Shaved Asparagus Pea Salad (Printable View)

Crisp shaved asparagus and peas tossed with lemon dressing and pine nuts for a refreshing spring salad.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 bunch fresh asparagus, woody ends trimmed
02 - 1 cup fresh or thawed frozen green peas
03 - 2 cups baby arugula or mixed spring greens
04 - 2 radishes, thinly sliced

→ Cheese & Nuts

05 - 1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese or pecorino
06 - 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds

→ Lemon Dressing

07 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
08 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
09 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
10 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
11 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
12 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
13 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# How To Make It:

01 - Using a vegetable peeler, shave the asparagus stalks into thin ribbons and place in a large salad bowl.
02 - Add the green peas, arugula or greens, and sliced radishes to the bowl with asparagus.
03 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
04 - Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine and evenly coat the vegetables.
05 - Add the shaved Parmesan and toasted pine nuts, tossing lightly again or scattering over the top.
06 - Serve immediately for optimal freshness and crispness.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It takes 20 minutes and somehow tastes like you spent way more effort than you actually did.
  • Raw asparagus has this gentle, almost sweet crunch that feels indulgent without any of the heaviness.
  • The lemon dressing is so balanced that you'll find yourself making it for other salads and suddenly owning your kitchen.
02 -
  • Don't dress this salad more than 5 minutes before serving, because the lemon juice will start to soften the asparagus ribbons and make them lose their signature crunch.
  • If you're making this ahead for a party, keep all the components separate and assemble it just before people arrive—the dressing can hang out in the fridge, but the salad itself needs to stay undressed and waiting.
03 -
  • Toast your own nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, shaking occasionally—you'll smell the moment they're done, and fresh-toasted nuts taste dramatically better than anything sitting in a jar.
  • Zest your lemon before you juice it, and use a microplane if you own one; the fine texture makes all the difference in how the zest integrates into the dressing rather than remaining grainy.
Return