Grilled asparagus salad with walnuts and feta
- Preparation 15 min
- Cooking 4 min
- Servings 4 to 6
- Freezing I do not suggest
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🌿 Quebec asparagus season is mind-blowing
Take advantage of Quebec asparagus. When it’s in season (May-June), they’re completely mind-blowing: tender, sweet, fresh, with no comparison to the imported asparagus we find the rest of the year. It’s a short season, so we have to make the most of it. This salad is my favorite way to celebrate them: grilled quickly on the BBQ to keep their crunch, mixed with walnuts, crumbled feta and a lemon-shallot-oregano vinaigrette. Mind-blowing, period.
🔥 Asparagus season + BBQ season = perfect match
It’s BBQ season starting and I absolutely needed a super fresh summer version to accompany all my grilled meats. This salad comes at just the right time. Light, crunchy, lemony, ready in 15 minutes and assembled directly on the BBQ while your main protein rests. It’s the perfect accompaniment to bring together summer flavors: you get your Quebec asparagus from the market, you fire up your BBQ, and you’re good to go. Mind-blowing with pretty much any grilled meat. Chicken, lamb, pork, ribs.
🍋 Feta + lemon + fresh herbs = flavor explosion
What makes this salad really special is the marriage between the creamy-salty feta, the zest and lemon juice that bring the citrus brightness, the fresh dill and parsley that give the spring herb layer, and the walnuts that bring the nutty crunch. Add the vinaigrette with French shallot and dried oregano that ties it all together. It’s a flavor explosion with every bite. I love the feta, I love the lemony side, I love grilled asparagus, I love walnuts. All that mixed together is just insane.
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🌿 Take advantage of Quebec asparagus in May and June
It’s the golden rule of this salad: when it’s Quebec asparagus season (May-June), make the most of it. Tender, sweet, fresh, crunchy at the right level. There’s no comparison with imported asparagus found off-season. Go to the public market or look for Quebec asparagus in grocery stores during these 2 months. Choose firm, straight asparagus with tightly closed heads and a uniform bright green color.
🔥 BBQ maximum power + 2 min per side for medium asparagus
It’s the signature cooking method. BBQ preheated to maximum power (about 500 to 550°F / 260 to 290°C), well-oiled grill, asparagus placed perpendicular to the bars. For medium asparagus: exactly 2 minutes per side. For thin ones: 1 minute per side. For thick ones: 3 minutes per side. The rule: we want tender with still a slight crunch and beautiful visible grill marks, never soft.
📐 Cut diagonally AFTER cooking, never before
My trick to show off the BBQ marks: I keep the asparagus whole during cooking, then cut them diagonally after. You end up with sections of about 1 to 1½ inches that expose the beautiful grill marks on the cut. Restaurant-worthy visual. If you cut before cooking, you lose the marks and the pieces might fall between the bars.
🍋 Zest AND lemon juice for double citrus layer
You can make the vinaigrette with just lemon juice, it’s fine. But added zest brings the essential oils from the peel. That’s what multiplies the citrus intensity and gives character to the vinaigrette. Easy to do with a Microplane grater that shaves only the yellow part without getting the bitter white.
🧅 French shallot: 2 tablespoons is generous
My favorite ratio for this vinaigrette: 2 tbsp finely chopped French shallot. It’s generous, gives punch without overpowering other flavors. The elongated and pinkish French shallot (found everywhere in Quebec grocery stores) is milder and more delicate than regular onion, exactly what we want for a vinaigrette that balances the richness of feta.
🥜 Technique ¾ mixed + ¼ topping: the pro touch
My technique to maximize visual and texture: ¾ of the walnuts and ¾ of the crumbled feta go to the bottom of the salad bowl to mix with the vinaigrette and infuse the whole salad. The remaining ¼, we keep to sprinkle on top when serving. Result: you have pieces that stand out visually, you see exactly what the salad is made of, and you have bursts of feta and nuts on the surface that add crunch. Small detail that changes everything in presentation.
