Crunchy Asparagus Salad with Edamame
This crunchy spring asparagus and edamame salad is cool, crisp, healthy, and bursting with flavors. It’s perfect for those non-leafy salad eaters.
Spring means free-flowing asparagus, so what do I do? I straightaway make a crunchy asparagus salad with edamame. The kids love this recipe and we enjoy it very often in the Spring. The crunchy, slightly tangy, slightly sweet, with a hint of spiciness, and totally delicious recipe is perfect when paired with chicken, meats, and other vegetarian meals alike.
The Ingredients for Crunchy Asparagus Salad
Simple ingredients and simple directions. That’s what it’s about.
Ingredients List for Crunchy Asparagus Salad:
- 1 red onion
- 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
- 1 bunch asparagus
- 1 cup shelled edamame
- 1 red chili
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon mixed sesame seeds
- salt and pepper to taste
Pickling the Red Onions for Crunchy Asparagus Salad
Firstly, let’s get the spiciness out of the onions.
- Slice one red onion into thin slices and put it into a bowl. You can also use shallots, which are slightly milder in taste.
- Then, add two tablespoons of white balsamic vinegar and some salt to the bowl.
- Mix everything and let the onions sit for about ten minutes or while you prep the rest of the ingredients. You can always leave the onions to “pickle” for up to an hour.
Preparing the Asparagus
In order to prepare the asparagus stalks, chop off the knobby ends. See my suggestion on how to cut it in the FAQ section below.
- Boil a large pot of water and once the water has reached a rolling boil, drop the washed stalks into the pot.
- I use a steamer, but if you don’t have one, you can simply boil the stalks for about three minutes.
- Drain them right away and place them into a bowl of icy water, so that the asparagus stop cooking. The ice water will help the asparagus to cool down instantly and stop the continued cooking.
The idea is to keep the asparagus crunchy and not soggy when you mix it with the rest of the ingredients. Drain and place the stalks on a dry tea towel so that the towel absorbs all the remaining water.
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Preparing the Edamame
To prepare the edamame:
- Boil it for about two minutes. The idea is just to give it time to get a little soft. They are best enjoyed crunchy too. Boil them in a similar way to the asparagus stalks.
- Drain them and place them in a bowl with ice-cold water, because they too need to stop cooking, much like the asparagus.
- Drain and place them on a dry tea towel so that the towel absorbs all the remaining water.
Making the Crunchy Asparagus Salad
Let’s get the salad ready to enjoy:
- Firstly, seed and finely chop one red chili.
- Then, place the asparagus and edamame in a large bowl.
- Add the pickled onions to the bowl, along with the vinegar and whatever liquid has come out of the onions. That’s where most of the flavor is.
- Mix everything well so that the greens and the onions are mixed well and the vinegar is evenly distributed.
- Now add one teaspoon of sesame seed oil and finely chopped red chili to the bowl.
- Add salt and black pepper to taste.
- Now that the salad is ready to be enjoyed, sprinkle one teaspoon of mixed sesame seeds into the bowl.
- Mix everything well and enjoy your crunchy Spring recipe.
Storing Asparagus
Asparagus is quite perishable, so it’s best to consume them within a couple of days of buying them. The best way to preserve the stalks is to put the stems in a glass with a little bit of water and cover the tops with a plastic bag. Alternatively, you can wrap the stalks in a paper towel and wrap everything in a plastic bag and store them in the fridge for a couple of days.
Serving Suggestions for Crunchy Asparagus Salad
This spring salad recipe can be paired with all kinds of recipes, such as:
- Burgers – try it with my beef burgers. It is a perfect accompaniment or side to burgers. Adding this recipe to your meal plan means no need for fries on the side.
- Add it to my Taco Salad and you will love the crunch it provides to that recipe.
- Chicken Wings – try it with my Succulent Korean Chicken Wings. The Asian side of the recipe will go very well with the Asian wings.
- Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs – it is a perfect accompaniment to my chicken thighs recipe.
- One of my favourite ways of enjoying it is in Savoury Crepes or my Sunday Savoury Waffles.
Tried and Liked the Recipe?
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Crunchy Asparagus Salad with Edamame
Course: SaladCuisine: CanadianDifficulty: Easy4
servings15
minutes121
kcal15
minutesThis crunchy Spring asparagus salad with edamame is cool, crisp, healthy, and bursting with flavors. It’s perfect for those non-leafy salad eaters.
Ingredients
1 red onion
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1 bunch asparagus
1 cup shelled edamame
1 red chili
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon mixed sesame seeds
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Slice the onion finely and place in a bowl.
- Add the vinegar and some salt to the bowl and mix well. Set aside while you prep the rest of the salad.
- Chop the woody ends off the stalks and steam or boil for 3 mins. Drain and right away place under cold running water or put into a bowl with ice-cold water to stop the cooking process.
- Boil the edamame for 2 mins. Drain and right away place under cold running water or put into a bowl with ice-cold water to stop the cooking process.
- Drain and place the vegetables on a dry tea towel so that extra water is sopped up by the tea towel.
- Seed and chop the red pepper finely. Or leave the seeds in if you are ok with the spiciness.
- Add the vegetables to a large bowl. Add the onions, along with the vinegar into the bowl.
- Add the sesame seed oil, and chopped chili to the bowl. Mix everything well.
- Add more salt and pepper to taste. Toss to combine everything.
- Sprinkle the sesame seeds on the salad and serve immediately.
Notes
- – The salad can be stored in an air tight container in the fridge for up to one day.
Yes, you can, but it’s even better when blanched. Boil a large pot of water and simply boil the asparagus for about three minutes. Drain the asparagus right away and run it under really cold water or drop it into a bowl with some ice water. This is to stop the cooking process right away.
It can be used for so many recipes such as my risotto recipe. But it can also be paired with a multitude of other foods such as:
– Grilled chicken
– Oven baked chicken
– Eggs
– In savoury crepes or waffles
– Burgers
The bottom half of the stalks are knobby and not very enjoyable. They can be chewy and not much fun. Hold one stalk in both hands – the top in one and the bottom in the other. Gently bend the stalk which will cause it to snap and break. Generally, it will snap just above the knobby part – about 2/3rd of the way along the stalk. Use that as a guide and cut off the rest of the bottoms of the stalks using a sharp knife.
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Hi,
Made this and loved it. It will become a regular at our place.
– Ross
Hi Ross,
So glad you liked it. We love it too 🙂
Deepti
Love this recipe. Simple and easy and delicious!
Anu
Hi Anu,
That’s what we love too. Easy, and delicious! Glad you like it.
Deepti
Made this the other day when we had people for dinner and everyone loved it. It was so easy and flavourful.
Neena
Hi Neena,
I am so happy to hear that everyone liked it. Enjoy!
Deepti
Hi,
I made and served this to the family last night and everyone was so impressed. It will become a regular for sure. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Sonia
Hi Sonia,
So glad you liked this.
Deepti
Made this a couple of nights ago and it was a huge hit! So delicious!
Hi Gobhina,
I am so glad you liked it.
Thanks,
Deepti