This Grilled Asparagus White Bean Salad is fresh, vibrant, and just elevated enough for your next brunch or dinner party. It’s packed with texture, zippy flavors, and a whole lot of spring green goodness. What I love most about it is that it can be enjoyed as a salad or as a side.
I serve it with grilled proteins like my Greek Chicken Souvlaki Skewers or Chicken Shish Tawook. Scroll down for more menu and pairing ideas!
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Why This Recipe Works
- Perfect way to usher in Spring. Asparagus, snap peas, chives and dill all come into season around the same time, making this salad a perfect spring dish to serve at your next dinner party. Make sure to also try my Asparagus Potato Salad with Peas.
- Is it a side or a salad? Honestly, I think it can be both. You will see later on that this recipe can be served 2 ways. You can chop the asparagus spears into 1-inch pieces and mix them into the rest of the ingredients (more like a salad). Or serve the spears on top of the rest of the ingredients (more like a side).
- Can be made ahead of time. This salad can totally be made a few hours before you need to serve it. The flavors will improve, but most importantly, the snap peas should retain their crunch.
Ingredients
This recipe comes together with a few basic fresh and pantry ingredients. Here’s what you will need:
- Beans: Canned is convenient, but you can use cooked-from-scratch if you prefer. I like using canned white kidney beans or cannellini beans, but you can also use butter beans like in my Greek-Style Butter Bean Salad.
- Asparagus: Asparagus is available year-round, but make sure to try this recipe in early spring when local asparagus is in season. Also try my Asparagus Goat Cheese Tart.
- Sugar snap peas: I like adding roughly chopped sugar snap peas or even snow peas to this salad. They add both crunch and sweetness. Cut them on the bias for a more interesting presentation.
- Grainy mustard: I feel like mustard, especially grainy mustard (sometimes called grainy Dijon mustard or "a l’ancienne"), works really well here. The mustard seeds pop in your mouth, which gives the salad some texture and interest. But you can use a smooth Dijon mustard if you prefer.
- Fresh herbs: Fresh dill and fresh chives pair really nicely with the rest of the ingredients. You can also add some parsley or cilantro. For more herb-forward salads, try my Kale Chickpea Salad, Greek Bean Salad, Jerusalem Salad or Classic Tabbouleh
- Capers: Briny bites that balance the creamy beans.
- Pistachios: Keeping up with the green theme, I like to add some crushed pistachios to this salad right at the very end. They add another layer of texture. Feel free to omit or use another nut.
Refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
How to make this Grilled Asparagus White Bean Salad recipe
This is a straightforward recipe that comes together very quickly. Here’s a quick glance at the recipe steps:
Step 1. Make Dressing. Whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, grainy mustard, kosher salt and black pepper in a small bowl.
Step 2. Prepare Asparagus. Trim the woody ends off the asparagus and toss the spears with a little olive oil.
Step 3. Grill. Grill the asparagus on high heat until charred and tender, about 2-3 minutes per side.
Step 4. Assemble. In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained white beans, chopped sugar snap peas, capers, and chopped herbs.
Step 5. Dress. Pour half the dressing over the bean mixture and toss gently to coat. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Step 6: Plate. Plate the bean salad on the bottom of a serving platter, arrange the grilled asparagus spears on top, and finish with the remaining dressing, a garnish of fresh dill and chopped pistachios. Alternatively, you can chop the asparagus spears into bite-sized pieces and toss with the rest of the ingredients.
Pairing and Menu Ideas
This salad is a fantastic companion to grilled fish, roast chicken, or a crusty loaf of sourdough.
This recipe is inherently vegan. If you’re looking to keep the vegan or vegetarian theme going, pair it with one of my many vegetarian recipes. I think it will work great as a side with my Spanakopita (Greek spinach pie), Tiropita (Greek Cheese Pie) or my Tomato Pie.
In keeping with the grilled theme, pair it with my chicken kafta kebabs, beef kofta kebabs, Persian Kebab koobideh, Greek lamb chops or harissa chicken skewers.
Leftovers are perfect for lunch the next day.
Expert Tips
- Don’t overcook the asparagus. Grill the asparagus just until tender to keep that satisfying snap. Remember that carryover heat will continue to soften the asparagus. Choose thin spears as they will be more tender than thicker ones.
- No Grill? No problem! If you don’t have a grill, use a grill pan or broil them briefly in the oven. You can also choose to steam or boil the asparagus if you prefer.
- Beef it up! You can add some cooked grains or cooked protein you want to bulk it up. Try some of my other hearty salads: Greek Chicken Salad or Greek Butter Bean Salad.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! You can prep the beans and dressing ahead. Grill the asparagus just before serving for the best texture. But if you were really pressed for time, you can make and prepare the whole salad up to 2 hours before you want to serve it and store it in the fridge.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Note that the asparagus may soften slightly over time.
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Recipe Card
Grilled Asparagus White Bean Salad
Equipment
- Grill or grill pan
Ingredients
Salad Dressing
- 3 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoon Lemon juice - From 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon Lemon zest - From 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon Grainy mustard
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black pepper
Main Ingredients
- 1 lb Asparagus
- 1 can White beans (drained and rinsed) - Use a 14 oz or 398ml can
- 1 cup Sugar snap peas (trimmed and chopped) - 150 grams
- 2 tablespoon Capers
- 2 tablespoon Fresh dill (chopped)
- 2 tablespoon Fresh chives (chopped)
Garnish
- 2 tablespoon Pistachios (chopped)
- Fresh dill fronds
Instructions
- Make Dressing. Whisk together 3 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoon Lemon juice, 1 tablespoon Lemon zest, 1 tablespoon Grainy mustard, ½ teaspoon Kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon Black pepper in a small bowl.
- Prepare Asparagus. Trim the woody ends off 1 lb Asparagus and toss the spears with a little neutral olive oil.
- Grill. Grill the asparagus on high heat until charred and tender, about 2-3 minutes per side.
- Assemble. In a large bowl, combine 1 can White beans (drained and rinsed), 1 cup Sugar snap peas (trimmed and chopped), 2 tablespoon Capers, 2 tablespoon Fresh dill (chopped) and 2 tablespoon Fresh chives (chopped).
- Dress. Pour half the dressing over the bean mixture and toss gently to coat. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Plate. Plate the bean salad on the bottom of a serving platter, arrange the grilled asparagus spears on top, and finish with the remaining dressing. Garnish with 2 tablespoon Pistachios (chopped) and Fresh dill fronds. Alternatively, you can chop the asparagus spears into bite-sized pieces and toss them with the rest of the ingredients.
Notes
- Beans: Canned is convenient, but you can use cooked-from-scratch if you prefer. I like using canned white kidney beans or cannellini beans.
- Grainy mustard: I feel like mustard, especially grainy mustard (sometimes called grainy Dijon mustard or "a l’ancienne"), works really well here.
- Fresh herbs: Fresh dill and fresh chives pair really nicely with the rest of the ingredients. You can also add some parsley or cilantro.
- Capers: Briny bites that balance the creamy beans.
- Pistachios: Keeping up with the green theme, I like to add some crushed pistachios to this salad right at the very end. They add another layer of texture. Feel free to omit or use another nut.
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