Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
This asparagus caesar salad recipes is one of my favorite for Spring and Summer. It’s so fresh and makes for the perfect side dish or main meal. This easy salad recipe has so much flavor and the best part is probably the homemade caesar dressing.
You can use store bought dressing if you prefer, but I prefer to make my own since it’s so easy and a lot more clean if you are focused on healthy eating. I’ve said it again and again, there is so much crap in some of those bottled dressings. While there are some brands out there that offer lighter versions, save yourself the money and make your own. They are so inexpensive to make and can be made in 5 minutes or less. Not only that, homemade dressings offer so much more flavor and are so much fresher.
For this Caesar dressing, I omitted the anchovy paste that is traditionally used. So instead I replaced it with a little Worcestershire Sauce. It just added that little kick that the paste would have given the dressing.
Why you’ll love this roasted caesar asparagus…
- The best part about this recipe is that it comes together so quickly. If you are a big fan of a traditional caesar salad, you will love this.
- You can prepare the dressing well in advance and keep it in the fridge. Then, all you have to do is grill or roast the bacon, asparagus and throw it together.
- This yummy recipe is the perfect side dish and can even be a main meal.
- The creamy dressing is homemade and it has such a great flavor. You’ll even want to dip veggies in it.
- This asparagus salad is at the top of my healthy meals list and it pairs perfectly with some grilled chicken breasts or pork chops.
What else goes in this asparagus salad?
It wouldn’t be a caesar salad without crunchy croutons. To save time, you can use store-bought croutons. For this recipe, I had some leftover Sourdough bread so I decided to make homemade croutons.
Making croutons is also a great way to use up day old bread. Cut a loaf into bread cubes…about 1-inch pieces. You can find the full directions here.
Besides the asparagus and croutons, this salad is topped off with some crispy bacon and some parmesan cheese.
How to cook asparagus…
There are a few different ways that you can grill your asparagus for this salad. My three preferred options are grilling, using an air fryer or roasting.
Grilling: Preheat the grill to medium-high heat, add the seasoned asparagus to the grill or on a grill pan and cook for 5-7 minutes. Toss every few minutes so they get evenly charred.
Air Fryer: Season the asparagus and place asparagus into the basket of an air fryer and cook for 7 minutes at 400 degrees F. Toss halfway through.
Oven Roasted: Preheat oven to 425 F and add seasoned asparagus on a rimmed sheet pan. Roast in the hot oven for 10 minutes.
This recipe makes for 4 starter salads or 2 mains.
INGREDIENTS
For the salad…
- 1 bunch of asparagus, ends trimmed
- 2 tbsp of olive oil
- Lemon juice
- 1 cup of croutons (use store-bought or click here for recipe)
- 2-3 cooked bacon strips, cut into chunks
- parmesan cheese
- salt and black pepper to taste
For the Caesar Dressing…
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tbsp of plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tsp of red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp of Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp of Dijon mustard
- 1/3 cup of olive oil or vegetable oil
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- Kosher salt & pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
- To make your dressing; combine the minced garlic, Greek Yogurt, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, olive oil, juice of 1/2 a lemon, salt and pepper into a small bowl. Mix well to combine. Set aside.
- On a cutting board, take the asparagus spears and cut off the ends of the asparagus stalks.
- In a large bowl, toss your trimmed asparagus with olive oil, juice of 1/2 a lemon, salt and pepper. Make sure all pieces are evenly coated in the mixture.
- Cook your asparagus to your preferred method. Have a look at the section above for suggested methods.
- Once ready to serve, add a few pieces of asparagus to a plate. Top with a handful of croutons, cooked bacon, parmesan shavings and drizzle with the Caesar dressing.
Asparagus Caesar Salad
Ingredients
- 1 bunch of asparagus
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- juice of 1/2 a lemon
- 1 cup of croutons
- 2-3 strips of bacon cooked
- salt and pepper to taste
- parmesan cheese for garnish
For the Caesar Dressing…
- 3 cloves of garlic minced
- 3 tbsp of plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp of Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp of dijon mustard
- 1/3 cup of olive oil
- juice of 1/2 a lemon
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- To make your dressing; combine the minced garlic, Greek Yogurt, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, olive oil, juice of 1/2 a lemon, salt and pepper into a small bowl. Mix well to combine. Set aside.
- Trim off the ends of the asparagus stalks.
- In a large bowl, toss your trimmed asparagus with olive oil, juice of 1/2 a lemon, salt and pepper. Make sure all pieces are evenly coated in the mixture.
- Cook your asparagus to your preferred method. Have a look at the section above for suggested methods.
- Once ready to serve, add a few pieces of asparagus to a plate. Top with a handful of croutons, cooked bacon, parmesan shavings and drizzle with the Caesar dressing.
Christopher is a food and lifestyle expert, recipe developer and the content creator behind May Eighty Five. With over 6 years of creating recipes for your favourite food brands, he also shares tips, tricks and how to’s that he has learnt over the years. Every week, he shares quick, simple and mostly healthy recipes along with some home and entertaining tips. You will find flavorful cocktails, delicious appetizers, tasty mains and some indulgent desserts.
