This vibrant asparagus and quinoa salad is the perfect spring salad. Roasted asparagus is served with fluffy red quinoa, kalamata olives, creamy white beans, and lots of fresh veggies, all tossed a simple lemon vinaigrette. The bright, lemony flavors get even better the next day as the dressing infuses into the quinoa and veggies, making it perfect for meal prep or a make-ahead meal for a busy night. It's light yet surprisingly hearty, and will leave you feeling satisfied without weighing you down.
Why you’ll love this Asparagus Quinoa Salad Recipe
- Super simple recipe with lots of crunch and flavor
- As a cold salad, it can easily be made ahead of time and held until needed
- A beautiful way to highlight your favorite spring veggies
- Can be served as a complete meal or a fun seasonal side dish
- Heartier than regular salads thanks to the beans and quinoa but still light
- Sweet and tangy maple Dijon lemon vinaigrette you'll want to eat with a spoon
Ingredients for Quinoa Asparagus Salad
This is a very simple recipe that uses mostly pantry staples plus a few fresh ingredients. I highly recommend using the freshest veggies you can find. This is a great recipe to showcase seasonal produce from the farmers market or your own garden.
For the Lemon Dressing:
- Olive oil - Add a drizzle of olive oil for healthy fats and to help bring the vinaigrette together.
- Dijon mustard - To help emulsify the dressing and add a cleansing sharpness.
- Maple syrup - For just enough sweetness to balance out the lemon.
- Lemon juice - There's nothing better than fresh lemon juice in your homemade vinaigrettes. It's perfect for bringing out the natural flavor of the asparagus. Feel free to add the lemon zest, too, for an even brighter flavor.
- Salt - To enhance flavor and balance the acidity.
For the Salad:
- Asparagus - Get the freshest bunch of asparagus you can find, ideally with similar sized spears for roasting. Toss with salt, black pepper, and a little oil before roasting.
- Red quinoa - I love using red quinoa for this recipe to get some extra color, but you can use whichever type you prefer. Be sure to learn my tricks about cooking fluffy quinoa every time.
- Red cabbage - Shredded to use as a crunchy base for the salad.
- Tomatoes
- Cucumbers
- Cannellini beans - These white beans are naturally tender and creamy, perfect for adding some extra protein and flavor.
- Pitted kalamata olives - For a briny, salty flavor to balance the lemon dressing and tender roasted asparagus.
How to Make Vegan Asparagus Quinoa Salad
This is a very simple recipe to make. Roast the asparagus while the quinoa cooks, whisk together the dressing, and assemble the cold ingredients. Add everything together, then serve!
- Preheat oven to 400.
- Cook quinoa according to the box. Once cooked, spread out on a sheet pan to cool quickly while preparing other ingredients.
- Pop asparagus onto another sheet pan, toss with oil, salt and pepper and bake for 10-12 minutes. Fatter asparagus will need up to 20 minutes until tender. Let cool then chop in thirds.
- To make the dressing add olive oil, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, lemon juice and salt to a blender. Puree until smooth.
- In a large bowl add shredded cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, cooled quinoa, cooled asparagus, cannellini beans, and olives. Pour dressing and toss well.
- Serve and enjoy!
Storing Suggestions
Store the cold salad in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within 3 days.
Tips for Making the Best Asparagus Quinoa Salad
- Be patient. You want to let the quinoa cool to room temperature before you add it to the salad, and you also want to let the salad sit for a bit before you eat it. This lets the flavors mingle together and allow the salad to really shine as a complete dish.
- Garnish well. For extra flavor, feel free to add some vegan feta cheese, fresh chives, green onions, or some fresh parsley.
- Save this recipe for green bean season. Asparagus season is notoriously short, and this recipe works just as well with roasted green beans. You can make it all summer with garden green beans, tomatoes, and cucumbers, too!
FAQs
Feel free to use whichever type of quinoa you prefer. Red quinoa has a heartier texture and nuttier flavor, which I prefer for this recipe. Plus, the red color may offer some extra antioxidants compared to white quinoa.
Technically yes, but roasted asparagus is a little more tender and easier to eat. Especially in a cold salad like this, I think you'll prefer having the asparagus roasted instead of serving it raw.
The easiest method is to roast the asparagus on a sheet pan in the oven, which helps concentrate the flavor and make the asparagus nice and tender. You can also blanch asparagus in boiling water and transfer it to an ice bath, but this is a little fussier and the asparagus doesn't seem to absorb the flavors from the dressing quite as well.
More Vegan Quinoa Salad Recipes
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Asparagus and Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
For Dressing:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 lemon juiced
- ¼ tsp salt
For Asparagus:
- 1 bunch asparagus
- Pinch salt
- Few sprays oil
- Fresh ground Black pepper
For Salad:
- 8 oz box red quinoa cooked and cooled
- 3 cups red cabbage chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 3 cucumbers chopped
- 15 oz canned cannellini beans drained
- 10 pitted kalamata olives sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400.
- Cook quinoa according to the box. Once cooked, spread out on a sheet pan to cool quickly while preparing other ingredients.
- Pop asparagus onto a sheet pan, toss with oil, salt and pepper and bake for 10-12 minutes. Fatter asparagus will need up to 20 minutes until tender. Let cool then chop in thirds.
- To make the dressing add olive oil, dijon mustard, maple syrup, lemon juice and salt to a blender.
- Puree until smooth.
- In a large bowl add shredded cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, cooled quinoa, cooled asparagus, cannellini beans, and olives.
- Pour dressing and toss well.
- Eat within 3 days for best quality.