This vibrant and refreshing Asparagus and Kale Salad is packed with crisp veggies! The salad combines blanched asparagus, healthy kale, crunchy cucumber, tart Granny Smith apple, and other nutritious ingredients. It's tossed in a creamy Greek yogurt dressing with fresh ginger, turmeric, and a blend of super seeds! Each bite is a mix of sweetness from dried cranberries, crunch from almonds, and a hint of spice from the ginger.
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Like our Citrus Avocado Salad Recipe and the Turmeric Couscous Salad Recipe, this salad is perfect for a weeknight dinner or as a healthy afternoon lunch. It is ideal for those busy days when you want a nutritious meal without spending too much time in the kitchen. The combination of fresh vegetables, fruits, and protein-rich Greek yogurt makes it satisfying and balanced! You can also easily customize this recipe based on your preferences and the ingredients you have on hand. Whether you prefer different nuts, fruits, or greens, or want to add additional ingredients like cheese or protein, the recipe is definitely flexible and adaptable.
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Ingredients
- Asparagus: Adds a crisp texture and is a good source of folate, vitamins A, C, and K. You'll need to blanch it a little before adding it to the salad. Here is a great post on How To Blanch Perfect Asparagus.
- Fresh Green Vegetables: Kale, cucumber, and celery all add so much nutrition to the dish. Cucumber adds freshness, while celery adds extra crunch.
- Microgreens: loaded with nutrients and are high in antioxidants. They are "small greens" that are harvested before they grow into full-sized vegetables or herbs. You can usually find microgreens at your local grocery store and they can include arugula, beets, chard, kale, cilantro, dill, and many other vegetable and herb varieties. I used broccoli microgreens in this Caprese Salad With Microgreens.
- Granny Smith Apple: add a sweet-tart taste to the salad.
- Dried Cranberries: for extra sweet and tart flavor. They add a chewy sweetness and a burst of flavor.
- Slivered Almonds: these add a nutty crunch and healthy fats, protein, and fiber.
- Dressing: a combination of Greek Yogurt with fresh ginger and turmeric. The addition of superseeds (Hemp, Flax, Chia) boosts the salad's nutrition as well.
see the recipe card at the end of the post for ingredient quantities
Substitutions and variations
- Kale: You can substitute kale with spinach, arugula, or mixed salad greens.
- Dried Cranberries: Use raisins, chopped dates, or chopped apricots instead.
- Grilled asparagus: Instead of blanching the asparagus, you can grill it for a smoky flavor. Simply brush the asparagus spears with olive oil and grill them until tender and slightly charred.
- Add Pineapple: bite-size pineapple chunks will add acidity and more nutrition.
- Make it Vegan: Omit Greek yogurt and use a tahini-based dressing or avocado-based dressing.
- Add Cheese (for non-vegans): Add some crumbled feta cheese, goat cheese, or bocconcini (like in this Cherry Tomato and Asparagus Salad).
- Add Protein: Toss in grilled chicken strips, cooked quinoa, chickpeas, or tofu for added protein.
Preparation
STEP 1: Blanch asparagus
Trim the asparagus ends and blanch in boiling water for 2-3 minutes until bright green. Immediately drain and transfer to ice water to stop cooking, then place on a clean towel to dry.
STEP 2: Make the dressing
While the asparagus is cooking and cooling, in a small bowl, whisk together the Greek Yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice from fresh lemon, salt, ground turmeric and ginger, and the super seeds.
STEP 3: Massage Kale
Remove the kale leaves from the stems and rinse them well. Spread the kale on a paper towel or a dry kitchen towel and dry them. Squeeze a little bit of lemon (about 1 tablespoon) over the kale, add a pinch of salt, and massage, or tease, the kale (which helps to soften it and reduce bitterness). You'll want to massage it gently until the kale softens a little.
STEP 4: Combine Ingredients
Cut the dried asparagus into bite-size pieces and add it to a large mixing bowl. Place all other vegetables, the diced apple, dried cranberries, and slivered almonds into the mixing bowl with the asparagus. Gently stir in the dressing until all ingredients are combined. Taste the salad and add more salt if necessary, or add more Greek yogurt if it seems too dry.
Top Tips
- If the dressing is too thick, you can thin it out with a little bit of water or more lemon juice.
- Don't skip the step of massaging the kale leaves with a bit of lemon juice. This helps to tenderize the kale and reduce its bitterness.
