Asparagus and Golden Beet Salad

By David Tanis

Published April 3, 2024

Asparagus and Golden Beet Salad
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
1 hour
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
45 minutes
Rating
5(43)
Notes
Read community notes

The season’s first asparagus pairs with tender butter lettuce and sweet golden beets in this springy salad, which comes together quickly, with a little bit of prep. Red beets are a bit wintry for this particular dish, but fortunately, golden beets are relatively easy to find at most supermarkets and simple to cook (see Tip). Just do so a day in advance, to save yourself some time. Similarly, you can prepare the eggs a day in advance, peeling and quartering them just before serving. A little bit of savvy planning goes a long way here.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings
  • 2medium golden beets, cooked (see Tip)
  • 2tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 1bunch medium asparagus (about 15 spears)
  • 2tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • ¼cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2small heads of butter lettuce, leaves separated, rinsed and patted dry
  • 2 to 3soft-boiled eggs, peeled and quartered (optional; see Tip)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

135 calories; 11 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 6 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 4 grams protein; 344 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Cut beets into smaller wedges or slices, and transfer to a salad bowl. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.

  2. Step 2

    Snap off tough ends of asparagus. In a medium pot, bring abundantly salted water to a low boil and cook asparagus for 3 to 4 minutes, until just tender. Remove and spread out on a kitchen towel to cool. Set aside.

  3. Step 3

    Make the vinaigrette: Put the remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar and all of the lemon juice in a small bowl. Add mustard and whisk to dissolve. Slowly whisk in olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

  4. Step 4

    Add salad leaves to beets and dress very lightly with about 1 tablespoon of the vinaigrette.

  5. Step 5

    Arrange leaves and beets on a platter or individual plates. Top with asparagus and ½ egg, if using, per plate. Drizzle remaining dressing over everything and serve.

Tips
  • To prepare the beets, peel and quarter them. Add to a medium pot over medium-high heat, add water to cover and salt abundantly. Simmer until easily pierced with a fork, 25 to 45 minutes, depending on the size of the beets. Cool. (You can make the beets in advance and refrigerate for up to 2 days.)
  • For soft-boiled eggs, lower large eggs into rapidly boiling water; when water returns to boil, lower heat to a brisk simmer; cook 7 minutes, then cool in ice water and peel.

Ratings

5 out of 5
43 user ratings
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Cooking Notes

Michael

Mr. Tanis, why not boil the beets first and then just rub with a paper towel to remove the peel, then quarter?

Lois Fox

Delicious and simple but oh so elegant. Made as written but used romaine lettuce and arugula because it’s what I had in the garden. Will make it again and again.

YKS

This was a hit at my dinner party. Made as written with the addition of a little maple syrup to the dressing. What a beautiful salad.

Taffy

Delicious and beautiful addition to our dinner. I added a pinch of sugar to the dressing to cut the acidity.

Jo the cook

I made this to go with salmon tart recipe (also on here) over the weekend, but cheated and bought already cooked beets at the market (sorry, not sorry). Very very easy and very springtime appropriate

Stephen

Followed every step and turned out perfect. This is a delightfully fresh and bright spring salad!

Laurie

Roast the beets. Lather them in EVVO, salt them. Wrap in foil. 350-375 for an hour or more. The peel scapes off easily. Put them in the refrigerator until you're ready to use them. I used left over asparagus from the grill the night before.

c marvin

Tasty, pretty, easy to make salad. Didn’t have butter lettuce and used watercress to good effect. Guest worthy.

RDS

You can "poach" the beets in oil (con fit) and then let them cool. The skins should peel right off. And then use the oil for the dressing.

Ann

I really liked this salad. I did add a little honey to the dressing to make it a little sweet, but other than that, very good flavors for a nice spring salad. And, I just happened to have everything already in my house, which literally never happens with these recipes! Next time I think I will add some bacon on top too.

Joanne

I have tried to make golden beets in advance and they often (usually) turn black. It doesn't matter if I roast, steam or boil. Any advice on how to stop this from happening?

Michael

Mr. Tanis, why not boil the beets first and then just rub with a paper towel to remove the peel, then quarter?

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