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Asparagus with lemon is a perfect combination, and this Barely-Cooked Asparagus with Lemon Mustard Vinaigrette is bursting with flavor! And this asparagus side dish is easy to make and the lemon mustard dressing here is so good you’ll want to eat it on everything!
PIN Barely Cooked Asparagus with Lemon Mustard Vinaigrette to try it later!
Barely Cooked Asparagus with Lemon Mustard Vinaigrette is one of my favorite ways to prepare the fresh spring asparagus I love so much. And Easter is almost here, and this perfect recipe for asparagus with lemon would be an amazing side dish for an Easter lunch or dinner!
The super-easy lemon mustard dressing that’s drizzled over the asparagus makes this especially a wow for special meal. The lemony asparagus recipe is also extra low in carbs and quick and easy to make. I hope you add it to your menu soon if you’re a fresh asparagus fan!
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 with ingredient amounts.)
- 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?
When asparagus is just briefly cooked, it keeps a slight crunch and brings 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 barely cooked asparagus with a lemon mustard dressing is the perfect combination!
Other vegetables that are good with lemon mustard vinaigrette:
The delicious and easy to make lemon mustard vinaigrette would also be delicious on barely-blanched broccoli or green beans. Also try it on grilled zucchini, grilled eggplant, or grilled mushrooms.
How low in carbs is the barely cooked asparagus?
This amazing lemony asparagus side dish only has 6 net carbs per serving, with 5 grams of protein!
How to make Barely Cooked 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.)
- To trim asparagus, first take hold of a piece with both hands and break it. Then trim the other pieces to that length.
- I cut the asparagus on the diagonal, but 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- When cooking time is up, put asparagus in a colander and drain 1-2 minutes (Some recipes plunge asparagus into cold water to stop the cooking. I like to cook it a minute or so less and not cool it down, so it’s still very hot when it’s served.)
- After asparagus has drained well, you might want to spread out paper towels on your cutting board, add the asparagus, and blot dry.
- Arrange the asparagus on a serving dish and drizzle the lemon-mustard vinaigrette over. Serve hot.
- This asparagus with lemon was even 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 it a Low-Carb Meal:
This Barely Cooked Asparagus served with Lemon-Mustard Vinaigrette would be great as a side dish for a low-carb meal with one of these main dishes:
More Asparagus Recipes for Easter:
Check out Easter Asparagus Recipes for ideas with asparagus for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!