Barely-Cooked Asparagus with Lemon Mustard Vinaigrette

Asparagus with lemon is a perfect combination, and this Barely-Cooked Asparagus with Lemon Mustard Vinaigrette is just bursting with flavor! And this asparagus side dish is easy to make and the simple-but-tasty lemon mustard vinaigrette here is so good you’ll want to eat it on everything!

PIN the Asparagus with Lemon Mustard Vinaigrette to try it later!

This easy recipe for Barely Cooked Asparagus with Lemon Mustard Vinaigrette is one of my favorite ways to cook the fresh spring asparagus I love so much. I’ve enjoyed this recipe for quite a few years and recently I decided it needed better photos to entice you to make it. Don’t you think the new photos make this look delicious? I’m featuring this favorite asparagus with lemon side dish for Friday Favorites this week to encourage you to try it!

And the super-easy lemon-mustard vinaigrette that’s drizzled over the asparagus makes this special enough to make for guests or a special family dinner. This recipe is also super low in carbs and also extra quick and easy to make. I hope you’ll add it to your menu soon if you’re a fresh asparagus fan like I am!

What ingredients do you need for this recipe?

(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

• fresh asparagus
• water + salt to cook asparagus
• fresh-squeezed lemon juice, I used my fresh-frozen lemon juice
• Dijon mustard (affiliate link)
• salt and fresh ground black pepper
• extra-virgin olive oil (use good quality olive oil for this)

Why is barely-cooked asparagus so good?

No one like soggy asparagus! And when asparagus is just briefly cooked like it is in this recipe, it keeps a slight crunch in the asparagus, while cooking it enough to bring out the fresh-asparagus flavor. You can test a piece every minute or so to see just how cooked you prefer it. And I think serving your barely cooked asparagus with lemon is the perfect combination!

Other vegetables that are good with lemon mustard vinaigrette:

The delicious and easy to make lemon-mustard vinaigrette used in this recipe is also delicious on roasted or barely-blanched broccoli or green beans. Also try it on grilled zucchini,  grilled eggplant, or grilled mushrooms.

Want more asparagus with lemon?

If you’re someone like me who loves the combination of asparagus with lemon you might also like Air Fryer Asparagus, Lemon Salmon and Asparagus, or Fried Asparagus Tips. If you’re really an asparagus fan, check out Low-Carb Sheet Pan Meals with Asparagus or all the Asparagus Recipes for even more ideas.

How to make Asparagus with Lemon Mustard Vinaigrette:

(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

1. To trim asparagus, first take hold of a piece with both hands and break it. Then trim all the other pieces to that length.
2. I like to cut asparagus on the diagonal, but it’s not necessary, take your choice on that! For this recipe cut the asparagus pieces in half again so each stalk makes 2 pieces about 3-4 inches long.
3. The recipe calls for 1 1/2 pound of asparagus (about 18-20 oz. after trimming) but this was good the next day, so you might want to double it.
4. Bring 2 quarts of lightly salted water to a boil, add asparagus and cook 2-3 minutes (no longer!) Asparagus should be barely tender-crisp.
5. While asparagus cooks, mix together fresh-squeezed lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and salt and fresh ground black pepper, then whisk in the olive oil to make the vinaigrette.
6. When time is up, put the asparagus in a colander and let it drain  1-2 minutes so the water has run off.  (Some recipes plunge the asparagus into cold water to stop the cooking, but I like to cook it a minute or so less and not cool it down, because I want it to still be very hot when it’s served.)
7. After the asparagus has drained well, you might want to spread out some paper towels on your cutting board, add the asparagus, and blot dry with paper towels.
8. Arrange the asparagus on a serving dish and drizzle the lemon-mustard vinaigrette over. Serve hot. 
9. This was also good after it has been in the fridge overnight, both heated for a few minutes in a hot pan or served cold in a salad.

Make Asparagus with Lemon part of a Low-Carb Meal:

Asparagus with Lemon-Mustard Vinaigrette would be great as a side dish for a low-carb meal with something like Pork Tenderloin with Mustard Sauce, Cheesy Curry Chicken Casserole or Greek Salmon with Tzatziki Sauce.

More Ideas that Might Make you Binge on Asparagus:

• Roasted Asparagus with Soy-Sesame Glaze
• Roasted Asparagus with Garlic
• Easy Roasted Asparagus

Continue to Content

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Yield: 6 servings

Barely-Cooked Asparagus with Lemon Mustard Vinaigrette

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 3 minutes

Total Time 23 minutes

This Barely-Cooked Asparagus with Lemon-Mustard Vinaigrette is a fun new way to cook asparagus!

Ingredients

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb. fresh asparagus stalks, ends trimmed and cut into two pieces
• 2 quarts water + 1 tsp. salt to cook asparagus

Vinaigrette Ingredients

• 2 T fresh-squeezed lemon juice, or slightly less if you’re not that into lemon
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste)
• 3 T extra-virgin olive oil (use good quality olive oil for this)

Instructions

1. Fill a large pot with 2 quarts of water, add 1 tsp. salt and bring to a boil.
2. Hold a piece of asparagus in both hands and snap to see where the end breaks off.  (This tells where the woody part of the stalk begins.)
3. Trim all asparagus pieces to this length, cutting on the diagonal, then cut again so each stalk is cut into two pieces about 3-4 inches long.
4. In a small glass measuring cup or bowl mix together the lemon juice (I used my frozen fresh lemon juice), Dijon mustard, salt, and fresh ground black pepper, then whisk in the olive oil.
5. I used a little less oil to make the dressing slightly more lemony. If you’re not that into lemon you might want a little less lemon juice.
6. Put trimmed asparagus into the boiling water, stir, and cook for 2-3 minutes.  (Use a timer to be sure you don’t cook it longer than that.  You want the asparagus to be slightly tender-crisp when it’s taken off the heat.)
7. Drain asparagus into a colander placed in the sink and let sit for 1-2 minutes, until all the water has run off.
8. Then put a layer of paper towels on a large cutting board, put asparagus on top of towels and blot dry.
9. Arrange the asparagus piece on a serving tray, drizzle lemon-Dijon vinaigrette over, and serve.

Notes

This is also good after it’s been in the fridge overnight. It can be reheated quickly in a hot frying pan or just served cold in a salad. The Lemon-Vinaigrette is also delicious on green beans or broccoli!

Recipe adapted slightly from Vegetables Every Day. (affiliate link)

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 141Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 807mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 5gSugar: 3gProtein: 5g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.

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Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Asparagus with lemon is a perfect vegetable dish for pretty much any eating plan, including low-carb, Keto, low-glycemic, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, Paleo, Whole 30, and the South Beach Diet. The original South Beach Diet encourages eating at least 2 cups of vegetables per day, and asparagus is one of those wonderfully low-glycemic vegetables that’s allowed for any phase of the diet.

Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Side Dishes to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Danica's Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.

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