🍳 PAN variation for days without BBQ
If you don’t have access to BBQ or it’s winter, you can totally make this recipe in a pan. Small difference: cut the asparagus into sections of about 1 to 1½ inches BEFORE cooking, then sauté in a large pan over medium-high heat with 1 tbsp olive oil for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. You lose some of the beautiful BBQ grill marks, but the taste remains excellent.
✅ What to serve with my grilled asparagus salad with walnuts and feta?
It’s the perfect accompaniment for all my summer grilled meats. Serve it with my grilled piri-piri chicken thighs on the bbq for a Mediterranean duo, with my BBQ ribs for a freshness-richness combo, with my Grilled rack of lamb with Kalamata olive and herb tapenade to push the Mediterranean profile, or with my Grilled pork chops with marmalade for a complete BBQ meal.
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For the grilled asparagus
- 450 g (1 lb) medium asparagus, trimmed
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the lemon-shallot-oregano vinaigrette
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) French shallots, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 1 tsp (5 ml) dried oregano
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the salad
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) walnuts, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) pumpkin seeds
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) fresh dill, chopped
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh parsley, chopped
- 100 g crumbled feta
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil (or to taste)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
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Preparation
- Prepare the vinaigrette: in a jar or small bowl, combine the French shallots, olive oil, lemon zest and juice, dried oregano. Salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and set aside.
- Preheat BBQ to maximum power (about 500 to 550°F / 260 to 290°C). Oil the grill.
- In a large bowl, mix the whole asparagus with the 2 tbsp olive oil. Salt and pepper. Coat well.
- Place asparagus perpendicular to the BBQ bars to prevent them from falling through the grill. Cook 2 minutes per side for medium asparagus, until tender with a slight crunch and well marked by the grill.
- Let cool for 2 minutes, then slice the asparagus diagonally into sections of about 1 to 1½ inches (2.5 to 4 cm).
- In a large salad bowl, combine ¾ of the walnuts, ¾ of the crumbled feta, pumpkin seeds, fresh dill and fresh parsley. Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Mix gently.
- Add the cooled asparagus and vinaigrette to the mixture. Mix gently to coat well.
- Serve in a serving dish and garnish with the remaining ¼ of walnuts and remaining ¼ of crumbled feta. Give a final turn of the pepper mill and serve warm or at room temperature.
Quebec asparagus season lasts about 6 weeks, from mid-May to late June (sometimes early July depending on weather). It’s short but intense. Make the most of it during these weeks. You’ll find them in all public markets, local producers and good grocery stores that promote local products. Choose firm, straight asparagus with tightly closed heads and uniform bright green color. Avoid those whose heads are starting to open or have spots.
Perfect asparagus are tender with still a slight crunch. To check, press lightly with your tongs on an asparagus. If it bends a little without breaking and without being completely soft, it’s ready. Visually: bright green color, visible grill marks, slightly caramelized in spots. If they become soft or change color (dull green or yellowish), it’s overcooked. For medium asparagus, 2 minutes per side at max BBQ is the rule.
Yes, several make-ahead options. Asparagus can be trimmed (and washed) up to 2 days in advance and stored in the fridge in an airtight container. The vinaigrette can be prepared up to 2 hours in advance and can wait in the fridge (take it out 15 minutes before serving so it regains volume). The completely assembled salad keeps up to 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container. But it’s better served warm or at room temperature the same day, so prepare the components in advance and assemble at the last moment.
Absolutely. Walnuts bring a mild nutty crunch that pairs well with feta and asparagus, but you can replace them with pecans (milder notes), toasted sliced almonds (finer texture), grilled hazelnuts (more intense notes) or pine nuts (Italian touch). The rule: keep the same quantity (⅓ cup) and lightly toast the nuts dry in a pan for 2 minutes before adding to intensify the flavor if you want to push it.
It’s the perfect accompaniment for all summer grilled meats. Serve it with my grilled piri-piri chicken thighs on the bbq for a Mediterranean duo, with my bbq ribs for a freshness-richness combo, with my grilled rack of lamb with kalamata olive and herb tapenade to stay in the Mediterranean profile, or with my grilled pork chops with marmalade. It’s also excellent with a simple grilled steak, BBQ fish or seafood skewers.
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