If you like caprese salad, you’ll love this Pesto Asparagus Caprese Salad Recipe, an elegant salad with tomatoes, Mozzarella, and asparagus.

Pesto Asparagus Caprese Salad Recipe with mozzarella cheese, red onions, and tomatoes

Blank Form (#3)

WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
Enter your email below and we'll send the recipe straight to your inbox (and more recipes sent weekly!)

Friends, just in time for spring and summer, enjoy this elegant Pesto Asparagus Caprese Salad Recipe as a meal itself, or a side salad for any meal.  It’s made with perfectly-cooked asparagus, red onions, tomatoes mozzarella cheese and the flavors of basil, of course. And if you want to take “caprese” up a notch for an appetizer this spring or summer? Try my Salami Caprese Charcuterie Board!

Pesto Asparagus Caprese Salad Recipe

April calls for fresh produce and pesto flavors so how about my 25-minute Asparagus Caprese Salad for Easter this year?

Don’t forget the basil leaves and fresh ground pepper! Watch the VIDEO below to see how easy it is to make!

You may also want to try my Shaved Asparagus Fennel Salad (delicious with anything grilled).

Close up of Pesto Asparagus Caprese Salad on white plate

What is a caprese salad?

A caprese salad is typically a simple salad made of fresh mozzarella, bright red tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, and a quick drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sometimes you add a sprinkle of salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

For this recipe, we took it up a notch with asparagus and pesto. 

close up view of Pesto Asparagus Caprese Salad Recipe

So, if you’re a caprese lover like I am, there are so many options to make recipes with Mozzarella cheese, fresh tomatoes, and basil. Here are the ingredients that you will need.

Ingredients for Pesto Asparagus Caprese Salad Recipe:

  • Bundle asparagus
  • Red onion
  • Mozzarella balls
  • Kumato tomatoes
  • Pesto
  • Salt and pepper
  • Pistachio nuts, optional
  • Fresh basil leaves

What is the perfect light springtime meal? Salmon and salads! You can’t go wrong with a mix of salads, and everyone seems to love salmon. Even for those who don’t, salads are enough with hot crunchy bread.

a side plate of Pesto Asparagus Caprese Salad Recipe with chicken breast

How to make Asparagus Caprese Salad

This Pesto Asparagus Caprese Salad Recipe is fresh and delightful. Want to take it up a notch? Sprinkle with pistachio nuts!

  1. On large baking sheet, spread out the asparagus and red onion, and add the pesto. Gently mix with your fingers, and then bake until tender.
  2. Remove from oven and allow to slightly cool.
  3. Plate the asparagus and top with tomatoes, mozzarella, and fresh-cracked pepper and salt.
  4. Optional to sprinkle pistachio nuts on top.
  5. Garnish with fresh basil leaves; serve.

BEST Pesto Asparagus Caprese Salad Recipe

Mountain home fixer upper

It was exactly six years ago that we bought our mountain home in central Oregon mountain home. This would have been our first fixer upper here. When we walked through the dark, all-wood, 1984 home, we knew we could turn it into a modern yet rustic place, that we could call home. And we did. That was 2 homes ago!

Pesto Asparagus Caprese Salad Recipe

Now, six years later, we’re back to the season when we moved in … beautiful spring, with cooler mornings and evenings, and warm sunny days. Which makes entertaining outside perfect right now.

The minute we had keys to our new home, the first thing we took down was the draperies, which we felt gave the home a dark, rather claustrophobic feel. Painted the walls white, and transformed the kitchen.

Pesto Asparagus Caprese Salad Recipe

We had many entertaining  moments in this home. 

The icing on the cake when completing a fixer upper is getting to enjoy it with friends and family! What is a home if you can’t share it with others?

Let’s just say, we didn’t have many weekends when our home wasn’t well-used, and filled with friends dropping by!

So fun to reminisce!

What do you serve with caprese?

Delicious, super pretty, and ridiculously easy to make, Asparagus Caprese Salad with Basil Gremolata is perfect as a side dish for dinner get togethers and all those outdoor patio parties coming up this season. Remember, just 10 minutes and you’re salad is set!

For Easter dinner, we love to serve it with these recipes:

BEST Pistachio Lime Baked Salmon

Oven Baked Salmon with Blackberry Barbecue Sauce

Moist Buttermilk Whole Chicken

More caprese recipes:

Cheesy Caprese Dip [Cookie Rookie]

Steak Caprese Sandwich Board

Caprese Flatbread Pizza Recipe

Caprese Sandwich Sliders Recipe

Pesto Asparagus Caprese Salad Recipe with mozzarella cheese, red onions, and tomatoes
5 stars (1 review)
Leave a Review

Get the Recipe:

Pesto Asparagus Caprese Salad Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 6
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe

Ingredients
 

  • 10 oz. bundle asparagus
  • 1 medium red onion, cut in large pieces
  • 6 oz. mozzarella balls, halved
  • 2 brown Kumato tomatoes, cut in pieces
  • 3 Tbsp. pesto
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Pistachio nuts, optional
  • Fresh basil leaves

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  • On large baking sheet, spread out the asparagus and red onion, and add the pesto. Bake for 10-15 minutes (depending on thickness of asparagus), until the asparagus is tender.
  • Remove from oven and allow to slightly cool. Plate the asparagus and top with tomatoes, mozzarella, and fresh-cracked pepper and salt. (Optional to sprinkle pistachio nuts on top :)
  • Garnish with fresh basil leaves; serve.

Notes

Originally posted April 2018
Cuisine: American
Course: Salad
Did you make this recipe?Tag @reluctantentertainer on Instagram and hashtag it #reluctantentertainer!

plate of pesto asparagus salad