Balsamic Asparagus Salad — The Spring Side That Belongs at the Easter Table

Easter. The lamb. The annual ritual. Doug and Marian came up. Diego could not come — he had a CSU game. The five of us at home plus Doug and Marian plus Hayley and her parents. Eleven at the table. The lamb was good. Mamá's call. Cristo ha resucitado. The road bends. Feed your people. The game is won at the table.

Every year when Mamá calls the lamb, I start thinking about what goes alongside it — something bright and alive that matches the season and the feeling in the room. Asparagus has always said spring to me the way nothing else does, and dressed in balsamic it holds its own next to everything else on a table that big. This is the salad I brought out after the blessing, and it was gone before I could sit down.

Balsamic Asparagus Salad

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 10 min | Total Time: 25 min | Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 2 lbs fresh asparagus, tough ends trimmed
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 small shallot, finely minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for blanching
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta or shaved Parmesan
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts or sliced almonds
• 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (optional)

Instructions

1. Blanch the asparagus. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus spears and cook for 2–3 minutes, until bright green and just tender-crisp. Immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking. Drain well and pat dry.
2. Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, shallot, and garlic. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking to emulsify. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Dress the asparagus. Arrange the cooled asparagus spears on a large serving platter. Drizzle the balsamic dressing evenly over the top. Turn the spears gently to coat.
4. Add toppings. Scatter the crumbled feta (or shaved Parmesan), toasted pine nuts, cherry tomatoes if using, and chopped parsley over the dressed asparagus.
5. Rest and serve. Let the salad sit at room temperature for 5–10 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld. Serve as a side to roast lamb or any Easter main.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 130 | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Carbs: 7g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 210mg