Pea and Asparagus Salad
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Say hello to your new favorite spring dish! This Pea and Asparagus Salad is creamy, tangy, and bursting with fresh flavor in every single bite. Crisp-tender greens get piled onto soft butter lettuce with a drizzle of zesty cilantro-lime dressing, then finished with red onion, peppery radishes, and creamy goat cheese.
This vibrant salad would be a stunning addition to your Easter menu, offering a bright and refreshing contrast to Holiday Crock Pot Ham. For a beautiful family-style presentation, arrange it on one large platter where the green vegetables and creamy dressing can shine, or divide it among four individual plates for an instant touch of sophistication.
The creamy dressing gets taken to another level with finely chopped jalapeño, adding a gentle warmth that you can easily adjust to suit your preference. Even better, because this recipe works beautifully with either fresh or frozen peas, it’s a versatile side dish staple you can whip up any time of the year, not just in spring and summer!
What is pea and asparagus salad?
Pea and asparagus salad is a vibrant spring dish that features crisp-tender peas and asparagus on a bed of buttery lettuce, all brought together by a zesty cilantro-lime dressing. It’s finished with crumbled goat cheese, sharp red onion, and peppery radish slices for a variety of textures in every bite. This versatile salad can be served as an elegant side or easily transformed into a light main course with the addition of your favorite protein.
Why you’ll love this pea asparagus salad
- Whip it up in just 15 minutes from scratch, making it the perfect last-minute side dish.
- The creamy cilantro-lime dressing is so irresistible you’ll want to use leftovers on roasted veggies, grain bowls, or tacos all week long.
- Every bite delivers the perfect contrast of crisp-tender greens and tangy, creamy dressing.
- It pairs beautifully with almost anything, from holiday roasts and grilled meats to simple soups and quiches.
Ingredients needed to make pea and asparagus salad
For the Salad
- Peas: Provide sweet, tender pops of flavor and texture that contrast beautifully with the savory elements. You can use fresh or frozen peas.
- Asparagus: Adds a crisp-tender texture and a fresh, grassy flavor that signals spring.
- Lettuce: I love butter leaf lettuce as it offers a delicate, buttery texture and a mild, crisp base for the salad.
- Goat cheese: Contributes a creamy, tangy richness that balances the bright, fresh vegetables.
- Cilantro: Delivers a final burst of fresh, herbaceous taste and a vibrant green color.
- Red onion: Provides a sharp, pungent crunch that cuts through the creaminess of the dressing. Soak in cold water for 10 minutes to mellow the flavor if desired.
- Red radishes: For a vibrant peppery bite and a satisfying, juicy crunch.
- Salt and pepper: Enhances and deepens the natural flavors of all the fresh salad ingredients.
- Lime juice: Brightens the entire dish with a final squeeze of fresh, tangy acidity.
For the Dressing
- Greek yogurt: Creates a rich, creamy, and tangy base that coats the vegetables beautifully.
- Cilantro: Infuses the dressing with a fresh, vibrant herbal flavor and a bright green hue.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Creates a rich, emulsified base and balances the acidity in the dressing. A neutral oil like avocado oil can also be used.
- Honey: Rounds out the sharpness of the lime with a touch of subtle, balancing sweetness.
- Lime juice: Provides a fresh, tangy acidity to the creamy dressing. Always use freshly squeezed lime juice. Lemon juice can be used in a pinch.
- Garlic: Adds a pungent, savory depth that anchors the other bold flavors.
- Sea salt: Enhances and balances all of the flavors in this dressing. I like Maldon salt!
- Jalapenos: Introduces a gentle, building heat that livens up the dressing without overwhelming it. You could use red pepper flakes instead.
How do you make pea and asparagus salad?
Prepare the peas and asparagus:
- Fill a medium saucepan with water, add a generous pinch of salt, and bring it to a rolling boil.
- Add the peas and the sliced asparagus to the boiling water. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, just until the vegetables turn bright green and are crisp-tender.
