Roasted Asparagus with Creamy Lemon Dressing
on Mar 28, 2024
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A lemony sauce is a quick and easy way to turn simply cooked asparagus (or another favorite vegetable!) into something special.
This lemon sauce is such a simple way to dress up roasted asparagus…or any simply cooked asparagus for that matter, such as grilled, steamed, or sautéed. In fact, this sauce is also a quick and easy way to dress up pretty much any plainly cooked vegetable, from roasted potatoes to sautéed green beans.
The sauce is vivid with citrus and a bit (not too much!) of hot sauce. The creaminess comes from crème fraiche, but sour cream or Greek yogurt could be substituted in if you like. You can make the lemon sauce ahead of time and store it in the fridge for a few days.
Try this with Air Fried Halibut, Baked Salmon, or Grilled Top Sirloin Steaks.
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Roasted Asparagus with Creamy Lemon Dressing: A lemony sauce is a quick and easy way to turn simply cooked asparagus into something special.
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Roasted Asparagus with Creamy Lemon Dressing Ingredients
Just a handful of ingredients adds up to a very sophisticated spring side dish!
For the asparagus
- Asparagus – You can use thin or thick asparagus; just adjust the roasting time as needed. Trim the bottoms, and peel the lower few inches of fat asparagus to remove any tough skin (see below).
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
For the Creamy Lemon Dressing
- Lemon juice and zest – Using the juice and the zest offers the ultimate lemony pop.
- Crème fraiche or sour cream – Either forms the base of this creamy sauce. You can also sub in Greek yogurt if you like; I prefer 4 or 5% Greek yogurt.
- Hot sauce – Adds a little kick to the dressing.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – Smooths out the dressing and adds more flavor.
Variations
- Diced preserved lemon is an optional ingredient. Don’t worry if you don’t have it, but if you do, it adds yet another citrusy pop to this asparagus side.
- If you would like to add a sprinkle of fresh herbs on top, anything from parsley to basil to chervil would be lovely.
- Another great option would be to drape a slice of prosciutto over each portion of dressed asparagus, which could also make a stylish appetizer.
- Try this sauce with steamed asparagus or grilled asparagus, or try it with another vegetable like sautéed broccolini or broccoli.
Preparing Asparagus
If you are using thicker asparagus, think about peeling the lower parts of the stalks, which results in a stalk that is very tender from stem to stern. After trimming the bottom inch or so off the asparagus, you simply take a vegetable peeler and peel the green outer layer off (which can be tough) from the bottom 3-ish inches of the stalk.
Understandably, this task might be a step too many on some days. If that’s the case, you will want to trim more from the bottom of the stalks if they are thick, as the ends can be woody and tough to chew. Thinner asparagus is more tender further down the stalk.
Get more tips about preparing and cooking asparagus.
How to Make Roasted Asparagus and Lemon Dressing
- Prepare the asparagus: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Trim asparagus.
- Season the asparagus: Drizzle the tablespoon of olive oil over the asparagus on a baking sheet and toss gently to coat the asparagus evenly.
- Roast the asparagus: Roast the asparagus for 10 to 14 minutes, until just tender and slightly browned. Remember that they will continue to cook a bit after you remove them from the oven, so take them out while they’re still a little firmer than you would like.
- Make the dressing: Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, zest, crème fraiche, and Sriracha until smooth. Slowly pour in the 1/3 cup olive oil, whisking all the while until the dressing is thick, then season with salt and pepper.
- Serve: Let the asparagus cool slightly, and while still warm, drizzle over some of the lemon sauce. Add the preserved lemon, if using. Serve right away, passing the rest of the sauce.
What to Serve With Roasted Asparagus
More Asparagus Recipes
- How to Roast Asparagus
- Asparagus with Herb Dipping Sauce
- Simple Roasted Asparagus with Shallots and Parmesan
- Roasted Asparagus with Creamy Mustard-Oregano Sauce
- Asparagus Soup
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Roasted Asparagus with Creamy Lemon Dressing
Ingredients
For the Roasted Asparagus
- 2 pounds medium-thick asparagus
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)
For the Lemon Dressing
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 3 tablespoons crème fraiche or sour cream
- ½ teaspoon hot sauce (such as Sriracha, or to taste)
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)
- ¼ cup diced preserved lemon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F. Trim the bottom 2 inches from the asparagus, and if desired, peel the lower 2 inches of the stalks. Place the asparagus in a baking pan. Don’t worry if the stalks overlap a bit. Drizzle the tablespoon of olive oil over them and toss gently to coat the asparagus evenly. Sprinkle on the salt and pepper, toss again, and spread out in the pan.
- Roast the asparagus for 10 to 14 minutes, until just tender and slightly browned. Remember that they will continue to cook a bit after you remove them from the oven, so take them out while they’re still a little firmer than you would like.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, zest, crème fraiche, and Sriracha until smooth. Slowly pour in the 1/3 cup olive oil, whisking all the while until the dressing is thick, then season with salt and pepper.
- Let the asparagus cool slightly, and while still warm, drizzle over some of the lemon sauce. Serve right away with the rest of the sauce passed on the side if desired. Sprinkle over the preserved lemon, if using.
Notes
- You can make the lemon sauce ahead of time and store it in the fridge for a few days.
- Diced preserved lemon is an optional ingredient. Don’t worry if you don’t have it, but if you do, it adds yet another citrusy pop to this asparagus side.
- If you would like to add a sprinkle of fresh herbs on top, anything from parsley to basil to chervil would be lovely.
- Another great option would be to drape a slice of prosciutto over each portion of dressed asparagus, which could also make a stylish appetizer.
I like it, but next time I’ll use less oil. Also the oils seemed to separate from the sour cream, not sure how I’ll prevent that in the future. Still pretty good though