Ginger Lemon Asparagus

Freshly sauteed asparagus spears with ginger, garlic, lemon zest and pepper makes a wonderful seasonal side dish.

Ingredients:

1 bunch asparagus (I chose the very thinnest ones I could find)
1 lemon (zest and 1/2 juice)
2 Tbsp. ginger, minced
2 Tbsp. garlic, minced
salt and pepper
olive oil

Directions:

Mince ginger and garlic. Wash and trim ends of asparagus. Zest lemon before cutting in half. Remove any seeds from one half. The second half can be used for another recipe.

A lemon being zested with a Microplane grater.

Pre-heat non-stick pan, then add olive oil. Put asparagus in pan and add ginger, garlic and lemon zest. Add salt and pepper to taste. Squeeze 1/2 lemon over mixture. Stir and cover for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sauteed Lemon Ginger Asparagus being peppered Lemon Ginger Asparagus being sauteed in a pan.

Serve when asparagus is bright green and still tender. Be careful about overcooking. We served it here with a boneless pork chop and some brown rice as part of a healthy dinner.

Ginger Lemon Asparagus served with pork and rice.

You can substitute the lemon zest and juice for a couple of Tbsp. of soy sauce to give this recipe a more Asian flavor.

I often add fresh herbs or spices to complement my meal, such as Cajun seasoning or rosemary. Salad dressing, mustard or other condiments can also be used to change up this simple dish. You can cook chard, green beans, broccoli or other similar vegetables using this recipe and method.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Cooking Time: 10 Minutes

By Jess from Hillsboro, OR

Related:
Recipes Using Asparagus