This Shaved Asparagus Salad with Creamy Parmesan Dressing is so easy and delicious you will want to make it all season long!
When asparagus is in season, I don' t know about you but I just can't get enough of it. It was only a couple years ago that I discovered you can actually eat it raw. I knew right away I had to try it. Shaved asparagus is delicious dressed up many ways but this creamy Parmesan dressing is super easy and compliments the asparagus perfectly.
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How to make this salad
Using asparagus spears on the thicker side are ideal for shaving. You can imagine it would be pretty tricky to shave a spear that is only ½ cm thick.
Snap off the end of one of the spears to see where it naturally wants to detach it's woody bottom. Use that piece as the gauge for trimming the whole bunch. Leave the elastics on, if they have them, to make this easier.
Discard the ends and wash your asparagus really well. It can sometimes be very sandy especially if you have bought it from a local farm. In that case I recommend rinsing in several changes of cold water to be sure all the sand is gone.
Using a vegetable peeler, hold onto the tips and start peeling away. If you have very thick stalks I would discard the skin as it tends to be very tough and woody. Peel half way through one side and then flip it over to do the rest. Keep peeling until there is nothing left. The tips with usually just snap off. Add those to the pile of shaved asparagus.
The dressing is as simple as just tossing everything into a bowl and giving it a stir. Double it up if you like to keep some in the fridge. It's delicious on pretty much any salad or poured over some grilled veggies. Change it up by adding extra herbs. When my garden is full swing I will add dill, parsley and cilantro.
Using freshly grated Parmesan cheese is essential to get that nice salty kick. Also if you have a big chuck of it you can make some lovely shavings to garnish with.
PRO TIPS FOR BEST RESULTS
- Use thicker asparagus spears to make shaving easier
- Snap off the end of one spear letting it naturally break where it wants to. Then cut off the rest of the bottoms in one go
- Wash in several changes of cold water especially if you bought it from a local farmer.
- Use a higher fat yogurt to add better creaminess.
- Use a block of pure Parmesan cheese for better flavour and to make shavings for garnish
What to serve with this salad
The sky's the limit when it comes to what to serve this dish with. Below are some of my favourites:
- BBQ Grilled Chicken Thighs
- Chicken Kabobs with Margarita Marinade
- BBQ Pork Chops
- Mustard and Herb Pork Tenderloin
- Spice Rubbed Grilled Salmon
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📖 Recipe
Shaved Asparagus Salad With Creamy Parmesan Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 lb asparagus spears. thicker are better
- ¼ cup plain yogurt 2% or higher
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 2 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
- Parmesan shavings for garnish optional
Instructions
For The Asparagus
- Snap the bottom end from one asparagus spear letting it naturally break where it wants to. Use this to guide you in trimming the rest all together with a knife. Discard the ends. Wash the spears in several changes of cold water to remove all the sand.
- Using a vegetable peeler, hold onto the tips and peel each spear until there is nothing left. The tips will break off. Add those to your bowl of prepared asparagus.
Creamy Parmesan Dressing
- In a bowl, mix all the ingredients except the Parmesan shavings, if using. Pour over asparagus spears using enough to coat generously.
- Toss together well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or more.
- Using a vegetable peeler or a cheese slicer prepare a few large shavings of Parmesan cheese for garnish. Set aside and use to top your plated salad.
Melissa says
Just made this for a girls brunch at a friends cottage - it was a hit! So delicious and fresh. Everyone asked for the recipe. Thanks, Andrea!
Andrea says
I'm so happy everyone enjoyed it! Thanks so much for commenting!
Diane H says
I had no idea you could eat asparagus raw! Made this salad on the weekend as a side dish with a BBQ. It was delicious and made for a nice change.
Andrea says
Fantastic! It's especially nice this time of year when the asparagus is young and tender. So happy you liked it!
Aunt Ruby says
Oh my this sounds wonderful.l am hooked Andrea Dear.I want to try all your recipes.xxx
Andrea says
Thanks Auntie! That means a lot to me! Miss you! xoxo
Kevin Wauchope says
This looks yummy. I’m in.
Andrea says
Thanks Kev! Congratulations on being my first ever comment! If you make it be sure to let me know how it turns out!