Summer Asparagus Salad Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (2024)

May 6, 2017April 22, 2023

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Summer Asparagus Salad is the perfect side salad featuring fresh asparagus, corn and a homemade vinaigrette. Asparagus Salad with Vinaigrette is a quick recipe that everybody loves.

With a few simple ingredients, this quick asparagus corn salad is a perfect dish to serve with your favorite grilled meat for a delicious, yet easy, meal.

Summer Asparagus Salad

Asparagus is one of our family’s FAVORITE vegetables. Our Dad planted an asparagus patch fifty years ago that we all pick when it’s in season in the spring. We eat it every single day for almost a month.

Typically, we break up the fresh asparagus and cook in the microwave for this simple, yet delicious side dish. Our Perfect Microwave Asparagus method is super simple.

However, it’s also nice to get out of the rut and make something new. That’s exactly how this quick asparagus salad with corn came about. It’s the perfect side dish.

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Quick Asparagus Salad

Barbara made this salad for a get together with ingredients she had on hand. (Aren’t those the best recipes?) You can use canned corn or frozen corn but it’s so much better with fresh corn from the cob. Just blanch the corn on the cob and take a sharp knife to remove the kernels onto a cutting board.

When it comes to the asparagus salad vinaigrette, feel free to substitute ingredients for those you have in you pantry OR for those that have flavors you and your family prefer.

Create your own vinaigrette with something sweet (sugar, honey, agave, etc.), something acidic (vinegar, citrus juice, mustard), and an oil (olive oil, canola oil), and salt and pepper (as much or as little of each that you want).

Summer Asparagus Salad Ingredients

Fresh asparagus, woody ends removed

Corn, fresh, frozen or canned (thawed and drained)

Asparagus Vinaigrette Ingredients

• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
• Red Wine Vinegar
• Dijon Mustard
• Sugar
• Salt and Black Pepper

How to Make Asparagus Salad with Vinaigrette

Step By Step Instructions

1. Wash asparagus spears and break into 1-inch pieces.
2. Blanch the asparagus by cooking in boiling water for 1 – 2 minutes in a large pot, and then submerge in iced water. Drain well, and pat dry. Asparagus should be crisp tender.
3. Mix together vinaigrette by whisking olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon, sugar, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
4. Add asparagus and corn to the dressing and toss.
5. Serve immediately or store in refrigerator.

Storage Instructions

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 to 2 days.

For the full ingredient amounts and recipe instructions for quick asparagus salad, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this page.

How long should you blanch asparagus

How to blanch asparagus?

Properly blanching asparagus will result in an asparagus that has a vibrant green color and the perfect crunchy texture.

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Add asparagus that has the woody ends removed. (To easily remove the woody ends, bend the asparagus at the end, and it will break at the weakest point.)
3. Boil for 1 to 2 minutes depending on how thick your asparagus is.
4. Immediately transfer the asparagus to ice cold water with ice cubes.
5. Cool for a few minutes, and then drain well.

Recipe FAQs

• In all honesty, corn could be completely omitted from this recipe. Keep it simple with just asparagus, if desired.
• Fresh sweet corn works best in this summer asparagus salad recipe.
  • If you have corn on the cob, boil the shucked corn for a couple minutes, remove from the pan, run cold water over top, and then take a sharp knife to remove the kernels from the cob.
  • Frozen sweet corn can be used. Thaw and drain.
  • If using canned corn, drain well.
• Pat the blanched asparagus down with paper towels to allow the vinaigrette to coat it well.
• Substitute white wine vinegar for red wine vinegar if desired.
• Serve this simple asparagus salad warm or refrigerate for later and serve cold.
• Check out our Amazon Store for our favorite pantry essentials and kitchen gadgets.

Recipe Variations

• Add red onion or yellow onion.
• Diced tomato and cucumbers are a tasty addition.
• Instead of sugar, use honey or maple syrup.
• Any type of vinegar can be used.
• Try adding your favorite olives and feta cheese.
• Any fresh herbs would be a great addition.
• Lemon juice works instead of vinegar.

Old Fashioned Asparagus Recipes

Baked Eggs and Asparagus

Creamed Asparagus on Toast

Perfect Microwave Asparagus