Current Salad Crush: Asparagus & Corn, Two Ways

Breakfast? Sure. Lunch? Obviously. Dinner? Absolutely. This salad does it all.

Hi! It’s June 1st, and summer is officially around the corner. I’ve been sharing some behind-the-scenes clips of my Malibu taco party prep on Instagram, and I’ve gotten quite a few requests to break it all down—how I plan the menu, prep ahead, and serve it all buffet-style without losing my mind. So next week, I’ll be sending out a full post on exactly that: my go-to taco party spread featuring roast fish, grilled steak, and beans (something for everyone), plus tips on hosting a low-stress, high-impact summer dinner. Stay tuned!

If you want to chat more about summer hosting, or recipes you’ve made from here—substitutions, riffs, what worked (or didn’t)—or if you have questions or tips to share, the group chat on my Substack page is a great place to do it. You can join it here:

And now for today’s recipe(s) featuring asparagus and corn. My take is they go together like peas and carrots. Perhaps better. Definitely more interesting. You might agree, or you might be saying HUH?—but I’m here to tell you it’s true… with TWO versions of a simple salad where they both star.

In the first salad asparagus and corn are sautéed with some type of allium (like onion or shallot), olive oil, salt, and pepper. Depending on what’s in your fridge, you can add snap peas, fennel, or even zucchini, mushrooms, or cherry tomatoes—whatever sounds good (or nothing!) Once everything’s tender and golden, finish it with toasted nuts (I love slivered almonds here), crumbled feta, fresh herbs (if you have them), and a hit of lemon or lime to brighten it all up. Or, if you’ve got three extra minutes, whisk up a lemon-garlic-Dijon vinaigrette (recipe below). The whole thing takes 10 minutes, max, and works as a dinner side, a lunch salad, or topped with a fried egg for breakfast. It’s VERSATILE.

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Version two is a bright, blanched salad. It starts with a quick blanch of the asparagus, corn, and frozen peas, followed by an ice bath to stop the cooking and keep everything crisp, vivid, and green. Add in any of the other options from above (I really like fennel) if you like, then finish with feta, herbs, toasted almonds, and that lemon-garlic-Dijon dressing, which brings just the right balance of zing and richness. In the photo below you can see I subbed toasted pepitas for almonds - you want something with a crunch

Both salads are fresh, vibrant, and on heavy rotation in my kitchen right now. I lean toward the sautéed version when I’m eating it right away, and the blanched one for meal prep aka, something to keep in the fridge—it stays crisp and colorful for days (because no one wants sad, brown vegetables).

Both versions play well with chicken, salmon, tofu—really anything—but they’re also perfectly happy as a stand-alone lunch with a hunk of good bread, especially thanks to the cheese and nuts. They’d fit right in at any summer potluck or BBQ. The recipe is simple enough for someone who rarely cooks, but satisfying enough for someone who loves to. Serve them warm, room temp, or cold. My kind of dish. Want some heat? Toss in a few slices of serrano or jalapeño.

Sautéed Asparagus and Corn Salad with Feta and Almonds (Version 1)

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut on the bias into 1" pieces

• 2 ears fresh corn, kernels cut off the cob (about 1½ cups)