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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Easy to make and a light side to accompany a sandwich or meal. I did not have a jalapeño, so used a pinch of red pepper flakes, but should have added more. The brown sugar made the salad a bit sweet for Mt taste, so I would reduce its quantity. I love the flavor of sesame oil! Marinating this salad in the fridge for hours or overnight really helps blend the flavors.
Super Delicious!
This recipe was in last week’s newsletter and I couldn’t resist making that night even though my entire family was out of town. I just had to try it! I made an entree salad out of it by adding some left over salmon to it. Love the Asian/ginger vinaigrette and the raw asparagus cut into small bites was super simple and delicious. No need to worry about over cooking! (I’m not a fan of mushy asparagus!) I plan on serving this at Easter dinner and I also have a pot luck dinner in a few weeks that I’ll bring it to. It’s a mice make ahead recipe. Thanks Jen for another great recipe! I am a huge fan!
I served this with seared fresh ahi tuna – everyone loved the combination and the salad was a hit. Jenn’s clear step by step instructions were perfect as usual. Easy to make – fresh and delicious!
This salad was so quick and simple. Everyone at my dinner party loved it! I toasted the almonds to give them some extra crunch. Also, be sure to use younger/thinner asparagus – almost the whole stock is tender.
This was so fantastic! I forgot the almonds, and still loved it –
I recently made this recipe as a side to Jenn’s pork fried rice dish. Since I didn’t have time to marinate the asparagus in the dressing for so long, I decided to lightly steam the asparagus for about 3 to 5 minutes (depending on thickness of the asparagus). Then I drained and rinsed in cold water. I cut the spears as directed. I also did not use mint since I did not have any on hand. This recipe is delicious and adds a slightly different spin to serving asparagus. Definitely a hit! It is so good that I decided to bring it as a side to a friend’s Passover dinner next week.
I took this to a potluck today and it was devoured by all! It was a little more sweet than is my personal preference, (I may reduce the sugar to 1 tbls to try next time,) but it was awesome. Not spicy, just vibrant and crisp and another total win from Jenn!
Thank you!
Just made this as a side dish to complement a flank steak I had marinated in lime juice and garlic and some other Asian flavors. Really easy and delicious. I am already thinking about how many times I’ll make this over the next few months. Another winner! Thanks Jen!
would this salad be ok with oven bbq ribs. I season the ribs and serve bbq sauce on the side.
This salad looks so good.
Bernice
I do think it’d be good, Bernice.
Delicious! I have never had asparagus raw and this was a revelation! Keep the recipes coming!