Healthy Spanish Green Salad with Asparagus and Blue Cheese
This Healthy Green Spanish Salad with asparagus and blue cheese is a nod to traditional Spanish salad recipes (Ensalada Verde Española). This salad typically embraces a few simple ingredients to create a colorful seasonal salad with roasted asparagus, crisp green beans, and a delicious dressing.
Equipment
- Wooden cutting board
- Chef knife
- Peeler
- Large serving plate or Serving platter
- Salad serving spoons
- Small mixing bowl
- Small dressing Whisk (or fork)
- Lemon juicer (optional)
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 1 small bunch of raw asparagus 100g/3.5oz.
- 1 small Romaine lettuce or your favorite green 200g/7oz.
- A small handful of green beans 100g/3.5oz.
- ½ English cucumber peeled (100g/3.5oz.)
- A few Florets of raw Broccoli 100g/3.5oz.
- 2 Pink radishes sliced into fine rounds
- 1 tsp Capers
- 30 g/1 oz. blue cheese Roquefort, gorgonzola, or similar
For the dressing
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Splash of fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp Jerez Sherry Vinegar
- ½ tsp Dijon Mustard
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
Step 1 - prep and roast Asparagus spears
- Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F
- Trim the bottom inch from the asparagus spears and add them to a pan with a splash of olive oil. Season to taste with some salt and pepper and bake for 13-15 minutes (the ends should just start to blacken and crisp up).1 small bunch of raw asparagus, Salt and Pepper to taste, Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Step 2 - Prepare Salad ingredients
- Wash lettuce leaves and cut into strips lengthways (along the spine of the lettuce leaf). Arrange on a large plate or serving platter.1 small Romaine lettuce
- Use a peeler to slice the cucumber into strips lengthways. Arrange the cucumber strips on the plate with the lettuce.½ English cucumber
- Rinse and cut the broccoli into bite sized pieces, arrange around the plate.A few Florets of raw Broccoli
- Rinse the green beans and trim the stalks and tips. Arrange on top of the other ingredients (note: we love the crunch of raw green beans, if you prefer a softer texture, boil the beans for 2 minutes before plating them).A small handful of green beans
- Slice a few pink radishes into thin rounds and arrange around the plate.2 Pink radishes
- Once the asparagus has cooled, cut it into small 2 inch pieces and add on top of the salad ingredients.
- Sprinkle a few capers over the top.1 tsp Capers
Step 3 - Prepare the salad dressing
- Squeeze some fresh lemon juice into a small bowl (remove any seeds that may fall in). Add some olive oil and give it a little stir.Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Splash of fresh lemon juice, Salt and Pepper to taste
- Add the Jerez sherry vinegar and Dijon mustard, and season to taste with salt and pepper.1 tbsp Jerez Sherry Vinegar, ½ tsp Dijon Mustard
- Give everything a good mix, aim for a smooth texture.
- Drizzle dressing onto the salad.
Step 4 - Garnish and Serve
- Garnish with some crumbled blue cheese and season to taste with some salt and pepper.30 g/1 oz. blue cheese
Notes
Notes:
- Very low in calories, fat, and carbs — suitable for weight management.
- Good fiber content: 8.1% of the daily value per serving.
- Protein is modest, as expected in a plant-based salad with a small amount of cheese.
Cooking tips
- The dressing is very flavorful as is, but if you’re looking for extra tang, add a little more fresh lemon juice and a dash more Dijon mustard. Optimally, use freshly squeezed lime juice instead of lemon juice for an extra tangy flavor.
- If you are short on time and looking to make a ‘quick’ version of this salad, omit the asparagus and you’ll have a Spanish green salad ready in under 10 minutes.