Are you crazy about asparagus too? This quinoa salad with green asparagus and avocado is bursting with flavor and color – perfect as a side dish for a barbecue or as a complete meal with some feta or grilled haloumi.
The colorful salad, combining raw and warm vegetables, is not only an explosion of flavors but also a real vitamin powerhouse. It features roasted green asparagus, fresh radish slices, sweet peas, and baby carrots—topped with creamy avocado and a sweet-and-sour mustard dressing.
Thanks to the avocado and high-quality olive oil, your body will be able to absorb all those valuable nutrients even better. The lemon juice in the vinaigrette also helps your body absorb the calcium, magnesium, and other minerals from the vegetables. Energy boost guaranteed!
It is the ideal BBQ side dish to accompany a piece of meat or poultry, but also delicious as a vegetarian meal salad with some feta or grilled haloumi, or with cubes of smoked tofu as a vegan dish.
You can now also find this recipe in the latest Delhaize magazine (issue 87).
Enjoy!
P.S.: Are you also crazy about asparagus? How do you like to serve it? Let me know by leaving a comment below.
Here’s another one of my favorite recipes with asparagus: Flemish-style asparagus with grilled oyster mushrooms from my cookbook Go Keto.
Love,
Quinoa salad with green asparagus and avocado
DIRECTIONS:
- Rinse the frozen peas and edamame beans briefly under hot water and let them thaw completely.
- Bring some water to a boil, clean the sugar snap peas if necessary, and blanch them briefly—about 2 minutes—in the hot water. Then drain them and plunge them into cold water so they keep their vibrant green color.
- Do the same with the unpeeled, washed baby carrots and cook them for about five minutes, depending on their thickness (if using thicker carrots, cut them in half or into quarters lengthwise first).
- Snap or cut off the tough bottom ends of the asparagus. Heat a large (grilling) pan with some olive oil and cook the asparagus until al dente over low heat, about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the quinoa according to the package instructions and rinse it under cold water after cooking.
- Cut the cucumber into strips or slices, cut the cherry tomatoes in half, and slice the radishes. Pit the avocados and slice them as well. Coarsely chop the cashews.
- For the vinaigrette: place the olive oil, lemon juice, and mustard in a glass jar. You can also add some honey or maple syrup if you like a sweet-and-sour flavor. Season with salt and pepper. Close the jar with the lid and shake well. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
- Arrange the quinoa and vegetables in a large serving bowl or in individual plates or bowls. Top with the avocado, cashews, basil leaves, and, if desired, mustard seeds and freshly ground black pepper. Serve with the mustard vinaigrette and, if desired, a sprinkle of sea salt.
JULIE’S TIPS & TRICKS:
- Don’t have all the vegetables on hand? The basis of this salad are the quinoa, green asparagus, and baby carrots with the mustard vinaigrette. Add whatever you like and have available.
- Instead of blanching the baby carrots, you can also grill them like the asparagus. Place a lid on the pan and let them cook until tender, adding a little water if necessary.
- Try replacing the cashews with pine nuts or pumpkin seeds, which you can lightly toast in a dry pan.
- You can serve this salad as a main course with, for example, some feta, grilled haloumi, a soft-boiled egg, or smoked tofu as a vegan alternative.
- You can also serve the salad as a side dish with pan-fried sea bass or fresh sardines, or with a piece of meat or poultry on the barbecue.
