Springtime is the season for asparagus and it is a vegetable that just seems to make a meal more special. The asparagus in this balsamic vinaigrette marinade is tender yet crunchy with a bright flavor from lemon zest. It is so easy to make with just a quick blanching. Pour on the salad dressing marinade and refrigerate until serving. A lovely Easter or brunch side dish.
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Balsamic vinaigrette asparagus can be served cold or at room temperature making it a good choice for a fancy, holiday meal as well as a great dish for cookouts, potlucks, and summertime meals.
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Preparing balsamic vinaigrette asparagus
Rinse the spears under cold water to remove any grit and dirt.
Zest the lemon to measure 1 teaspoon.
Chop fresh parsley to measure 1 Tablespoon.
Cut or snap off the bottom inch or so of the asparagus stems using a knife or your fingers. The stems will naturally break where the tough woody part ends and the tender stem begins.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus and blanch just until tender, about 1 minute.
Plunge the asparagus into a bowl of ice water to cool.
Drain the asparagus.
Place asparagus in a bowl or resealable plastic bag. Pour balsamic vinaigrette over the asparagus.
Cover the dish or seal the bag and allow asparagus to marinate at lease 3 hours, turning occasionally.
To serve, remove asparagus from marinade and reserve marinade. Arrange on a serving plate and sprinkle with lemon zest, chopped parsley, salt and pepper.
Serve with the reserved marinade on the side.
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Balsamic Vinaigrette Asparagus
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound fresh asparagus
- 3/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing (I use Ken’s Steakhouse brand)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
DIRECTIONS
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the asparagus just until tender, about 1 minute.
Plunge the asparagus into a bowl of ice water to cool.
Drain asparagus and place in a bowl or resealable plastic bag.
Pour balsamic vinaigrette over the asparagus. Cover bowl or seal bag and allow to marinate at lease 3 hours, turning occasionally.
To serve, remove asparagus from marinade and reserve marinade. Arrange on a serving plate and sprinkle with lemon zest, chopped parsley, salt and pepper. Serve the reserved marinade on the side.
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My grandchildren hate veggies. I made this recipe for Easter dinner, and it never made it out of the marinade to a serving plate. The little vultures ages 30, 21, 20, 19, & 16 took the lemon zest and just plopped it on top of all the marinade and ate it from the dish. I have never been so appalled and laughed so hard in my life. Thanks so much for this recipe. I had to run out and buy more. 3 hours to marinade never happened before dinner, but it was great anyway.
Oh, Chavella, aren’t grandchildren the best! Even in all of their silliness we love them so. And now they like a veggie! I’m so happy you shared this fun story! And good to know the flavor is imparted in little time 🙂
Hope all of your dinners are so full of fun!
Kindly, Lorraine
Like Ann, I’m learning to like asparagus and your recipe sounds really good–I might give it a try. Of course your photos make it look amazing!
I wasn’t a fan of asparagus in my younger days, but I have come to like it especially when it isn’t over cooked. I even try to toss it into salads mainly to increase my intake of veggies. Thank you for your comment, Podso 🙂
I’ve never been a huge asparagus fan but this really sounds good. Maybe I’ll try it this way