This Asparagus & Quinoa Salad with Pesto Vinaigrette is a simple and perfect salad full of flavor and nutrients! Using Rice Vinegar gives the dressing a perfectly subtle punch!

Spring is here, summer is around the corner and salads are all I want!!  If you know me you know I have some criteria that make for a good salad.  #1 – ALL of the toppings.  This salad has 5 beautiful toppings that add texture, flavor, and nutrients!  I knew I wanted asparagus in this baby and decided to roast it to add that hint of char to the salad.  Then I decided to throw in quinoa for its nutrient dense and protein rich properties and because grains can add some nice body to a salad!  Then for that extra cherry on top I added sun-dried tomatoes, chopped artichoke hearts and cherry tomatoes!

For the vinaigrette my friends at Nakano came in clutch!!  Their Natural Rice Vinegar is my go to when it comes to salad dressings because it is a mild vinegar that doesn’t add too much punch, just the perfect amount of light vinegar flavor.  To make the dressing super simple I mixed the Rice Vinegar with pre-made pesto and then added just a touch of mayo for creaminess and a squeeze of lemon for balance.  Just 4 ingredients for the perfect vinaigrette! 

I made this salad for Mother’s Day and let me tell you there were “oooooo”’s and “ahhhhh”’s!!  You can make this for any event and the presentation is just to die for!  So here’s the plan.  Click HERE for a sweet coupon for Nakano Natural Rice Vinegar and pick some up today.  Then make this salad for your next party and get ready to blow people away!

This Asparagus & Quinoa Salad with Pesto Vinaigrette is a simple and perfect salad full of flavor and nutrients! Using Rice Vinegar gives the dressing a perfectly subtle punch!

You can receive recipes like my Asparagus & Quinoa Salad with Pesto Vinaigrette, cooking tips, and coupons delivered to your inbox by subscribing to the Nakano e-newsletter. Sign up HERE!

This Asparagus & Quinoa Salad with Pesto Vinaigrette is a simple and perfect salad full of flavor and nutrients! Using Rice Vinegar gives the dressing a perfectly subtle punch!

This post is sponsored by Mizkan’s Nakano Rice Vinegar. I was compensated and all opinions are 100% my own. Thank you so much for supporting Little Bits Of!

This Asparagus & Quinoa Salad with Pesto Vinaigrette is a simple and perfect salad full of flavor and nutrients! Using Rice Vinegar gives the dressing a perfectly subtle punch!

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This Asparagus & Quinoa Salad with Pesto Vinaigrette is a simple and perfect salad full of flavor and nutrients! Using Rice Vinegar gives the dressing a perfectly subtle punch!

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Asparagus & Quinoa Salad with Pesto Vinaigrette


Ingredients

Scale

Salad:

  • 2 bags of mixed greens
  • 3 cup chopped & cooked asparagus
  • 1/4 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes (in oil, drained)
  • 1 cup chopped cherry tomatoes
  • 5 artichoke hearts, chopped (from a can)
  • 1 cup cooked quinoa

Pesto Vinaigrette:

  • ⅓ cup pesto (prepackaged or homemade)
  • 1 teaspoon mayo (optional)
  • ¼ cup Nakano Natural Rice Vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • salt & pepper

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl combine mixed greens, asparagus, sun dried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, artichokes & quinoa. In a small bowl combine pesto, mayo, Nakano Natural Rice Vinegar and lemon juice. Whisk until combined and season with salt and pepper. Pour dressing over salad and toss to combine.