This sesame roasted asparagus salad is a cinch to whip together. Roasted asparagus is super easy, and it makes a perfect base for flavorful sesame salad dressing. Serve this asparagus side dish warm or let it come to room temperature.

an oval platter of roasted asparagus cut into shorter lengths, with a container of sesame vinaigrette on the side

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Why Try Roasted Asparagus with Sesame Salad Dressing

Local fresh asparagus is finally here! We have been making oven-roasted asparagus and grilled asparagus and adding it to salads. Today’s recipe is indeed a salad without lettuce. It is just asparagus and our Asian sesame dressing. Serve it as a seasonal side dish with grilled beef, pork, fish or chicken.

Ingredients For This Roasted Asparagus Salad

For the Roasted Asparagus

  • 2 ½ pounds asparagus, pithy ends snapped off (1 ½ pounds trimmed).
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt

For the Dressing

  • ¼ cup orange juice, preferably freshly squeezed
  • 3 tablespoons organic canola oil or peanut oil
  • 3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
  • 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari sauce
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 1 small clove garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

{Note this dressing recipe makes more than enough for the asparagus, so you will have plenty leftover for another meal)

How To Make This Simple Recipe

  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. While you wait for the oven to preheat, snap off the pithy ends of the asparagus spears. Chop your asparagus into 1 to 2 inch lengths.
  2. Then mix the asparagus with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt in a large bowl. Spread it out on a large, rimmed baking sheet and transfer it to the preheated oven.
  3. Roast the asparagus, stirring once, until it is browned in spots and still crisp-tender, 8 to 12 minutes. Transfer the roasted asparagus to a large serving platter or wide bowl.
  4. While the asparagus roasts, mix up the sesame dressing. Combine the orange juice, canola oil (or peanut oil), sesame oil, tamari, vinegar, maple syrup and garlic in a blender or mini prep. Puree until completely combined and smooth. (Alternatively, use an immersion blender in a blending jar.) Stir in the sesame seeds.
  5. Right before serving, pour 1/2 cup of the dressing over the asparagus.
the oval platter of the asparagus with dressing next to it

Serving Suggestions

This sesame asparagus can be served warm or at room temperature. Here are some dishes to serve with it:

Variations To Try

Make-Ahead Notes

The dressing can be made up to 1 week in advance. The asparagus can be trimmed and cut two days ahead. And roasted asparagus can be chilled (without the dressing) up to 1 day ahead.

What To Do With Extra Dressing

The sesame dressing component of this recipe makes about 1 1/3 cup, and you only need about 1/2 cup to dress the asparagus. Store the remainder in a jar in the fridge for up to 1 week. You can use it as a marinade or to dress a green salad. It is also excellent on cabbage for coleslaw (with carrots and scallions.)

More Asparagus Salad Recipes

Try one of these seasonal salads with asparagus next time!

overhead of composed salad with dressing on it

Spring Salad
Roasted asparagus, chopped hazelnuts and fresh goat cheese bring staying power to these hearty spring entrée salads. They’re naturally gluten-free and vegetarian. Healthy Seasonal Recipes by Katie Webster | #glutenfree #vegetarian #entreesalad #asparagus #goatcheese

Roasted Asparagus and Goat Cheese Salad
Put this Asparagus with Tarragon Vinaigrette on your Easter brunch menu and you will more time to spend with your guests and hide those eggs! This is the perfect make-ahead Spring side dish that is ready in under 30 minutes and just also happens to be vegetarian and Paleo friendly! Healthy Seasonal Recipes and Katie Webster

Asparagus with Tarragon Vinaigrette
a bowl of shaved raw asparagus salad with a hand holding the bowl

Shaved Asparagus Salad
More Healthy Asparagus Recipes

At Healthy Seasonal Recipes, we specialize in cooking with fresh veggies and creating weeknight meals. Sign up HERE to get more produce-forward dinner ideas for FREE! If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought! Happy Cooking! ~Katie

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Roasted Asparagus with Sesame Salad Dressing

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Description

Try this simple side dish recipe of roasted asparagus with an Asian-inspired sesame salad dressing.  It can be served hot or let it cool to room temperature.

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the Roasted Asparagus

  • 2 1/2 pounds asparagus, pithy ends snapped off (1 1/2 pounds trimmed)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

For The dressing

  • 1/4 cup orange juice, preferably freshly squeezed
  • 3 tablespoons organic canola oil or peanut oil
  • 3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
  • 3 tablespoons reduced sodium tamari sauce
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, dark or amber
  • 1 small clove garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Chop asparagus into 1 to 2 inch lengths, on the bias if desired.
  2. Toss asparagus with 1 T olive oil and 1/2 tsp salt in a large bowl. Spread out on a large, rimmed baking sheet.
  3. Roast, stirring once until browned in spots and crisp tender, 8 to 12 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, make dressing. Blend orange juice through garlic clove in a blender or with an immersion blender. Stir in sesame seeds. You will need 1/2 cup dressing for the asparagus (or more to taste) reserve the remainder for another use.
  5. Transfer the roasted asparagus to a large platter. Right before serving, pour 1/2 cup dressing over the asparagus or more to taste.

Notes

Salad Dressing

The sesame dressing component of this recipe makes about 1 1/3 cup, and you only need about 1/2 cup to dress the asparagus. Store the remainder in a jar in the fridge for up to 1 week. You can use it as a marinade or to dress a green salad. It is also excellent on cabbage for coleslaw (with carrots and scallions.)

Variations To Try:

Try our Lemon Juice Salad dressing for a more classic taste to pair with a variety of meals, or our Tarragon Vinaigrette for a warm version of this Asparagus with Tarragon vinaigrette.

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: Side dish
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 2/3 cup
  • Calories: 104
  • Sodium: 637
  • Fat: 5
  • Saturated Fat: 1
  • Carbohydrates: 13
  • Fiber: 4
  • Protein: 5

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