Citric Acid Free Asparagus and Avocado Salad
This vibrant salad is a celebration of fresh, clean flavors — crisp blanched asparagus, creamy avocado, and a bright herby finish from cilantro and mint that makes every bite feel alive. The quick ice-bath technique keeps the asparagus perfectly tender-crisp and a gorgeous shade of green, so the whole dish looks as good as it tastes. For anyone navigating a citric acid sensitivity, this kind of recipe can feel tricky because so many store-bought dressings and even canned or packaged vegetables sneak in citric acid as a preservative. Here, the dressing is built entirely from scratch — olive oil, apple cider vinegar, fresh ginger, honey, and turmeric — giving you full control over every single ingredient. The one squeeze of fresh lemon juice at the end is a whole-food addition, not a processed additive, so it stays firmly in safe territory. Peppery radishes and scallion greens add crunch and a gentle bite that rounds out the richness of the avocado beautifully. Serve it immediately after folding everything together and it's genuinely stunning — the kind of salad that disappears fast.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the salad
- 1 lb asparagus, woody ends snapped off, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 ripe avocados, pitted, peeled, and cut into ¾-inch chunks
- 4 radishes, thinly sliced
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced (green tops only)
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 2 tbsp fresh mint leaves, torn
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- 1 tsp honey
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp salt
For serving
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus pieces and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until bright green and just tender when pierced with a knife but still with a slight snap. Drain through a colander and immediately transfer to a large bowl of ice water for 2 minutes to stop the cooking, then drain well and pat dry.
- 2
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, grated ginger, honey, turmeric, and salt until the dressing is smooth and emulsified.
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