Asparagus is one of our favorite vegetables to steam. Their flavor blossoms and they get tender and juicy. You can serve steamed asparagus as they are, with a pinch of salt, a twist of freshly ground black pepper, and a squeeze of lemon.Their texture is soft, buttery, and juicy, and we think this is the best way to appreciate pure asparagus flavor. If you want, you can also serve them with olive oil or butter. We usually go for either extra virgin olive oil or dairy-free vegan butter. The fruity flavor of extra virgin olive oil is a perfect match with asparagus. You’ll just need a few drops.To make them even tastier, you can drizzle quick and easy maple syrup and mustard vinaigrette. The sweet and tangy flavor makes steamed asparagus a fancy side dish.
Ingredients
Asparagus: fresh asparagus are best for this recipe. You can also use wild asparagus if you can find them at your local farmer’s market. White asparagus is also great for steaming.Salt and pepper: we only add salt once they are cooked. Sea salt, kosher salt, or Maldon salt flakes are best. Salt brings out the asparagus flavor even more. A twist of freshly ground black pepper makes them fragrant.
Optional Ingredients
Extra virgin olive oil: fruity, aromatic, and packed with antioxidants, a few drops of extra virgin olive oil make steamed asparagus even more delicious. Lemon juice: lemon and asparagus are a really good match. Try squeezing a few drops of lemon on the steamed asparagus to boost their flavor. Olive oil, lemon, salt, and pepper combined are our to-go dressing for this recipe.Butter: traditionally, asparagus is served with butter. We prefer to use either extra virgin olive oil or vegan butter, which fit this recipe well as they add a velvety mouthfeel which some people love.Mustard vinaigrette: to make this a fancier recipe, serve them with a simple vinaigrette made with maple syrup, mustard, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. You can also add a clove of grated garlic. Drizzle a few drops on the steam asparagus to add a tangy, mildly sweet, and acidic flavor.Herbs: basil, chives, dill, and especially parsley go well with steamed asparagus.
Questions
Storage
Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can eat them cold, at room temperature, or reheat them in the microwave. We do not recommend freezing steamed asparagus. If asparagus spears are thick, woody, and not so fresh, peel a couple of inches of the stalk. Use a vegetable peeler. This will make the asparagus cook more evenly, and they’ll be less chewy and more tender.
Step 2: Steam asparagus
Add a couple of cups of water to a large pan. Put the steamer basket in the pan. Place asparagus on the steamer basket. We like to use a large pan so that we don’t have to cut the asparagus spears. If you don’t have a large pan that can fit the asparagus whole, you can cut them in half and use a large saucepan or a large pot instead. Cover with a lid. When steaming, it’s important to cover the pot with a lid so that the steam is trapped and the asparagus cook faster. Steamed asparagus should be bright green, with a slight bite to them, tender-crisp, and juicy. Do not overcook them, or they’ll lose color and get mushy. Once they are done, remove them immediately from the steamer basket to prevent them from overcooking.
Butter and lemon
As an alternative to olive oil, you could use butter or vegan butter. Add a teaspoon or two of the butter to the hot steamed asparagus. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon, and sprinkle with finely chopped flat-leaf parsley.
Use them in salads
Steamed asparagus is also great to use in salads. Try adding them to our vegan pasta salad, to this creamy tofu salad, or to our salad with potatoes to turn it into a potato and asparagus salad.
More Asparagus recipes
For many more side dish ideas, check out our sides category page.
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