Asparagus side dish recipes

What does it mean to eat a variety of vegetables? It means eating from all five subgroups of vegetables, which include dark green, red/orange, beans/peas/legumes, starchy and other. Dietary recommendations encourage us to eat from all five of these subgroups every week.

Asparagus falls in the "other" subgroup of vegetables. It's a veggie that's a good source of fiber, low calorie and high in vitamins and minerals.

Try these asparagus recipes and you'll get a variety of vegetables — including ones from other subgroups — to compliment any main dish you're making this week!

Asian-inspired pasta salad with asparagus, snow peas and avocado

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces whole-grain fusilli or rotini
• 1 pound asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 6 ounces snow peas, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
• 3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 medium red bell pepper, finely diced
• 2 medium green onions, sliced
• 1 1/2 medium avocados, halved, pitted and diced

Instructions:

1. Prepare the pasta using the package directions, omitting the salt.
2. Two minutes before the pasta is cooked, add the asparagus and snow peas to the boiling water. Transfer the cooked pasta mixture to a colander. Run cold water over the pasta and vegetables to stop the cooking process. Drain well.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil and honey. Stir in the carrots, bell pepper, green onions and pasta mixture.
4. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for two hours to chill. If serving immediately, gently stir in the avocado. If chilling, gently stir in the avocado just before serving.

Recipe adapted from recipes.heart.org.

Asparagus with lemon-garlic dressing

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp fat-free sour cream
• 1 tbsp low-fat buttermilk or fat-free milk
• 1 tsp grated lemon zest
• 1 medium garlic clove, minced
• 24 medium asparagus spears, trimmed
• Poppy seeds (optional)

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream, buttermilk, lemon zest and garlic. Cover and refrigerate until serving time.
2. In a large saucepan or skillet, pour in enough water to barely cover the asparagus. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Add the asparagus and cook for five minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain in a colander. Rinse with cold water and drain well. If desired, cut on the diagonal into bite-size pieces. Transfer to a serving bowl.
3. Add the dressing, tossing gently to coat. Lightly sprinkle with the poppy seeds.

Recipe adapted from recipes.heart.org.

Roasted asparagus with parmesan

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs asparagus
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Snap the tough ends off of the asparagus and discard.
2. In a large bowl, toss the asparagus with the olive oil, pepper and lemon zest.
3. Place the asparagus on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 15 minutes or until tender. Remove from the oven, then sprinkle with cheese and lemon juice.

Recipe adapted from diabetesfoodhub.org.

Next steps:

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