This easy potato salad with asparagus is perfect for spring, when baby potatoes and fresh asparagus are in season. Paired with a tangy mustard and lemon vinaigrette, this simple and healthy spring vegetable salad will be on repeat all season long.
Given my general love for potatoes, it's no surprise that I adore potato salad. Whether it's a rich and creamy version, or something closer to this tangy and mustardy one, I love them all.
However, taking the creamy mayo-based ones on a camping trip, or to a potluck, picnic, or bbq is always a little tricky because you never really know whether there will be a cool, shady spot or ice on hand to prevent it from spoiling.
This recipe for potato and asparagus salad solves that problem entirely. There's no mayo or dairy in the salad, and it's best served at room temperature. It also keeps well for a few days, so it's ideal for making ahead of time.
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Why This Recipe is Great for Camping
- You can make the salad ahead of time so you've got less to do at camp.
- It stores well for several days.
- There's no mayo in the potato and asparagus salad, making it less likely to spoil at warmer temperatures.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Asparagus--I prefer the thin stalks of asparagus as they are the most tender and cook quickly. If you only have the thicker stalks, they'll work, but they may need an extra minute of cooking time. Snap or cut off the woody bottom inch of the asparagus spears before cooking. If you've got extra asparagus, make Blackstone asparagus for a quick and easy side dish.
- Baby potatoes--Red baby potatoes are ideal for this salad as they hold their shape well. If you can't get baby potatoes, cut regular red potatoes into 1 ½-inch pieces after cooking.
- Dressing--This lemon-dill vinaigrette is the same dressing as this lemon-thyme dressing, except it's made with dill instead of thyme. Dill is a classic pairing for potato salad, but if you prefer the flavor of thyme, feel free to use the lemon-thyme version.
Important Steps
- Combine the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, dill, and salt and pepper in a lidded jar or container.
- Shake well to combine.
- Steam the asparagus until just tender. Rinse under cold water.
- Place the potatoes in a pot of cold salted water and bring to a boil. Cook until tender, then drain and cool slightly.
- Cut the warm potatoes into quarters and toss with 2 tablespoons of dressing.
- Combine the asparagus and potatoes in a large serving bowl and add enough dressing to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper and garnish with fresh dill.
FAQs
Yes. You can make this asparagus and potato salad up to 3 days before serving. Store it in a sealed container in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving. Give it a good stir before serving as the dressing will settle to the bottom of the bowl.
This potato and asparagus salad is best served at room temperature, or even slightly warm. Feel free to serve it immediately after making, or let it sit for an hour at room temperature to let all of the flavors mingle. If you won't be serving it within 2 hours, store it in the fridge.
Starting your potatoes in cold water helps them to cook evenly. Adding your potatoes directly to hot water will cause the outside to cook faster than the inside, resulting in mealy potatoes. to cook evenly
Tips and Troubleshooting
- If your salad is refrigerated, remove it from the fridge about 20 minutes before serving.
- Keep some extra dressing on hand to add to the salad if it seems dry. If the dressing solidifies in the fridge, let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes, then give it a good shake.
- The recipe can easily be doubled or tripled if serving a crowd.
- This recipe is suitable for gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan diets.
More Make-Ahead Salads You'll Love
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Recipe
Potato Salad with Asparagus
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill plus more for garnish
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 8 ounces asparagus cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 pound baby red potatoes
Instructions
- In a lidded jar or container, combine the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, and dill.
- Cover and shake well to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Place the asparagus in a steamer basket and set it over a pan of simmering water. Cover and steam until the asparagus is bright green and just tender, 2 to 4 minutes.
- Run the asparagus under cold water to cool it. Drain and transfer it to a large serving bowl.
- Place the potatoes in a pot of cold salted water. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, about 15 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes and let them cool slightly.
- When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them into quarters and toss with 2 tablespoons of the dressing. Let them cool completely.
- Add the potatoes to the serving bowl with the asparagus. Drizzle in enough dressing to coat the asparagus and potatoes. You may not need all of the dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper and garnish with fresh dill.
Notes
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- Storage--Store the asparagus potato salad in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. If your salad is refrigerated, remove it from the fridge about 20 minutes before serving. Give it a good stir before serving as the dressing will settle in the bottom of the bowl.
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- Use extra dressing--Keep some extra dressing on hand to add to the salad if it seems dry. If the dressing solidifies in the fridge, let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes, then give it a good shake.
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- Scaling--The recipe can easily be doubled or tripled if serving a crowd.
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- Dietary--This recipe is suitable for gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan diets.
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