Make this Cold Asparagus Salad with tender asparagus, fresh strawberries, salty feta cheese, and a delicious balsamic dressing in 15 minutes! A great side dish full of fresh flavors!
Asparagus season is upon us, so I figured this is the perfect time to update this delicious asparagus salad recipe with new photos and an improved layout. 😍
If you are looking for new ways to serve asparagus, I've got you!
Who knew that a salad with fresh asparagus and strawberries could taste so good?! I don't know about you, but I love finding new ways to serve veggies.
You'll especially love the texture of this cold asparagus salad, made with tender yet still crisp asparagus, fresh strawberries, walnuts, feta cheese, and a simple balsamic dressing.
To turn this Spring or Summer salad into a complete meal, serve it with salmon or grilled chicken. Easy as that!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easy Recipe This cold asparagus salad recipe can be made in 15 minutes from start to finish. If you have an air fryer, there is no need to blanch (boil it then cool it in a bowl of ice water) the asparagus first. You also don't need to use a vegetable peeler for the asparagus in this recipe.
- Fresh Ingredients Fresh asparagus cooked just long enough to give them a bright green color and fresh strawberries mixed with fresh feta cheese and a delicious balsamic dressing adds the best flavor!
Dietitian Tip
Serving a Spring salad like this is a great way to introduce kids to new flavors and textures.
For instance, feta cheese has a strong flavor, so most kids will not enjoy biting into a big chunk of it. However, if you crumble feta into small pieces and use a small amount, it adds a lovely flavor without overpowering the dish.
Ingredient Notes
- Asparagus Use fresh asparagus spears that have been washed. Trim off the tough ends before air frying. Asparagus contains chromium, folate, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, and fiber. Asparagus is also known to be a good source of prebiotics. Prebiotics have been shown to be good for human health.
- Strawberries These pretty, heart-shaped berries are high in vitamin C, antioxidants, vitamins, manganese, folate, fiber, and more. Yes, they really are that good for you!
- Walnuts Significantly high in omega-3 ALA. Walnuts are also a good source of protein, fiber, and magnesium.
- Feta Cheese A small amount of crumbled feta is added for its unique and salty flavor. If you want to have control over the size of feta crumbles, buy a block of feta cheese and use the tip of a fork to crumble it yourself. Can use creamy goat cheese instead.
- Balsamic Glaze Also known as balsamic reduction. It's made with balsamic vinegar and added sugar (some brands use cane sugar and others, including Trader Joe's, use a grape syrup called grape must). It can be found in the vinegar section of the grocery store. Using balsamic glaze is a delicious way to add incredible flavor that everyone loves!
How to Make This Cold Asparagus Salad
Here's a quick overview of the steps to make this healthy salad. For the full list of ingredients and instructions, scroll down to the recipe card.
- Cook the asparagus just for a few minutes. You want the asparagus crisp but not raw. Options: air fry at 400 degrees for 3-4 minutes, roast in the oven at 400 degrees for 6-7 minutes, or blanch for 2-3 minutes. The time range is given because asparagus stalks come in all different sizes (thin asparagus spears will cook quicker than thick spears).
- While the asparagus cooks, make the dressing in a small bowl and set it aside.
- While the asparagus cools, slice the strawberries in half lengthwise. Then cut asparagus into one-inch pieces.
- Add all ingredients to a large bowl and toss. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Helpful Tips
- This cold asparagus with strawberry salad is best for same day eating.
- Do not overcook the asparagus. This salad tastes best when the asparagus has some crunch to it.
- Using an air fryer is the quickest way to get the asparagus tender but still crisp because it eliminates the need to preheat an oven or boil water.
- If you don't have an air fryer, use blanched asparagus (boil for 2 minutes then placed in an ice bath to stop the cooking process).
- If your kids like garlic, use one small clove of minced garlic in place of the garlic powder.
- All of the steps to prepare this simple salad can be done ahead of time.
- Serve this salad the same day you make it. While leftovers can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated to enjoy the next day, the strawberries will soften, and the asparagus won't be as crisp.
- If your kids like mustard, increase the amount of Dijon mustard to 2 teaspoons.
- Can use grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes sliced in half instead of strawberries.
Questions You May Have
Yes! You definitely can eat asparagus raw. However, because of its rough texture, most people (especially kids) prefer to eat asparagus that has been cooked. If you want to eat asparagus raw, I suggest shredding it first and then add it to a salad.
Blanched green beans would be the next best vegetable to use in place of asparagus for this recipe.
This salad can be served as a side to anything you would serve at a barbecue or picnic, like burgers, sandwiches, pulled pork, grilled chicken, or even pizza!
More Side Dishes
- Green Bean Casserole with Fresh Green Beans
- Top 9 Holiday Side Dishes (30 Minutes or Less!)
- Easy Roasted Peaches
- Simple Lemon Garlic Salad Dressing
Did your kids love this easy asparagus salad? Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and comment below. A 5-star rating is the best compliment!
Don't forget to snap a pic of your colorful asparagus salad with strawberries and tag @carrots.and.cookies on Instagram so I can see it. Enjoy!
📖 Recipe
Cold Asparagus Salad
Equipment
- 1 Air Fryer optional
Ingredients
- 1 lb Asparagus One large bunch or two small bunches of asparagus. Washed and ends removed.
- 2 cups Strawberries Washed, stems removed, and sliced in half
- ⅓ cup Walnut pieces toasted
- ¼ cup Feta cheese Crumbled
Dressing
- 2 ½ tablespoon Balsamic glaze Also known as balsamic reduction
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ teaspoon Dijon Mustard Up to 2 teaspoon if your kids really like the flavor of mustard.
- ¼ teaspoon Garlic powder Or one small clove of fresh garlic, minced.
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 dash black pepper
Instructions
- Lightly coat the asparagus with some of the olive oil then place in a single layer on your air fryer basket. Air fry the asparagus at 400 degrees for 3-4 minutes.1 lb Asparagus
- While the asparagus cools, cut strawberries in half lengthwise and place in a medium mixing bowl.2 cups Strawberries
- Whisk all of the dressing ingredients together in a small prep bowl.2 ½ tablespoon Balsamic glaze, 1 tablespoon Olive oil, 1 ½ teaspoon Dijon Mustard, ¼ teaspoon Garlic powder, 1 pinch salt, 1 dash black pepper
- Cut the asparagus into one-inch pieces using kitchen shears. Add the asparagus pieces to the bowl with strawberries
- Add walnut pieces and feta cheese to the bowl with asparagus and strawberries.⅓ cup Walnut pieces, ¼ cup Feta cheese
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss. Serve chilled.
Notes
- Do not overcook the asparagus. This salad tastes best when the asparagus has some crunch to it.
- Using an air fryer is the quickest way to get the asparagus tender but still crisp.
- If you don't have an air fryer, blanch the asparagus by boiling it in water for 2-3 minutes and then cooling it in a bowl of ice-cold water. Otherwise, lightly roast asparagus in the oven at 400 degrees for 6 minutes.
- If your kids like garlic, use one small clove of minced garlic in place of the garlic powder.
- Serve this salad the same day that you make it. While leftovers can be enjoyed the next day, the strawberries will soften, and the asparagus won't be as crisp.
- If your kids like mustard, increase the amount of Dijon to 2 teaspoons.
- If your kids really like feta cheese, you can double the amount in this recipe.
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