Steamed Asparagus with Citrus Vinaigrette
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This Steamed Asparagus recipe pairs crisp-tender steamed spears with a citrus vinaigrette, brighter than your typical lemon-only version. It's ready in 20 minutes and can be served cold or at room temperature.
This was a spring and summer staple during my 10+ years as a personal chef. I’d steam batches of fresh asparagus and leave them in the refrigerator for my clients’ lunches, along with a jar of that vinaigrette. But it was also a hero at events like mother’s day brunches and baby showers. A big platter is perfect for the buffet table, since this side dish doesn’t need to be served hot. Plus, that bright green color is beautiful!
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🥗 Ingredients
- Asparagus: Look for spears that are firm and bright green, with tightly closed tips. Note that thinner spears don’t need to be peeled and will cook more quickly.
- Lemon and Orange Juice: Freshly squeezed makes a huge difference in flavor.
- Dijon Mustard: This helps emulsify the vinaigrette, but you can reduce the amount if you are not a mustard fan.
- Shallot: I love adding mild onion flavor to the vinaigrette, but one that doesn’t overpower the citrus. You could replace the shallot with a teaspoon or two of minced red onion or sliced scallions.
- Garlic: Grating the garlic (on a microplane, if you have one) really makes a difference in infusing the garlic flavor into the dressing, without that strong garlic bite. Garlic powder is a good substitute.
- Olive Oil: Choosing a high-quality extra-virgin olive oil will really make the difference in a vinaigrette like this. Bona Furtuna is one of my favorites, and it’s now available at Whole Foods Market.
- Chives: Fresh chives are lovely as a garnish for this dish. You could substitute chopped fresh parsley or tarragon.
How to Cook Steamed Asparagus
- Trim the woody ends off 1 bunch of asparagus, either with a knife or by snapping them off with your hands.
- Use a vegetable peeler to peel the lower half of any thick asparagus stalks.
- Fill a large saucepan with an inch of water and set a steamer basket inside. Bring the water to a boil over high heat.
- Add the asparagus to the bottom of the steamer basket and turn down to medium-high heat.
- Cover the pot and steam the asparagus for 3 to 4 minutes, moving the spears around once or twice so they cook evenly. Once they’re just barely fork-tender, remove the steamer basket and plunge the asparagus into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.
- Lay the asparagus on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to dry.
- To make the vinaigrette, add 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon orange juice, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon minced shallot, and 1 grated garlic clove to a jar with a lid.
- Pour in 6 tablespoons olive oil, then add ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
- Shake vigorously until the dressing is emulsified.
- Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed. Stir in 1 teaspoon maple syrup if you’d like a sweeter dressing.
- Transfer the asparagus to a serving platter and drizzle with the vinaigrette.
- Top with 1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives and serve.
Storage Tips
Store leftover asparagus in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The asparagus will keep for 3 to 4 days. Store the vinaigrette in its jar in the refrigerator, for up to 2 weeks. Remove the vinaigrette from the refrigerator a half hour or so before you want to use it, then shake well.
If you do need to store asparagus that has already been dressed with the vinaigrette, note that it will not maintain its bright color after being refrigerated. It will still taste delicious though!
🧐 Recipe FAQs for Steamed Asparagus
Yes. Steam the asparagus up to a day in advance, then keep chilled. The vinaigrette can be made several days in advance and refrigerated separately. Make sure to bring the vinaigrette to room temperature before you want to serve it. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the asparagus right before serving so that the asparagus doesn’t soak it in and become soggy.
You can definitely choose a different cooking method, though steaming is what keeps the vibrant color and the crisp-tender texture. If you'd rather roast, toss the spears with a little olive oil and roast at 425°F for 8 to 10 minutes. You can also roast it in the air fryer. The citrus vinaigrette is still delicious drizzled on top!
The combination is what makes this vinaigrette stand out, but in a pinch you can use all lemon juice. Just know the flavor will be more tart and less rounded. You’ll probably want to add maple syrup or honey to adjust the sweetness.
👩🍳 Expert Tips
- Don't skip the ice bath. Dumping the asparagus into icy cold water right after steaming stops the cooking process immediately, so you don't end up with overcooked, olive-drab spears. (The horror of my childhood!)
- Dry asparagus well before plating. If you transfer still-wet asparagus to your serving platter, the vinaigrette will become diluted in the extra water. And, the asparagus will become soggy.
- For a truly stunning presentation for this elegant side dish, line the edges of your serving plate with lemon and orange slices. They make a beautiful contrast with the bright green asparagus.
Recipe Variations
Try swapping in grapefruit juice for the orange juice. Or add a tablespoon of chopped fresh herbs, like tarragon or dill, right into the vinaigrette for an easy way to change the flavor profile. You can also serve with lemon or orange wedges for an extra squeeze of lemon or orange on top. And, if you don’t want to make the vinaigrette, you can serve the steamed asparagus with hollandaise sauce, this lemon aioli, or this sriracha aioli.
Other Asparagus Recipes
If like me, asparagus is one of your favorite vegetables, you might want to try some of my other favorite asparagus recipes. If you’ve never tried white asparagus, now’s your chance!
If you try this Steamed Asparagus recipe, I would love to hear from you! Please rate this recipe and leave a comment below—your feedback is invaluable to me.
And please follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook or subscribe to my newsletter. I’d love to inspire you with more delicious, healthy, and seasonal recipes!
Instagram Users: Now that you've made this asparagus recipe, tag me @vanillabeancuisine or #vanillabeancuisine because I’d love to see your results!
📖 Recipe
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Steamed Asparagus with Citrus Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1 bunch asparagus
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon minced shallot
- 1 garlic clove grated
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup optional
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives to garnish
Instructions
- Trim the woody ends off asparagus, either with a knife or by snapping them off with your hands.
- Use a vegetable peeler to peel the lower half of any thick asparagus stalks.
- Fill a wide saucepan with an inch of water and set a steamer basket inside. Bring the water to a boil over high heat.
- Add the asparagus to the steamer basket and turn the heat down to medium-high.
- Cover the pot and steam the asparagus for 3 to 4 minutes, moving the spears around once or twice so they cook evenly. Once they're just barely fork-tender, remove the steamer basket and plunge the asparagus into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.
- Lay the asparagus on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to dry.
- To make the vinaigrette, add lemon juice, orange juice, Dijon mustard, minced shallot, and garlic to a jar with a lid.
- Pour in olive oil, then add kosher salt and black pepper.
- Shake vigorously until the dressing is emulsified.
- Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed. Stir in 1 teaspoon maple syrup if you'd like a sweeter dressing.
- Transfer the asparagus to a serving platter and drizzle with the vinaigrette.
- Top with fresh chives and serve.
Notes
- Don't skip the ice bath. Dumping the asparagus into icy cold water right after steaming stops the cooking process immediately, so you don't end up with overcooked, olive-drab spears. (The horror of my childhood!)
- Dry asparagus well before plating. If you transfer still-wet asparagus to your serving platter, the vinaigrette will become diluted in the extra water. And, the asparagus will become soggy.
Nutrition
More About Molly
Cooking healthy(ish) meals with seasonal ingredients is my passion. Trained as a French pastry chef, I spent over 10 years as a personal chef. Here you'll find well-tested recipes that you and your family will love!
