I’m celebrating spring with this warm spring salad featuring asparagus, leek, peas, strawberries, and parsley all tossed in a simple lemon olive oil dressing. It’s very light and veggie-packed with some protein provided by quinoa. If you’d like to add even more protein I’m sure it would be nice with some white beans, chickpeas, or French lentils thrown in too.

Behold, non-wimpy asparagus!

Normally I don’t consider asparagus to be one of the most exciting vegetables, but it always surprises me every time I make it. I enjoy it way more than I think I do. A simple, light sauté leaves it tender, but still crisp and fresh. I find it turns out best when I cook it a bit less time than I think I should. Less is more with this guy! I’ve made the mistake of cooking the hell out of it in the past and it’s something I try not to repeat.
Nutrition Facts about Asparagus
- Look for firm spears that don’t bend easily. Asparagus doesn’t tend to last very long, so it’s best consumed within 48 hours of purchasing. When you bring it home, wrap the stems in a damp paper towel to extend freshness.
- Asparagus may aid in digestion thanks to its inulin content which is said to function as a “prebiotic”
- In 1 cup of raw asparagus you’ll receive Vitamin K (69.6% Daily Value), Vitamin A (20.2% DV), Folate (17.4% DV), Iron (15.7% DV), Vitamin B1 (12.6% DV), Vitamin C (12.5% DV), 3 grams protein, 2.75 grams fibre, and more.
- It can act as a diuretic causing you to lose more fluid than normal. Be sure to get enough water throughout the day.
- Asparagus is anti-inflammatory thanks to its large composition of anti-inflammatory nutrients.
- Source: World’s Healthiest Foods
Since spring produce seems to be picking up speed around here, I’m celebrating my first spring recipe of the season today – a warm spring salad featuring asparagus, leek, peas, strawberries, and lots of parsley all tossed in a simple lemon olive oil dressing. Easy, light, and super refreshing. If you’d like to add even more protein than what the quinoa + veggies provide I’m sure it would be nice with some white beans, chickpeas, or French lentils thrown in too. Eric also suggested we sprinkle some seeds on top – pumpkin and hemp – and that was a very nice addition!
Keep in mind that the strawberries will turn the quinoa a pinkish hue once tossed. If this is a concern or if you are making this in advance, I suggest adding the strawberries on just before serving.
Cheers to crunchy, fresh spring salads!
If you like the look of this salad be sure to check out some of my other great Spring salads:

Warm Spring Salad

Yield
4 Servings
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
I’m celebrating my first spring recipe of the season with this warm spring salad featuring asparagus, leek, peas, strawberries, and parsley all tossed in a simple lemon olive oil dressing. It’s very light and veggie-packed with some protein provided by quinoa. If you’d like to add even more protein I’m sure it would be nice with some white beans, chickpeas, or French lentils thrown in too. Keep in mind that the strawberries will bleed pink juices into the salad and turn the quinoa a light pink hue once tossed. If this is a concern or if you are making this in advance, I suggest adding the strawberries on just before serving.
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa (or try speltberries)
- 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 leek, sliced into rounds or half moons
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 bunch asparagus, ends broken off and chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup diced strawberries (optional)
- 3/4 cup fresh or frozen peas
- 1 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- 2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, to taste
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tbsp pure maple syrup (or other sweetener)
- 1/4 tsp fine grain sea salt & lots of pepper, to taste
- lemon zest, for garnish (optional)
Directions
- Rinse quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and place into a medium pot. Add 1.5 cups vegetable broth (or water) and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat to low-medium, cover with tight-fitting lid, and cook for 15-17 minutes, or until fluffy and all the water is absorbed. Fluff with fork, remove from heat, and let sit covered for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, grab a very large skillet or wok. Sauté the leek and garlic in the oil for about 5 minutes over medium heat. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add in the asparagus and sauté for another 5-10 minutes or until the asparagus is just tender, but still a bit crisp. Stir in the strawberries (optional), peas, and parsley. Heat for a few minutes and then remove from heat.
- Whisk together the dressing ingredients (olive oil, lemon juice, maple syrup, and 1/4 tsp fine grain sea salt) to taste. Pour dressing onto skillet mixture and stir in the cooked quinoa. Season to taste with salt and pepper & enjoy! This would also be lovely with nuts or seeds sprinkled on top.
Tip:
Oh, I forgot to mention – this is also fantastic served cold too!
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)Oh, I forgot to mention – this is also fantastic served cold too!
I made this and it was/is DELICIOUS! both hot and cold!
thank you for sharing great healthy recipes
So glad you enjoyed it Vanessa!
YUM! Made this last night. I was a little worried that I wasn’t going to like the warm strawberries, but it created a perfect addition of flavour and looked beautiful!
I also added some edamame to the mix….
One question for you: My boyfriend loves everything that I make, including this salad last night…. but he’s always so hungry after! Do you have this problem with Eric? Any tips?
This looks super yummy! Love your blog– the pictures are gorgeous! You make being vegan and healthy look so accessible.
Thank you Annie!
It’s kid approved! Just add a few extra strawberries on top, chop the asparagus into small pieces, and they think it’s a SPECIAL dinner :) At least my three little ones (6 and under) did… The parents enjoyed it on a bed of mixed greens.
Wonderful recipe! I love the colors, too! Great!
I’ve never tasted quinoa but your photos make me want to rush and buy some..Beautiful..
Can bulgur be substituted for it?
This is SO DELICIOUS! We had asparagus and strawberries in our produce box this week — thanks for the great use of them! I’m keeping this one for future dinners!
Wow this recipe looks delicious! Think I will try this one out as I love asparagus and a big fan of fruit in salads. :)
I made this for dinner last night…..soooo delicious!
My 17 year old daughter loved it as well!
So glad to hear that! Thanks for letting me know :)
This salad was delicious! This is the first of your recipes that I’ve tried and won’t be the last. I’m new to cooking after years of eating like crap. Throw in trying to eat vegan, and I’ve got a big ole challenge on my hands. But I am now confident that I can make delicious meals thanks to you! And someday I might get crazy and actually cook for someone other than myself. I send much gratitude to you.
Delicious. It’s a mouf party. I added chopped almonds (dry roasted no salt). Thank you!
I just made this salad for an early lunch and I LOVE it. I’m not usually a big parsley fan, but it adds such a nice freshness and actually goes really well with both asparagus and strawberries. Also, I have started subbing millet for quinoa after seeing a few of your other recipes using millet, so I used leftover millet in this salad instead of quinoa. Very yummy!
This was so good! Thanks for the recipe, I will definitely be making this again…
This looks like a fantastic recipe, healthy and filling! I liked your comments on cooking with asparagus, which I have grown to love the past few years. I’ve always grilled or baked it, but recently discovered how much I like it blanched and cooled in an ice bath. It turns out perfect. Thanks for the recipe!
I made this for dinner last night, including the strawberries and it was great! I didn’t use oil to sautee the veggies and I only used 1.5 T oil in the dressing. We also ate it over a bed of spinach. Thanks for the yummy recipe!
Made this last night (minus strawberries) and it was excellent!
This looks awesome! I am always looking for new ways to make asparagus. It is my all time fav!
Yum! Making this tomorrow, but will probably add chickpeas to it :)
I have been following your blog for some time now… in fact I’ve made dozens of your recipes with absolutely NO disappointment so thank you for that. I am excited to try this exciting salad. I used leeks a few weeks ago and simply planted the “stumps” in my garden and POOF! they are thriving! There is something pretty awesome about using the veggies from my garden (especially since most came from scraps. It feels like a two-for-one kind of deal)
XOXO