This Potato Salad with Asparagus is crunchy and refreshing. It features new potatoes, asparagus, cucumbers, and radish that get tossed in a homemade herbed red wine vinegar dressing and served cold. Great as a side dish or as a meal with added protein! This salad is very easy to make and perfect for spring and summer.
When asparagus is in season, I roast it almost every day and add it to as many dishes as possible. If I only could make an asparagus-based dessert, I would! Not only is asparagus delicious, but it’s also very nutritious and takes just minutes to cook.
This unique potato asparagus salad has so many textures and flavors. The potatoes make it filling and satisfying, while the cucumbers and asparagus keep it crunchy and nutrient-dense.
The vegetables are then tossed in a homemade red wine vinaigrette which is easy to make and pairs well with all the flavors of the veggies. A perfect warm-weather dish!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- You can use this asparagus potato salad as a side dish or add some protein to make it a full meal.
- The red wine vinaigrette takes minutes to make and can be used on other salads or as a flavorful marinade.
- This crunchy salad is high in fiber and other important nutrients that also make it filling and satisfying.
- It’s perfect for bringing to a Spring brunch or Summer BBQ.
- You can serve this salad at room temperature or cold, making it a good meal prep option.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For The Salad:
- Asparagus – This healthy green vegetable can be found in most grocery stores year-round and is usually budget-friendly when it’s in season from February to June.
- Baby Potatoes – These potatoes are the perfect addition to the salad because they are bite-sized and cook up quickly.
- Red Onion – Infuses the salad with a mild onion flavor while adding color and texture.
- Mini Cucumbers – Give the salad a classic crunchy and fresh taste.
- Chopped Radish – Radish adds a pop of natural red color and crunch.
- Fresh Parsley – Makes the salad very refreshing. You can also add other fresh herbs you have on hand such as fresh basil, chives, or dill.
For the dressing:
- Olive Oil & Red Wine Vinegar – These two ingredients are classic for making a simple vinaigrette that always tastes delicious.
- Garlic Powder – Infuses the dressing with a light garlic flavor. You can always use fresh garlic instead of garlic powder for a more “garlicky” flavor.
- Dried Basil & Thyme – These herbs pair well with the flavors in the dressing.
- Sea Salt – Helps balance all the flavors in the dish.
How To Make Potato and Asparagus Salad
In this recipe, you’ll use steam from cooking the baby potatoes to cook the asparagus. Both will cook at the same time resulting in tender potatoes and asparagus. This method will save you time and will help make kitchen clean-up easy!
- Clean the potatoes of excess dirt. Wash and trim your asparagus by removing the woody stems on the bottom.
- Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan and add cold water just enough to cover. Over medium-high heat, bring the potatoes to a boil. While the potatoes are cooking, steam the asparagus in a steamer basket over the boiling potatoes.
- The asparagus will be steamed through in about 10 minutes. Remove and place in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process and preserve the vibrant green color.
- Let the potatoes cook for another 3-5 minutes or until they are fork-tender. Drain the potatoes and set them aside to cool before cutting them into quarters or halves.
- Take the asparagus spears from the ice-water bath and place them on a paper towel. Pat the asparagus with another paper towel to remove as much water as possible. Cut the steamed asparagus into bite-sized pieces.
- Chop the cucumbers, radish, onion, and parsley, and add everything into a big bowl. Add the potatoes and asparagus to the bowl as well.
- To make the dressing, add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic powder, dried basil, and thyme into a small bowl and whisk. Pour the dressing over the salad. Season the salad with salt and toss until everything is fully combined.
Recipe Tips
For best results, make sure all the potatoes and asparagus are cooled completely before tossing them with the remaining ingredients. Residual heat can draw too much moisture from the cucumbers and radishes, resulting in a soggy salad.
It’s important to blanch the asparagus in ice-cold water as it is a delicate vegetable that continues to cook as long as it’s warm. Shocking it in ice water stops the cooking process immediately and allows it to keep its green color.
Do not overcook potatoes as they could break down into the salad and not hold their shape.
Flavor Variations
- Toss in some fresh dill, basil, or chives into the salad for bright herb flavor.
- If you like spicy food, add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the dressing or vegetables before tossing.
- The dressing also tastes great when made with apple cider vinegar.
- For a salty bite and great texture, top the salad with grated parmesan or pecorino romano.
- Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to the final served dish to bring out the fresh flavors.
Storing & Freezing
- Storing: This salad can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It can be served cold or at room temperature.
- Freezing: Due to the high water content in the vegetables, freezing is not recommended.
More Easy Salad Recipes
If you enjoyed making this salad, check out more of my healthy salad recipes:
- German Cucumber Dill Salad
- Raw Turnip Salad
- Detox Kale & Beet Salad
- Fresh Vegetable Salad without Lettuce
Potato Salad with Asparagus
Ingredients
- 1½ pound asparagus
- 1 pound baby potatoes
- ¼ red onion (thinly sliced)
- 3 mini cucumbers (chopped)
- 8-10 radishes (chopped)
- handful parsley (chopped)
For the dressing:
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp dried basil
- ¼ tsp dried thyme
- sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Wash the asparagus and break off the woody ends.1½ pound asparagus
- To cook the potatoes, start by rinsing them under cool running water. If needed, brush them with a vegetable brush to remove excess dirt. Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan and add cold water just enough to cover. Over medium-high heat, bring the potatoes to a boil.1 pound baby potatoes
- To steam the asparagus, place a steamer basket over the saucepan with the potatoes and add the asparagus. Cook the asparagus until it can be pierced with a fork for about 10 minutes. Then transfer the asparagus into a bowl with ice water. This helps to preserve the vibrant green color.
- Once the potatoes are done (usually takes 10 to 13 minutes). Carefully drain the potatoes and let them cool.
- Once the potatoes have cooled down to room temperature, cut them into halves or quarters. Cut the asparagus into bite-size pieces.
- Place the potatoes, asparagus, onion, cucumbers, radishes, and parsley into a big bowl.¼ red onion, 3 mini cucumbers, 8-10 radishes, handful parsley
- To make the dressing, add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic powder, dried basil, and thyme in a small bowl and whisk.3 Tbsp olive oil, 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp dried basil, ¼ tsp dried thyme
- Pour the dressing over the salad. Season the salad with salt and toss.sea salt to taste
The nutrition facts are an estimate. Variations in ingredient brands, portion sizes, or substitutions can affect the final nutritional values. For the most accurate information, please use a nutrition calculator or consult with a healthcare provider. Always ensure that each of the ingredients is allowed in your diet.
Meet Maria
Maria Ushakova is a holistic nutritionist and food blogger. She focuses on developing easy recipes using real food ingredients. She believes that healthy food is delicious and anyone can learn how to cook it. Maria’s work has appeared on numerous popular websites as well as in print.
