl
- mixing spoons
- slotted spoon (for serving)
Getting Started
Prep the asparagus. Rinse, pat dry and place on the cutting board. Using your chef’s knife, trim off the woodsy ends and discard. Then cut the remaining into 1 inch pieces. We use the tips in this salad too, so be sure to include them in your preparation. Set aside.
Prep the tomatoes. Place the tomatoes on the cutting board. Using your knife, cut the tomatoes into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
Kitchen Ready Betty tip: Grape tomatoes and cherry tomatoes are excellent for this salad. Sometimes I use both!
Set your large pot with lid on your stove. Bring water to a boil while preparing the dressing.
Make the dressing. In a small bowl, mix the balsamic vinaigrette, dry mustard and pepper. Mix well to avoid clumps. Set aside.
Asparagus hot tub time! By now, your water should be boiling. Once you have a rolling boil, 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!!!
Get the cool off ready. While the asparagus is cooking, fill a medium sized mixing bowl with cold ice water. As soon as your kitchen timer goes off, pour the asparagus into a colander to drain, then immediately transfer to the cold ice water. Let your cooked asparagus hang out in there for about 1 minute. Then use your colander to thoroughly drain the asparagus again.
Kitchen Ready Betty tip: The reason we take this extra step is to preserve the beautiful, green hues of the asparagus. 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.
Now it’s time to bring all the ingredients together! In a medium mixing bowl, gently toss the drained asparagus and tomatoes together. Then drizzle on the dressing and mix well.
Next, add only 1/3 cup of the crumbled feta and mix. For aesthetic purposes, save the other 1/3 cup of feta for when you are about to serve Asparagus Tomato Salad. Sprinkle it on top and try not to mix it too much so the feta’s beautiful creamy color doesn’t get swallowed up by the browns of the dressing.
Cover and chill. 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.
I personally enjoy this salad more the next day once it’s had a chance to marinate overnight in the fridge!
Asparagus Tomato Salad Leftovers?
Store in an airtight container and refrigerate. Enjoy within 3-5 days. Keep in mind that the longer Asparagus Tomato Salad sits, the soggier the asparagus will get!
Asparagus In-spear-ation
Packed with fiber, vitamin C and folate, asparagus is so good for you! We love it grilled (so delicious!) and also love it in any recipe involving cheese. But sometimes I just don’t feel like dealing with its inevitable quick cool offs. That was the in-spear-ation (get it?) for this recipe.
When hosting get togethers, I love to serve cold side dishes because they are low maintenance and stress-free. They also make great lunches the next day. But honestly, I love Asparagus Tomato Salad so much, I sometimes just make it for myself–no special occasion needed!
Asparagus Tomato Salad
Description
This beautiful salad is delicious and amazingly healthy! With just a few simple ingredients, you will have a no-hassle, cold side dish for your next family get together--whether at Easter or simply on a weeknight at your dinner table! If you love the taste of fresh ingredients, this salad is for you!
Asparagus Tomato Salad
Instructions
Prepare the fresh ingredients.
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Prep the asparagus.
Rinse, 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.
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Prep the tomatoes.
Place tomatoes on cutting board. Using a chef's knife, halve the tomatoes. Set aside.
Both cherry and grape tomatoes work well in this recipe. Sometimes I use both varieties together in this salad!
Stovetop.
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Set large pot with lid filled with water on stove. Bring water to a boil while preparing the dressing.
To save time, I start boiling the water while I make the dressing (next step). Once the asparagus is in the pot, it needs attention to retain its green vibrancy. By having all the other prep finished, I can focus solely on the asparagus moving forward.
Make the dressing.
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In a small bowl, mix the balsamic vinaigrette, dry mustard and pepper. Mix well to avoid clumps. Set aside.
As an alternative to dry mustard, you could add 2 teaspoons of dijon mustard for an extra kick.
Blanch the asparagus.
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Boiling water.
Once the water has come to a rolling boil, 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!!!
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Ice water.
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 minute. Then drain asparagus again in colander.
Putting it all together.
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In a medium mixing bowl, gently toss the drained asparagus and tomatoes together.
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Then drizzle on the dressing and mix well.
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Next, add only 1/3 cup of the crumbled feta and mix.
For aesthetic purposes, save the other 1/3 cup of feta for when you are about to serve. Sprinkle it on top and try not to mix it too much so the feta's beautiful creamy color doesn't get swallowed up by the browns of the dressing.
Chill.
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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.
This gives a chance for the dressing's flavors to absorb into the asparagus and tomatoes.
Storage.
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Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 3-5 days.
Note
To save time, I typically use Ken's Steakhouse light balsamic vinaigrette for this recipe because it tastes great. Feel free to make your own in you prefer.
I really like NatureSweet Cherubs (grape tomatoes) in this. Sometimes I will mix in some cherry tomatoes too.
When serving this salad, it is helpful to use a slotted spoon. The extra dressing and juices can stay in the serving bowl!
User Reviews
We love salads and this one sounds like a winner. I’ll be sure to add this to my list and try.
It’s one of our favorites! hope you enjoy.
We love salads and usually eat one with dinner. This sounds like a great one to try.
Thanks! It’s super easy to make.