Asparagus Recipes

As a kid, I absolutely hated this vegetable. My parents grew a 10'x20' patch of it to one side of one of our gardens so I had access to it fresh, but then my Mom just boiled the crap out of it til it was mush and even a ton of butter and salt couldn't disguise the bitter taste. My first trip to Morton's was my introduction to another world of asparagus. Now it's one of my favorites, and I'm happy to say, my kids' as well. I thought I'd share 2 yummy recipes, and a 3rd I found today in our newest issue of Cooking Light that I haven't tried yet but already have the ingredients all ready to go! I'd love to have more delicious recipes so if anyone has one (or more) to share, please do!

Roasted Asparagus with Dijon-Lemon Sauce

2 lbs asparagus spears, trimmed
4 tsp extravirgin olive oil, divided
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp grated lemon rind
2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbs chopped fresh parsley

1 Preheat oven to 425°.
2 Combine asparagus, 2 teaspoons olive oil, salt, and garlic in a large bowl, tossing well to coat. Arrange asparagus mixture in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 425° for 12 minutes or until crisp-tender.
3 Combine remaining 2 teaspoons oil, rind, juice, mustard, and pepper in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Arrange asparagus on a platter; drizzle juice mixture over asparagus. Sprinkle with parsley.
Servings: 6

Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1 serving
Percent daily values based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition information provided by the recipe author.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 60.00
Calories From Fat (42%) 25.28

Total Fat 3.30g
Cholesterol 0.00mg
Sodium 166.00mg
Carbohydrates 6.80g
Dietary Fiber 3.30g
Net Carbohydrates 3.50g
Protein 3.40g


Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Browned Butter

40 asparagus spears, trimmed (about 2 pounds)
Cooking spray
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs butter
2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
Cracked black pepper (optional)
Grated lemon rind (optional)

1 Preheat oven to 400°.
2 Arrange asparagus in a single layer on a baking sheet; coat with cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 400° for 12 minutes or until tender.
3 Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat; cook 3 minutes or until lightly browned, shaking pan occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in soy sauce and balsamic vinegar. Drizzle over asparagus, tossing well to coat. Garnish with cracked pepper and rind, if desired.
Servings: 8

Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1 serving
Percent daily values based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition information provided by the recipe author.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 45.00
Calories From Fat (54%) 24.20

Total Fat 3.00g
Cholesterol 8.00mg
Sodium 134.00mg
Carbohydrates 3.90g
Dietary Fiber 1.70g
Net Carbohydrates 2.20g
Protein 1.90g


Grilled Asparagus with Caper Vinaigrette

1.5lbs asparagus spears, trimmed
3T extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2tsp kosher salt, divided
Cooking Spray
1T red wine vinegar
1/2tsp Dijon mustard
1/4tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
2tsp capers, coarsely chopped
1/4c small basil leaves

1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
2. Place asparagus in a shallow dish. Add 1T olive oil and 1/4 tsp salt, tossing well to coat. Place asparagus on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 4 minutes or until crisp-tender, turning after 2 minutes.
3. Combine remaining 1/4tsp salt, vinegar, and next 3 ingredients (through garlic); stir with a whisk. Slowly pour remaining 2T oil into vinegar mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Stir in capers. Arrange asparagus on a serving platter; drizzle with vinaigrette, and sprinkle with basil.
Servings: 6

Nutrition Facts
Calories 91
Fat 7.2g
Protein 2.6g
Carb 4.8g
Fiber 2.5g
Chol 0g
Iron 2.5mg
Sodium 198mg
Calc 32mg