Asparagus and Sugar Snap Pea Salad Recipe

Prepare asparagus

Trim the woody ends from the asparagus (about 1-1.5 inches). Using a vegetable peeler, shave each asparagus spear lengthwise into long thin ribbons. Collect ribbons in a large bowl as you go.

Prep sugar snap peas

Snap off the stem ends and remove the string if present. If pods are large, slice each pod diagonally in half or thinly on the bias; otherwise leave whole. Blanch only if you prefer warmer peas: plunge into boiling water for 20 seconds then shock in ice water and drain. For a crisp cold salad, use raw peas.

Slice radishes

Thinly slice radishes crosswise (use a mandoline or sharp knife) into very thin rounds. If preferred, cut into matchsticks for texture contrast.

Prepare mint

Stack the mint leaves, roll into a tight cigar, and thinly slice (chiffonade). Reserve some small whole leaves for garnish if desired.

Toast pine nuts

In a small dry skillet over medium heat, toast the pine nuts, stirring frequently, until fragrant and just golden (2–4 minutes). Watch closely to avoid burning. Remove from heat and cool.

Assemble salad

Combine the shaved asparagus, prepared sugar snap peas, sliced radishes, and chiffonaded mint in the large bowl. Add 1/2 cup of the grated Pecorino and gently toss to distribute. Season lightly with the coarse salt and black pepper.

Finish

Add the toasted pine nuts to the bowl and toss gently again. Leave a small sprinkle of Pecorino and a few pine nuts reserved for finishing the plated salad.

In a small bowl or jar, combine the lemon juice, grated Parmesan, Dijon mustard, honey, minced garlic, and fine sea salt. Whisk (or shake) until the cheese is incorporated and slightly thickened.

Slowly drizzle in the extra-virgin olive oil while whisking steadily to emulsify the dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or a touch more honey if too tart. The dressing should be bright, creamy from the cheese, and pourable.

Just before serving, pour about 2–3 tablespoons of dressing over the assembled salad and toss gently to coat. Add more dressing (up to the remaining amount) as needed to lightly dress all components without making the salad soggy.

Transfer the dressed salad to a serving platter or individual plates. Finish with the reserved grated Pecorino, remaining pine nuts, a few whole mint leaves for color, and a final crack of black pepper.

Serve immediately. Any leftover salad can be kept chilled in an airtight container and dressed just before serving the next day (up to 24 hours).