Raw Asparagus Salad with Almonds & Ginger-Sesame Vinaigrette
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Raw asparagus isn’t something you see every day salads, but it’s absolutely worth trying. When thinly sliced, it’s crisp, fresh, and perfect for spring. Cool, crunchy, and full of bright flavor, this raw asparagus salad is just the thing when you want to change up your usual sides.
In this springy raw asparagus salad, thinly sliced raw asparagus is tossed with scallions, almonds, fresh herbs, and a spicy Asian-style vinaigrette. It’s cool, crunchy, and a welcome change from the typical grilled or roasted asparagus. Instead of shaving the stalks into long, thin ribbons like you might see in restaurants, I slice them on the bias into bite-sized pieces—it’s easier and gets the job done just as well.
Serve the salad as a side with any Asian-flavored fish, chicken, or steak dish. Or turn it into a light main by adding chunks of leftover salmon, shrimp, or pulled smoked chicken. The salad is best made a few hours ahead, so plan accordingly.
“Amazing! We stirred in chilled shrimp with the almonds….Embarrassingly, my spouse and I finished the entire salad in one meal. So good.”
What you’ll need To Make Raw Asparagus Salad With Almonds
Asparagus spears that are medium to large (larger than a half-inch in diameter) are generally more tender than their thinner counterparts.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by prepping the asparagus. Snap or cut off the tough ends of each asparagus spear.
Cut the asparagus on the bias into very thin slices (about 1/8-in thick), leaving the tips intact.
Next, in a mixing bowl large enough to fit all of the ingredients, make the dressing: combine the rice vinegar, vegetable oil, brown sugar, soy sauce, lime juice, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and jalapeño.
Whisk well.
Add the sliced asparagus, scallions, cilantro, mint, and sesame seeds to the bowl.
Toss well, then taste and adjust seasoning with salt, if necessary. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
When ready to serve, stir in the almonds and then taste and adjust seasoning (you will likely need to add more lime or rice vinegar, as the flavors mellow).
Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and serve cold or room temperature. Enjoy!
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Asparagus Salad with Almonds & Ginger-Sesame Vinaigrette
This Asian-style raw asparagus salad is crisp, vibrant, and full of bold flavor—an easy way to add something fresh and unexpected to the table.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons light or dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, from 1 lime
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger (see note)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 jalapeño pepper, ribs and seeds removed, finely diced (see note)
- 1½ pounds medium asparagus
- 4 scallions, finely sliced (about ½ cup)
- ¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro
- ¼ cup fresh chopped mint
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- Salt, to taste
- ¾ cup sliced almonds
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl large enough to fit all of the ingredients, make the dressing: whisk together the rice vinegar, vegetable oil, brown sugar, soy sauce, lime juice, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and jalapeño.
- Snap or cut off the tough ends of each asparagus spear. Cut the asparagus on the bias into very thin slices (about ⅛-in thick), leaving the tips intact. Add the sliced asparagus to the mixing bowl and toss with the dressing. Add the scallions, cilantro, mint, and sesame seeds and toss again. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, if necessary. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. When ready to serve, stir in the almonds and then taste and adjust seasoning (you will likely need to add more lime or rice vinegar, as the flavors mellow).
- Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and serve cold or room temperature.
- Note: Check out easy guidance on how to peel, grate, and chop fresh ginger here.
- Note: When handling jalapeño peppers, be sure to keep your hands away from your eyes and wash your hands immediately afterwards so the juices don’t irritate your skin.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 182
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Sugar: 6 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Sodium: 153 mg
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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ReFRESHing salad! I don’t care for cilantro so omitted that and the jalepeno. Made triple the amount of dressing called for in this recipe. Toasted sliced almonds for 8 minutes in 350*F oven. Be sure to make the night before so asparagus can marinate. Thank you for another family hit recipe Jen Segal 💯
Another home run. Was thinking, probably won’t make again as I was prepping. I had to toss much of my asparagus as not in season (duh). So only made probably 4 servings and had dressing left over.
We served with Sriracha Pork Meatballs from BHG – skillet meals (and twice cooke rice). Nice as the recipes used many of the same ingredients : cilantro, ginger, green onions, sesame seed.
Amazing. Thank you for another fabulous recipe!
Yes! Yum! I was a little skeptical about making a salad from raw asparagus, but it is really good. I love the touch the mint adds and the crunch of the almonds too. Will also be a great dish to bring to summer potlucks/picnics. Another winner, Jennifer – thank you!
Hi Jenn – I want to make the salad but add some sort of protein like you suggested. What do you think works best – and do you have a recipe that I can use vs. trying to season on my own?! Thanks! Sara
Hi Sara, I think it would pair nicely with this salmon (or any teriyaki-type salmon) this shrimp or this flat iron steak. Hope that helps and that you enjoy! 🙂
Divine. A show-stopper.
Totally enjoyed! The mixture of flavours and textures was wonderful. Definitely adding this recipe to our summer meal planning.
Made this yesterday morning to have for dinner and I must be honest, it did not look very appealing to the three of us at the table but we decided to still give it a try and we all really liked it. I did blanch the asparagus for 2 minutes and then transferred to ice water as I don’t like raw asparagus or broccoli and I would do that again as texture was still firm and perfect for it. My son, who is vegan, said he would add brocolette and garbanzos next time to make it a meal. Although I measured and weighed everything carefully, the dressing is liquidy so we felt it needed to be served on a small bowl vs flat dinner plate as dressing was running to rest of food or just use slotted spoon to serve. Not sure if that is how it is supposed to be or if I should have just put less dressing on it.
Hi Nancy, It’s a thin vinaigrette so I don’t think you did anything wrong. Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Jen, you are a master! I love making yummy good food and you rock my world! I am going to sell my collection of decades old Cajun Cookbooks and other old school ones as well. You seem to have boiled down food prep and presentation and it’s many beautiful ways to be presented and enjoyed! I love the gift that you have and the incredible way you simplify how to cook properly. I have studied thousands of hours but your way of boiling it down is simply magnificent! Your recipes never fail. Thank you!!!
I made a half recipe of this salad tonight as I often do with new recipes. It disappeared in minutes. It’s a keeper!
I als love the way that you write the recipes to minimize the number of dishes needed. How often have I whisked the dressing in a separate bowl and then pored it over the greens anyway.
Made this as a treat for my wife, and sampled it a bit myself in advance. Another winner! Really liked it, good side for Asian dishes
Could avocado or evoo be used in place of the (Wesson) vegetable oil? Want to stay away from canola oil….
I like vegetable oil here because it’s very mild tasting, but you can use EVOO or avocado oil if you prefer. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Margaret and Jenn. I used avacado oil in mine and loved it!
Thanks for weighing in Cindy! 🙂
Same for us. Did you try with EVOO?
No, I can’t say that I have.
Should the aspargus be blanched or is it served raw? I am very excited to try this salad.
No blanching necessary, Terri! Hope you enjoy. 🙂
We love all your recipes. This sounds delicious but I can’t eat jalapeños or anything too spicy. Do you have an suggestion for a substitution? Thanks!
So glad you like the recipes! You can just omit the jalapeno. It will still be delish — enjoy!