Lemony French Green Bean Asparagus Salad
Looking for a new salad that's not your same-old, same-old? This delicious French Green Bean Asparagus Salad has a bright lemony dressing and lots of healthy veggies. Each bite is a burst of fabulous fresh flavor!
Servings: 8 side servings
Calories: 253kcal
Ingredients
For the veggies:
- 8 ounces French green beans (haricot verts) sliced on a long diagonal angle into bite-size pieces
- 8 ounces fresh asparagus sliced very thinly on a long diagonal angle
- 8 ounces fresh sugar snap peas sliced diagonally in half
- 1 cup baby tiny frozen peas, more to taste
For the walnut/panko topping:
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter I used salted butter
- ½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts
- ½-¾ cup panko Japanese breadcrumbs
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper more to taste
- finely grated zest from 1 medium-size lemon
For the dressing:
- finely grated zest of 1 medium-size lemon
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 medium garlic clove finely minced
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
To finish the salad:
- walnut/panko topping recipe above
- ½-¾ cup shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese more to taste
- ½ cup roughly chopped fresh mint leaves basil is a good sub
- 6-8 scallions (green onions) trimmed and sliced thinly on a long diagonal
- fresh mint leaves for garnish
Instructions
For the veggies:
- Bring a large pot of water (⅔ full) to a boil over high heat.
- While the water is coming to a boil, fill a large bowl with water and add 3-4 cups of crushed ice or ice cubes. Set aside. Set a large strainer (sieve) in your sink.
- When the water is nicely boiling, add the sliced veggies and set a timer for 1 minute.
- Drain in the prepared sieve. Shake the sieve a few times to remove any excess water then plunge the veggies into the ice bath.
- Drain well again then turn the drained veggies out onto a clean, dry kitchen towel and roll the towel around them. (If you are prepping again, the veggies can be transferred to a paper towel-lined storage container or large ziplock bag and refrigerated.)
For the walnut/panko topping:
- Heat a medium-size nonstick sauté pan over medium heat.
- Add the butter and olive oil. When the mixture is starting to sizzle a bit, add the walnuts. Stir frequently for 2-3 minutes or until the walnuts are beginning to deep in color. Add the panko crumbs and salt and cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently until medium golden brown.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest and crushed red pepper. Set aside to cool a bit. (If prepping ahead, allow the topping to cool completely then store in an airtight container.)
For the dressing:
- Combine the lemon juice, lemon zest and garlic in a large serving bowl. Drizzle in the olive oil while stirring vigorously with a fork or a whisk. Add the salt and pepper and stir again.
To finish the salad:
- Add the drained veggies and toss to coat with the dressing. Taste and add more lemon juice and/or salt, and pepper, if needed.
- Add the chopped mint and toss well. Taste again and adjust, if needed.
- Either sprinkle the salad with the panko mixture and top with the shaved parmesan or serve the toppings separately at the table (a good idea if you think you’ll have leftovers).
- Garnish with the scallions and more fresh mint (whole leaves).
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
See Café Tips above in the post for more detailed instructions and tips to ensure success.
If you prefer to use Metric measurements there is a button in each of our recipes, right above the word “Instructions”. Just click that button to toggle to grams, milliliters, etc. If you ever come across one of our recipes that doesn’t have the Metric conversion (some of the older recipes may not), feel free to leave a comment and I will add it.
Nutrition
Calories: 253kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 507mg | Potassium: 295mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 913IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 121mg | Iron: 2mg