- Drain them immediately in a colander and rinse thoroughly under cold running water until they are completely cool to stop the cooking process.
- Set the colander aside to allow them to drain completely.
Prepare the lettuce:
- To core the lettuce, use a small, sharp knife to cut around the core at the base of the head, then gently twist and pull it out. Separate the individual leaves from the head.
- Tear or cut the leaves into bite-sized pieces. Place the chopped lettuce in a colander, wash thoroughly under cold water, and let it dry completely.
Make the dressing:
- In a blender or small food processor, combine the Greek yogurt, cilantro, olive oil, honey, lime juice, garlic, salt, and 1 chopped jalapeño (with seeds removed for less heat).
- Blend the mixture until it is completely smooth. If the blades are having trouble catching, add a teaspoon of water at a time just to help it blend.
- Taste the dressing and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper, or more lime juice or honey, to suit your preference.
Assemble to serve:
- Decide whether to arrange the salad on a large platter for sharing or divide it among four individual plates.
- Scatter the chunks of butter lettuce as the base. Evenly distribute the blanched asparagus and peas over and around the lettuce.
- Drizzle the spicy cilantro dressing generously over all the vegetables.
- Dot the top of the salad with small crumbles of goat cheese and finish with a final squeeze of fresh lime juice.
- For a pop of color and texture, garnish with a sprinkle of finely chopped red onion, a few thin slices of red radish, and a few whole cilantro leaves.
- Finish with a final pinch of salt and a crack of black pepper before serving.
Serving
Serve this pea and asparagus salad as a holiday side dish to this Easter-inspired Pineapple Glazed Ham, Holiday Crock Pot Ham, Baked Salmon, or comforting Lamb Ragu.
As a lighter option, enjoy this spring salad with a slice of Bacon & Gruyere Crustless Quiche, Chicken Kebabs, or Baked Ham and Cheese Croissants.
Sandy’s tips and substitutions:
- Salad storage: This fresh and crisp pea asparagus salad should not be stored for longer than 2 days as the crunchy salad ingredients will start to wilt and turn soggy.
- Dressing storage: Store the creamy dressing in a glass jar in the fridge for up to a week. I prefer to keep my homemade dressings in mason jars, but any sealable jar or airtight container will work. Bring the chilled dressing to room temperature and give it a good shake or whisk before using again.
- Make ahead: It’s easiest to make the dressing ahead of time and store it in the fridge. I recommend only preparing the fresh salad ingredients just before serving for the best texture.
- Salad add-ins: Salads can be so versatile, allowing you to mix and swap an array of delicious add-ins. Feel free to get creative and experiment with other varieties of salad ingredients, such as shaved or candied nuts, seeds, fruit, and more.
- Double the recipe: Make a double batch of this pea and asparagus salad when serving a larger crowd. This is especially great if you plan to serve this lovely spring salad for Easter celebrations.
- Uniform size matters: I like to make sure that the salad ingredients are sliced, diced, or chopped in uniform pieces so that the salad looks more appealing and to ensure every bite includes a perfect mix of flavors and textures.
Variations:
- Vegan pea and asparagus salad: Use a plain, unsweetened vegan Greek-style yogurt (look for brands made from coconut, soy, or almond) and swap the goat cheese for a store-bought vegan feta-style cheese. Many brands made from tofu or coconut oil now offer a perfect briny, crumbly texture.
- Extra kick of spice: Leave the seeds in the jalapenos for an extra kick of heat in the dressing. You could also mix in red pepper flakes in addition to the finely chopped jalapeno.
- Dressing: For a lighter, brighter, and even more tangy spring salad, swap the creamy yogurt-based dressing for a vinaigrette. Experiment with this Lime Chili Vinaigrette or make a cilantro-lime vinaigrette by simply omitting the yogurt from the dressing in this recipe.
