“I cuss. You cuss. We all cuss for asparagus.” That line from Gary Larson says it all. Asparagus is one of those seasonal treasures I devour from May through June. My longtime favorite is roasted asparagus, but lately I’ve been equally obsessed with a Shaved Asparagus Salad with Bacon, Blue Cheese, and Buttermilk Vinaigrette. It’s bright, crunchy, and full of contrasting flavors: paper-thin raw asparagus ribbons, minced green onion, thinly sliced red onion, crispy bacon crumbles, tangy blue cheese, and a light but creamy buttermilk vinaigrette.

Raw asparagus shaved with a vegetable peeler might sound odd, but it works beautifully. Shaving the stalks into thin ribbons eliminates toughness and creates a silky yet crisp texture. A splash of white wine vinegar in the vinaigrette further softens the vegetable just enough, producing asparagus that is tender, delicate, and pleasantly crisp all at once.

The real secret to this dish is the simple act of shaving the asparagus with an ordinary vegetable peeler. You don’t need any specialized tools—just a sharp peeler will do. A sharp blade makes it easy to create long, thin ribbons; dull peelers will struggle. (I replace mine regularly to keep it sharp.) If you reach the woody core of a stalk and can’t shave it further, save those thicker pieces for a stir-fry, pizza topping, or frozen for a future cream of asparagus soup.

Trust me: make this salad while asparagus is at its peak. It’s fast to assemble and delivers a bright, satisfying contrast of textures and flavors that feels special yet effortless.

Cook’s Notes

Use a sharp peeler—either a Y-shaped or a traditional straight peeler works well. Sharpness makes shaving easy and produces delicate ribbons.
To shave asparagus, hold the thicker end of the stalk and draw the peeler down toward the tip, creating thin ribbons. Take care and work steadily for even strips.
When you can’t shave any more from a stalk, save the remaining thick center pieces in a zip-top bag. Keep them in the fridge for a stir-fry or freeze them for use in soup later.
This salad is best enjoyed within an hour of tossing. If you need to prepare ahead (up to 24 hours), combine the asparagus ribbons, bacon, blue cheese, and onions in one container, and store the buttermilk vinaigrette separately in a tightly sealed jar. Shake the dressing well and toss it with the salad right before serving.

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Shaved Asparagus Bacon Salad with Blue Cheese and Buttermilk Vinaigrette from foodiewithfamily.com

Shaved Asparagus Salad with Bacon, Blue Cheese, and Buttermilk Vinaigrette

Rebecca Lindamood

Fresh asparagus becomes silky, crisp and tender when shaved with a vegetable peeler and tossed with crispy bacon crumbles, paper thin red onion, bleu cheese crumbles, finely chopped green onion, and a smooth, tangy buttermilk vinaigrette.

Ingredients

2 pounds thick asparagus stalks washed and trimmed
6 slices thick bacon cooked ’til crispy, crumbled or finely chopped
2 green onions trimmed of the root ends
6 thin slices of half of a red onion
1/8 cup bleu cheese crumbles

For the Buttermilk Vinaigrette:

1/4 cup cultured buttermilk
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 green onion green part only, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Use a vegetable peeler to shave thin strips from the asparagus stalks. Reserve the thick inner parts that cannot be shaved in a zip-top bag in the refrigerator for a stir-fry or in the freezer for cream of asparagus soup. Put the shaved asparagus in a mixing bowl and toss with the crumbled bacon, red onion, and bleu cheese crumbles. Set aside.
Whisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing until smooth. Pour over asparagus salad and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

To Assemble Ahead of Time:

See Cook’s Notes in the post.

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.