Pickled Asparagus Salad

Pickled Asparagus Salad is one of my favorite side dish recipes for BBQs, potlucks and other gatherings. Served as a cold asparagus salad, it is an excellent make-ahead recipe and checks all my boxes as the ideal party food.

Pickled Asparagus Salad a sponsored post on behalf of the Michigan Asparagus Advisory Board. All opinions and statements are 100% my own.

Pickled Asparagus Salad is made with blanched asparagus marinated in a vinaigrette and tossed with water chestnuts and roasted red pepper. A wonderful combination of colors, tastes and textures that is unusually delicious.

Pickled Asparagus

But wait, you are using fresh asparagus, not jarred pickled asparagus. Why is it called pickled?

Jarred asparagus tends to be limp and fall apart since it is suspended in water for so long. It is literally water logged. But I also don’t have time to sit around for two weeks and use a traditional pickling method.

So instead I use my pickling shortcut. Allowing salted and blanched asparagus to marinate in the vinaigrette instead of essentially “cooking itself” by sitting in vinegar for an extended period of time. Some would just call it marinated asparagus, but I am going with pickled since it has the strong vinegar base.

Blanching Asparagus

What is blanching?

The process of blanching, cooking a vegetable in boiling water for a short period of time and then submerging it in ice water to stop the cooking process, not only saves the integrity of the asparagus spear and  preserves nutrients, but also saves the crunch and color factor.

Balsamic Vinegar

What is balsamic vinegar?

Balsamic is a vinegar made from grape must, a freshly crushed grape juice with all the skins, seeds and stems. Some are aged to develop more robust and sophisticated flavors.

For something like this, using a good quality balsamic vinegar is important, but if for recipes like a balsamic reduction, you can get away with using a less expensive version.

If balsamic is too flavor forward for you, feel free to use one of these substitutes:

• White balsamic vinegar
• White wine vinegar
• Rice wine vinegar
• Champagne vinegar

Serving and Storage

To get the “pickled” flavor, I recommend marinating for at least 4 hours, but up to 24. There will be more dressing than you need, so you’ll drain it before serving.

Pickled asparagus salad can be served cold or at room temperture since none of the ingredients are prone to go bad. It stays good in the fridge for up to 5 days.

I do not recommend freezing this dish, as it thaws kind soggy.

More recipes that use asparagus:

• One Pan Garlic Herb Pork
• Bacon Wrapped Apricot Asparagus
• Sheet Pan Crispy Salmon
• Sweet and Sour Asparagus 

Garlic Parmesan Asparagus

Garlic Parmesan Asparagus is an easy side dish with loads of flavor. One of your favorite vegetables covered in fresh garlic and Parmesan cheese, what could be better? 

See The Recipe!

Asparagus Soup

Asparagus lovers will love this creamy asparagus soup! Deliciously smooth and flavored to perfection, this cream of asparagus soup makes the perfect appetizer!

See The Recipe!

Looking for more cold side dishes? Kidney Bean Salad or Three Bean Salad are all good choices!

Pickled Asparagus Salad

4.17 from 6 votes

Pickled Asparagus Salad is made with blanched asparagus marinated in a vinaigrette and tossed with water chestnuts and roasted red pepper.

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 10 minutes mins

Total Time: 26 minutes mins

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Servings: 8

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Equipment

• Colander

Ingredients

• 2 bunches Michigan asparagus trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 8 ounces sliced water chestnuts cut in half
• 1/4 cup roasted red pepper minced

Instructions

• Fill a large Dutch oven or pot 1/2 with water, bring to a boil.
• When boiling, add 1 tablespoon kosher and cut asparagus. Boil for 2 minutes.
• Drain and transfer to a mixing bowl fitted with a colander and filled with ice water. When cooled, drain in the fitted colander and transfer to a mixing bowl.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, Dijon mustard, fine sea salt and ground black pepper. Pour over blanched asparagus, tossing well to coat. Toss with roasted red pepper and water chestnuts.
• Cover and chill for 4-24 hours.
• Before serving, drain extra vinaigrette.
• Serve chilled or at room temperture.
• If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was! 

Notes

For extra crunch, add slivered or sliced almonds when ready to serve. 

Nutrition

Calories: 126 kcal, Carbohydrates: 11 g, Protein: 3 g, Fat: 8 g, Saturated Fat: 1 g, Sodium: 220 mg, Potassium: 302 mg, Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 5 g, Vitamin A: 875 IU, Vitamin C: 8.7 mg, Calcium: 40 mg, Iron: 2.9 mg

Author: Chef Jessica Formicola

Calories: 126

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: asparagus salad, pickled asparagus

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