I made this salad for our BBQ on mother’s day, along with my Broccoli, Grape and Bacon Salad and my Southwestern Bean Salad. My mother-in-law was really taken with the raw asparagus that I had used in my Green Chopped Salad so I wanted to try another salad that used it that I could send home for her since we wasn’t able to make it to the BBQ. I haven’t heard what she thought yet, but it was a surprise favorite of my father-in-law. It’s also a really pretty looking salad, and spring is a great time for asparagus and basil. The basil is pretty prominent in this salad, so you can dial it back or try a different herb if you aren’t a huge fan – cilantro would be an interesting alternative.
Raw Asparagus, Tomato and Basil Salad with a Grainy Mustard Dressing Recipe
(adapted from myrecipes.com – Cherry Tomato and Asparagus Salad)
- Ingredients
- 1 bunch asparagus
- 1 pint of small tomatoes (two different sizes or colors are nice)
- 1 bunch of basil
- 1 yellow pepper chopped
- Grainy Mustard Dressing Ingredient
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons grainy mustard
- salt and pepper
- Snap the woody end off the asparagus. Chop the asparagus and yellow pepper into bite sized pieces, and slice the tomatoes in half. Chop the basil into small pieces.
- Combine the dressing ingredients in a small container with a lid and shake well or in a small bowl and whisk.
- Add the dressing to the salad ingredients in a large bowl. Start with about half the dressing. You want the vegetables to be well covered but not sopping.
Variations
- Add chopped avocado or a cheese like fresh mozzarella, feta or Gorgonzola.
- Try dijon mustard instead of grainy mustard
- Try white wine vinegar instead of lemon juice
Did They Eat It?
Gordie (4 years old): Refused to try it.
Nicky (14 months old): loved it.
Stephen: Bold tasting salad. Maybe missing something – cheese maybe?
Deb: Way better when I knew it was basil instead of cilantro.
Richard: Really liked it.
Erik: I enjoyed it. I’m not used to eating raw asparagus and it is okay.
Dana: I found it almost got better the more I ate it. I’d make this one again for sure.
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