Pesto Asparagus Caprese Salad Recipe
If you like caprese salad, you’ll love this Pesto Asparagus Caprese Salad Recipe, an elegant salad with tomatoes, Mozzarella, and asparagus.
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).
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.
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.
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!
- 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.
- 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.
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!
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.
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]
Caprese Flatbread Pizza Recipe
Caprese Sandwich Sliders Recipe
Get the Recipe:
Pesto Asparagus Caprese Salad 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
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...
love the pesto addition to the standard caprese salad recipe, great idea, thank you
You guys have done such a great job on it! The salad looks yummy too!