- Protein boost: Sprinkle chopped Honey Pepper Bacon or crispy baked pancetta over the top of the assembled salad for a delicate boost of protein and crispy texture. Opt for grilled salmon, flaked over the top, for a more luxurious option.
If you, like me, almost always have a bag of peas in the freezer, make sure to put them to great use by making a pot of this Fresh English Pea Soup or Ham & Peas Pasta Salad.
More spring-inspired salads you’ll love
Get the Recipe:
Pea and Asparagus Salad
Crisp, creamy, and ready in 15 minutes! This Pea and Asparagus Salad features a zesty cilantro-lime dressing, creamy goat cheese, and crisp-tender spring veggies. The perfect bright and easy side dish for your Easter table or any spring gathering.
Ingredients
Salad
- 2 cups fresh or frozen peas
- 20 asparagus spears, trimmed and sliced into 1-inch pieces (about 12 ounces)
- 1 head butter leaf lettuce, or 2, depending on how much lettuce you want
- 6 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
- handful of cilantro leaves, for serving
- sprinkle of finely chopped red onion and 1-2 red radishes, thinly sliced
- salt and pepper, for seasoning
Dressing
- 1 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
- 1 cup chopped cilantro, leaves and tender stems from about ½ bunch
- 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp honey
- juice of 1 lime, 1 to 2 tablespoons
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 tsp sea salt, such as Maldon
- 1 jalapeño, trimmed and finely chopped (or 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes)
Equipment
- collander
Instructions
- Fill a medium saucepan with water, add a generous pinch of salt, and bring it to a rolling boil.
- Add the peas and the sliced asparagus to the boiling water. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, just until the vegetables turn bright green and are crisp-tender.
- Drain them immediately in a colander and rinse thoroughly under cold running water until they are completely cool to stop the cooking process.
- Set the colander aside to allow them to drain completely.
- To core the lettuce, use a small, sharp knife to cut around the core at the base of the head, then gently twist and pull it out. Separate the individual leaves from the head.
- Tear or cut the leaves into bite-sized pieces. Place the chopped lettuce in a colander, wash thoroughly under cold water, and let it dry completely.
make the dressing:
- In a blender or small food processor, combine the Greek yogurt, cilantro, olive oil, honey, lime juice, garlic, salt, and 1 chopped jalapeño (with seeds removed for less heat).
- Blend the mixture until it is completely smooth. If the blades are having trouble catching, add a teaspoon of water at a time just to help it blend.
- Taste the dressing and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper, or more lime juice or honey, to suit your preference.
assembly:
- Decide whether to arrange the salad on a large platter for sharing or divide it among four individual plates.
- Scatter the chunks of butter lettuce as the base. Evenly distribute the blanched asparagus and peas over and around the lettuce.
- Drizzle the spicy cilantro dressing generously over all the vegetables.
- Dot the top of the salad with small crumbles of goat cheese and finish with a final squeeze of fresh lime juice.
- For a pop of color and texture, garnish with a sprinkle of finely chopped red onion, a few thin slices of red radish, and a few whole cilantro leaves.
- Finish with a final pinch of salt and a crack of black pepper before serving.
Notes
Sandy’s tips:
- Salad storage: This fresh and crisp pea asparagus salad should not be stored for longer than 2 days as the crunchy salad ingredients will start to wilt and turn soggy.
- Dressing storage: Store the creamy dressing in a glass jar in the fridge for up to a week. I prefer to keep my homemade dressings in mason jars, but any sealable jar or airtight container will work. Bring the chilled dressing to room temperature and give it a good shake or whisk before using again.
- Make ahead: It’s easiest to make the dressing ahead of time and store it in the fridge. I recommend only preparing the fresh salad ingredients just before serving for the best texture.
Calories: 293kcal, Carbohydrates: 18g, Protein: 19g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 0.003g, Cholesterol: 22mg, Sodium: 765mg, Potassium: 551mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 3258IU, Vitamin C: 40mg, Calcium: 172mg, Iron: 4mg
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Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
