Caffeine Free Basil-Pesto Asparagus Salad
This vibrant salad is a celebration of fresh, garden-forward flavors — crisp-tender asparagus spears blanketed in a silky, homemade basil pesto that's bright with lemon and fragrant with garlic. The quick blanch-and-ice-bath method keeps the asparagus beautifully green and snappy, so every bite has that satisfying contrast of tender vegetable and bold, herby sauce. Because everything here is built from whole, simple ingredients — fresh basil, parsley, olive oil, lemon — there's nothing hidden to worry about, and it's naturally free of any stimulants or additives that can sneak into store-bought dressings and sauces. Blending the pesto from scratch takes only a few minutes and gives you a depth of flavor that no jarred version can match. A final drizzle of olive oil and a scatter of lemon zest pull the whole dish together with a little extra brightness. Serve it at room temperature right away or let it chill for an hour — either way, it's the kind of effortless, impressive dish that disappears fast at the table.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the salad
- 1 lb fresh asparagus, woody ends snapped off
- 1 tsp salt, divided
For the pesto
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
- ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 2 tbsp lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
- ¼ tsp lemon zest
- ¼ tsp salt
For serving
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling (optional)
- 1 tsp lemon zest, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat and stir in 3/4 tsp of the salt. Fill a large bowl with ice water and set it nearby.
- 2
Add the asparagus to the boiling water and cook until bright green and just tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, 2–3 minutes for medium spears. Drain through a colander and immediately transfer to the ice water. Let sit for 5 minutes until fully chilled, then drain and pat dry with a clean towel.
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