- Toasting slivered almonds enhances their flavor. If you have some extra time, toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden and fragrant.
- Dress the salad just before serving to keep the ingredients crisp and fresh. If you're preparing the salad ahead of time, store the dressing separately and mix it in when ready to serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can prepare some components of the salad ahead of time, such as blanching the asparagus and making the dressing. You can also prepare most of the other salad ingredients ahead of time and assemble the salad just before serving to keep the vegetables crisp.
Fresh asparagus is preferred due to its crisp texture and flavor. But, you can use frozen asparagus if fresh is not available. Thaw the frozen asparagus before blanching it for the salad.
One of the reasons for soggy kale may be due to not drying it properly after washing. It's important to dry it thoroughly using a salad spinner or patting it with paper towels. Excess water on the leaves can cause a watery dressing and soggy salad. Dressing the salad too early before serving can also cause it to become soggy. The kale can start to wilt. Therefore, it's best to dress the salad just before serving to maintain its crispness. Also, make sure to use fresh kale in the salad. Older kale can wilt and become soggy.
Serving suggestions
Serve the salad alongside a grilled appetizer such as this Cinnamon Pineapple and Beef Appetizer or a fresh, light appetizer such as this Asparagus in Smoked Salmon and Cucumber. This Sweet Chili Salmon dish also goes great with the salad. Or, enjoy it with this Curried Rice Sautee.
Other nutritious salad recipes
If you tried this Asparagus Kale Salad or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Recipe
Asparagus Kale Salad
Equipment
- salad spinner optional to dry the kale, you can also use paper towels or a dry kitchen towel
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 1 bunch asparagus
- 1 bunch kale (about 6-8 cups chopped), stems removed, chopped into bite size pieces
- 1 tablespoon lemon
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 large cucumber (or two small ones), sliced
- 3 stalks celery thinly sliced
- 1 large Granny Smith apple cubed - or use a sweeter apple for more sweetness vs tanginess
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup slivered almonds you can also toast them - see notes below.
- 1 cup microgreens optional
For the Dressing
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup Greek Yogurt
- ½ lemon juice of
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger grated
- 1 tablespoon fresh turmeric grated
- 1 teaspoon hemp seeds
- 1 teaspoon flax seeds
- 1 teaspoon chia seeds
Instructions
- Trim the asparagus ends (they break off easily with your hands) and blanch in boiling water for 2-3 minutes until bright green. Immediately drain the asparagus transfer it to ice water to stop cooking, then place on a clean towel to dry.1 bunch asparagus
- While the asparagus is cooking and cooling, in a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, Greek Yogurt, lemon juice from fresh lemon (reserve about 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice to be used later), salt, ground turmeric and ginger, and the super seeds.½ teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, ½ cup Greek Yogurt, ½ lemon, 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, 1 tablespoon fresh turmeric, 1 teaspoon hemp seeds, 1 teaspoon flax seeds, 1 teaspoon chia seeds
- Remove the kale leaves from the stems and rinse them well. Spread the kale on a paper towel or a dry kitchen towel and dry them. You can also use a salad spinner if you have one available.1 bunch kale
- Squeeze a little bit of lemon (about 1 tablespoon) over the kale, add salt, and massage, or tease, the kale (which helps to soften it and reduce bitterness). You'll want to massage it gently until the kale softens a little.1 tablespoon lemon, ½ teaspoon salt
- Cut the dried asparagus into bite-size pieces and add it to a large mixing bowl. Place all other vegetables, the diced apple, dried cranberries and slivered almonds into the mixing bowl with the asparagus. Gently stir in the dressing until all ingredients are combined. Taste the salad and add more salt if necessary, or add more Greek yogurt if it seems too dry.1 large cucumber, 3 stalks celery, 1 large Granny Smith apple, 1 cup dried cranberries, 1 cup slivered almonds, 1 cup microgreens
Notes
- If the dressing is too thick, you can thin it out with a little bit of water or more lemon juice.
- Don't skip the step of massaging the kale leaves with a bit of lemon juice. This helps to tenderize the kale and reduce its bitterness.
- Toasting slivered almonds enhances their flavor. If you have some extra time, toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden and fragrant.
- Dress the salad just before serving to keep the ingredients crisp and fresh. If you're preparing the salad ahead of time, store the dressing separately and mix it in when ready to serve.
Leon
Thank you for sharing!