Crispy Smashed Potato Asparagus Salad
asparagus, potatoes
This delicious and refreshing potato asparagus salad is perfect side dish for spring and summer gatherings. This salad is a twist on the classic potato salad, instead of featuring boiled potatoes it features crispy smashed potatoes with tender crisp asparagus, mixed with a tangy herby vinaigrette dressing with loads of feta cheese.
This can be served warm or at room temperature or even cold. You can customize the salad by adding other ingredients, such as cherry tomatoes, or swapping the asparagus with another veggie like broccoli florets or even green beans and peas. I included some other fun suggestions for add ins that take this from a wonderful side dish to a main dish.
Potato Asparagus Salad Recipe Ingredients (quantities and details in recipe card below):
- POTATOES: Baby Yukon gold or red potatoes are best for this recipe and for making smashed potatoes.
- ASPARAGUS: Fresh asparagus spears is what I always use and they are trimmed and chopped for this recipe.
- OLIVE OIL: I use extra virgin olive oil for the dressing and for drizzling over the potatoes but you could also use an olive oil spray for the potatoes instead if you prefer or any other vegetable oil.
- LEMON JUICE & ZEST: Fresh lemon juice and lemon zest for best flavor and tang.
- RED WINE VINEGAR: Red wine vinegar is a classic and staple for Greek cooking but feel free to use apple cider vinegar or even sherry vinegar.
- CAPERS: Capers add a nice briny, and salty flavor.
- SHALLOT & GARLIC: Both are added to the dressing for flavor. Feel free to to use red onion for the shallot and as much or as little garlic as you prefer.
- HONEY: Add a hint of sweetness to the dressing
- MUSTARD: Adds a tangy and sharp flavor.
- FRESH HERBS: I use a blend of fresh parsley and dill and some fresh oregano. If you don’t have fresh oregano you can use a bit of dried oregano for the dressing. Fresh sliced chives or green onions would be a great add in as well for extra flavor.
- OLIVES: I love to use Kalamata olives but any olives or even a medley work really well here for their salty briny flavor.
- FETA CHEESE: This is a very Greek forward salad thus the Kalamata olives and the feta cheese. You could also use goat cheese or even Parmesan cheese in place of the feta though .
- EXTRA ADD INS: Add extra veggies like cherry tomatoes, cucumber, radishes or adding in chopped hard-boiled eggs. I also LOVE adding in some rinsed and drained butter beans or white beans or even some good quality tuna or you could even add in some grilled chicken to make this a full meal.
How To Make Asparagus Potato Salad
To make this warm potato salad, boil whole baby potatoes and asparagus until tender, then smash and roast the potatoes until golden crisp, toss with a vinaigrette made from olive oil, lemon juice and red wine vinegar, mustard, and garlic! For a simplified version, simply boil diced potatoes like a more traditional potatoes salad or dice and toss potatoes and asparagus with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roast in the oven until golden brown, then mix with the dressing. Here are the basic steps (full details in recipe card below):
- Prepare Potatoes: Boil, smash and roast until crispy
- Prepare Asparagus: Boil, drain, put them in and ice cold water bath then drain again
- Make Dressing: Whisk all the dressing ingredients together
- Assemble Salad: Toss the smashed potatoes, with the asparagus, dressing and remaining ingredients (fresh herbs, olives and feta)
Potato Asparagus Salad Make Ahead & Storage
- MAKE AHEAD: Feel free to make a few of the components of this salad ahead of time. BOILED BABY POTATOES generally stay fresh and safe to eat for 3 to 4 days when stored in the refrigerator. You then just need to smash and roast. The SMASHED POTATOES can be made and cooled then stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or air fryer to crisp them back up. Store the DRESSING in a jar or airtight container for up to 3-5 days. Whisk before using.
- STORAGE: After you dress and toss the salad it is best eaten the same day. But I have eaten this 2-3 days after I have made it and it is still phenomenal - you just loose the crispness on the potatoes but by day 2 or later they have completely soaked up the flavours and are so delicious.
Recipe
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 1½ lbs baby potatoes
- 1½ lbs asparagus ends trimmed and chopped into thirds
- 2-3 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper
For the Dressing
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon capers rough chopped
- 1 large shallot, peeled and diced
- 1 clove of garlic minced
- 1 lemon zested and juiced
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
For Serving
- ¼ cup fresh herbs (I always do a fresh dill & parsley combo)
- ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives
- ⅓-½ cup crumbed feta cheese
Directions
For the Potatoes & Asparagus
- Preheat oven to 425°F and grease a large baking sheet with cooking spray or line with parchment paper and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add the potatoes and cook until fork tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove potatoes with a slotted spoon and let cool for 5 minutes.
- In the meantime, add the asparagus to the hot water and cook 2 minutes until barely tender.
- Immediately drain asparagus and transfer to ice cold water bath to stop the cooking process then drain the Asparagus and set aside
- Place potatoes on the greased baking sheet. Use the bottom of a jar, glass or a potato masher to gently press down on the potatoes until they are smashed, but still in one piece.
- Drizzle the potatoes evenly with olive oil or you could use olive oil spray and season generously with salt and pepper. Bake until crispy, about 25 to 30 minutes then remove from oven and allow to cool.
Make Dressing
- In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, garlic, shallots, capers, lemon juice and zest, red wine vinegar, honey, mustard and oregano and pinch each of salt and black pepper.
Assemble Salad
- When the potatoes are cool, place them to a large salad bowl. Add the asparagus, olives, feta, and fresh dill and parsley. Toss until well coated. Taste and season with extra salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with extra feta cheese and fresh herbs and serve.
