Warm new potato, asparagus & pea salad with minty yoghurt dressing
A bright, spring picnic salad of warm new potatoes, asparagus, peas and radish with a minty yoghurt dressing — makes ahead and travels well.
This is the sort of picnic salad that arrives at the meadow looking humble and leaves empty plates. Warm new potatoes take the dressing beautifully, while blanched asparagus and peas keep a springy bite — ideal for a Whitsun weekend.
Make it a few hours ahead and chill; the flavours calm and the texture holds up well for travelling. It’s fresh, portable and sings of British spring.
Ingredients
- 900 g new potatoes
- 250 g asparagus — woody ends trimmed
- 150 g frozen peas
- 6 radishes — thinly sliced
- 3 spring onions — finely sliced
- 15 g fresh mint — leaves picked and roughly chopped
- 200 g Greek-style natural yoghurt
- 1 lemon — zest and 1 tbsp juice
- 30 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 5 ml Dijon mustard
- sea salt — to taste
- freshly ground black pepper — to taste
Equipment
- large saucepan
- colander
- zester
- measuring spoons
Instructions
Scrub the new potatoes well but leave the skins on. Halve any that are larger than a golf ball so sizes are even for cooking.
Place the potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with cold water, add a generous pinch of sea salt and bring to the boil. Reduce to a gentle simmer and cook until a sharp knife slips in easily — 15 minutes.
While the potatoes simmer, prepare the asparagus: snap or trim the woody ends and have a bowl of iced water ready to stop the cooking.
With about 3 minutes of the potato cooking time left, add the asparagus and frozen peas to the pan and cook for 3 minutes so they turn bright green and are just tender.
Immediately transfer the asparagus and peas to the iced water and leave for 2 minutes to stop the carry-over cooking and lock in colour; then drain.
Drain the potatoes, let them steam for 1–2 minutes, then slice into thick rounds while still warm and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Make the dressing: in a small bowl whisk together the Greek-style natural yoghurt, lemon zest, lemon juice (about 1 tbsp), extra virgin olive oil, Dijon mustard, most of the chopped mint, a pinch of sea salt and a good grind of black pepper.
Add the blanched asparagus, peas, sliced radishes and spring onions to the bowl with the warm potatoes. Pour over most of the dressing and gently toss so the warm potato absorbs the dressing. Reserve a little dressing for serving.
Cover and chill the salad in the fridge for 30 minutes to let the flavours marry — this also makes it excellent for packing into a picnic box.
Before you go, give the salad a final taste, season with sea salt and pepper if needed, scatter over the remaining mint leaves and drizzle the reserved dressing. Pack into an airtight container and keep chilled until serving.
Tips
- Keep the potato skins on for flavour and to stop the pieces falling apart in transport.
- Shock asparagus and peas in iced water immediately after blanching to keep colour and texture—don’t skip this.
- If packing for a long journey, store dressing separately and toss just before serving to avoid soggy veg.
- Make the salad up to 24 hours ahead; it gains flavour overnight. Keep chilled and consume within 24 hours for best texture.
- If your potatoes are very small, reduce the cook time — check with a knife rather than relying on the clock.
Substitutions
Greek-style natural yoghurt → 200 g dairy-free coconut yoghurt (use unsweetened)
Noticeably differentasparagus → 200 g tenderstem broccoli, blanched
Stays closenew potatoes → 750 g baby potatoes (same method)
Stays closefresh mint → 15 g fresh parsley
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 330
- Calories
- 12 g
- Protein
- 47 g
- Carbs
- 11 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 240 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this vegan?
Yes — swap the Greek-style natural yoghurt for an unsweetened dairy-free yoghurt (coconut or soya). The flavour will be slightly different but still bright and creamy.
How long will the salad keep in a picnic box?
Packed cold in an insulated container with an ice pack, it will keep well for up to 6–8 hours. Refrigerate and eat within 24 hours if storing at home.
Can I use new potatoes ahead of time?
Yes — you can roast or boil them a day ahead. Warm potatoes absorb dressing better, though, so if you cool them first, reheat briefly or allow them to come to room temperature before dressing.
Is it OK to swap the peas for tinned peas?
Tinned peas are softer and sweeter; they will work but won’t have the fresh pop of blanched frozen peas. Use frozen for the best texture.
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