Description
A fresh and vibrant Spring Asparagus and Green Bean Salad featuring tender-crisp asparagus and green beans tossed with a zesty lemon-Dijon dressing, fresh herbs, tomatoes, capers, and topped with perfectly hard-boiled eggs and oil-packed tuna for a flavorful and satisfying dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 1 bunch asparagus
- 8 ounces green or French beans
- 1 tomato
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
- 1 tablespoon shallot, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
Protein
- 2 eggs, hard-boiled
- 1 can tuna, drained (preferably oil-packed)
Dressing
- Juice from 1/2 lemon
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon capers
Instructions
- Hard boil the eggs: Place the eggs in a pot of cold water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cook for 9 minutes for fully hard-boiled eggs. If a runnier yolk is preferred, reduce cooking time accordingly. After cooking, transfer eggs to cool water and let them chill before peeling.
- Prepare and cook vegetables: Snap or cut off tough ends of the asparagus and trim the ends of the green beans. Steam or boil asparagus for about 5-7 minutes until tender-crisp. Steam or boil green beans for 3-4 minutes until tender-crisp. You can cook in separate pans or in the same pan by adding beans a few minutes after asparagus. Once cooked, set aside to cool.
- Make the dressing: In a bowl, whisk together the minced garlic, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and olive oil gradually to emulsify the dressing.
- Chop fresh ingredients: Finely chop the parsley, basil, shallot, tomato, and the peeled hard-boiled eggs.
- Assemble the salad: In a large bowl, toss the cooled asparagus, green beans, tuna, tomatoes, capers, and herbs with the dressing until evenly coated. Gently sprinkle the chopped eggs on top. Season with salt and pepper to taste if desired.
Notes
- Use oil-packed tuna for richer flavor, but water-packed can be used as a lighter alternative.
- Steaming vegetables helps retain nutrients and ensures a tender-crisp texture.
- Adjust egg cooking time based on your preference for yolk consistency.
- This salad is best served slightly chilled or at room temperature.
- Add a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper or a pinch of flaky sea salt to enhance flavors.
