Asparagus almondine is an easy, healthy, 15-minute side dish that’s sure to impress! The almondine mixture of almonds, butter, fresh herbs and lemon adds great flavor!
My favorite new way to jazz up a side dish is this asparagus almondine.
It’s a perfect spring dish and works equally as well for busy weeknight dinners as it does for impressing company, or serving a special mom in your life!
Almondine, if you’re wondering, just means a garnish of almonds. It’s also sometimes spelled amandine outside of the U.S.
Fish and green beans are common candidates for this type of dish, but I went with asparagus. Mostly because it’s spring and I try to eat ALL the asparagus while it’s in season, to tide me over until next year 😉
Almondine is usually made with butter and herbs, and I added some fresh lemon zest and juice to really brighten it up.
And it does! The long, tender, buttery asparagus is sprinkled with the almandine mixture to give it a well-balanced mixture of flavors and a good dose of crunch from the almond bits.
Love a little texture party in my mouth!
OK, let's tackle a few quick recipe tips so you can enjoy this dish, too!
Recipe Notes:
- I prefer to get the thin pencil-size type asparagus when possible. If yours are on the thicker side, you'll just need to cook them a little longer until they are fork tender.
- Or if your asparagus is the super thin kind, you'll only need 2-3 minutes to cook them. No one wants mushy asparagus!
- I think one tablespoon of butter is enough here, but you could double that if you want an extra buttery flavor.
- Toasting the almonds first really helps bring out their nutty flavor. I don't recommend skipping that step! Just be sure to watch them carefully so they don't burn.
This side dish goes great with any meal, really.
My slow cooker apricot chicken, creamy lemon chicken spaghetti, spiced pork chops are all great candidates. Even just some grilled meat and roasted potatoes would work well with this.
And it would also be lovely as part of a Mother’s Day brunch or dinner spread!
Whatever celebrations you’ve got coming up, I hope you’ll find a time to try this asparagus almondine.
Enjoy!
XO,
Kathryn
Asparagus Almondine
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted almonds
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, divided
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- Zest of one lemon
- Juice of ½ lemon
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium low heat and add almonds. Toast lightly for 2-3 minutes (watch to make sure they don’t burn), stirring occasionally. Remove and finely chop the almonds.
- In the same skillet, over medium heat, melt the butter. Add asparagus, ¼ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper and saute for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add garlic and saute another minute, until asparagus is tender.
- Meanwhile, combine almonds and remaining ingredients, including remaining salt and pepper, in a small bowl and mix.
- Remove asparagus and top with almond mixture. Serve hot.
Dawn @ Girl Heart Food
I've had almonds sprinkled on stuff before but never heard of it called 'Almondine'. That's a fun fact of the day 😉 Loving this asparagus dish, Kathryn! Butter, almonds, asparagus, lemon? Yes, please. I could gladly make a meal of this. Gee, you have a lot of stuff coming up, that's for sure! I always keep a list of ideas that I have for family/friends for upcoming occasions. I find that way I always have something to draw from. Don't you find that you sometimes draw a blank when you are thinking of what gift to get? I know I do lots of times so the list is quite helpful 🙂 Have a lovely Mother's Day!
Kathryn
I love fun foodie facts 🙂 And I keep a list of present ideas too! (I'm such a list person.) Sadly, it was mostly empty and not very much help this time around... I've got a few good leads though so maybe I'll be able to replenish it with any extras I don't need to use!
Nancy | Plus Ate Six
Oh I am the same when it comes to asparagus - I eat more than my fair share. And then some.
But I need to up my game as normally I stick to parmesan shavings and a squeeze of lemon. Time for something a little fancier.
Kathryn
Bring on the asparagus overload! 🙂
Adina
Wonderful asparagus dish, I have to keep it in mind, I love the almondine thing, never heard of it before, but it sounds great!
Kathryn
Thanks Adina! It's simple but really adds a lot to the asparagus!
Willow | Will Cook For Friends
Oh, yes please! There's only one problem... I notice your recipe says it serves four, but I would totally eat the whole thing in one sitting. It should definitely be amended to say "serves four, unless you're Willow, in which case, serves one" 😉
This is pretty much my favorite way to prepare asparagus (I usually use hazelnuts in place of the almonds, but almonds are so much less work) and it's a weekly occurrence while the asparagus is perfect and in season. Yum yum yum!
Kathryn
Haha, I must admit, when I made this to photograph, I ate nearly all of it. Kept thinking, "It probably won't keep all that well." Take a bite. "I don't want it to go to waste." Take a bite... It's addictive!!
Andrea Wyckoff
Yum! You have the perfect balance of flavors in this dish! I love the way asparagus and lemon goes together, but now I see I need to add in crushed almonds too!
Kathryn
The almonds give a great finishing crunch - hope you try it!
Lisa @ Chocolate Meets Strawberry
Pinned straight to my Sides board! Sometimes it's so hard to think of interesting ways to serve veggies on the side day in day out, so thank you for this inspiration Kathryn! I love the sound of that touch of crunchy almonds and the zesty lemon flavour in there. I can imagine this would work really well with green beans too, do you think? 🙂
Kathryn
Thanks Lisa! I'm the same way with sides - they are an after thought so often and it's easy to get in a rut. I hope you give this a try! (And yes, green beans are a traditional vegetable to do almondine-style so that would work great!)
Keith @ How's it Lookin?
Looks great. A perfect dinner side, thanks a lot
Alison M Marras
Love this recipe. I always make my roasted asparagus the same old way but this looks like a nice upgrade I will be trying!! 🙂
Kathryn
Thanks Alison! I hope this helps you change things up a bit 🙂
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary
Oh, I wish I could help you with gift selections, Kathryn, but I'm honestly the WORST at those! I always end up giving people gift cards. Lame I know! Anyways, this asparagus is amazing, dear! I LOVE green beans and fish almondine, but using asparagus is SO perfect for this time of year!! Simple, yet seriously delicious! I could eat this asparagus as a meal on it's own - no need for anything else.. just me, this asparagus and a shovel. 🙂 Pinned! Cheers, friend!
Kathryn
Nothing wrong with a gift card - let them get exactly what they want 😉 And yes, this totally can be a meal on its own! XO
Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy
The prettiest asparagus I've ever seen!!! Asparagus is Trevor's favorite and I absolutely LOVE the addition of the crunchy almonds 🙂
Kathryn
Aww, thanks Jennifer! The almonds really kick this up a notch 🙂
Rachelle @ Beer Girl Cooks
Why have I never thought to put almonds on asparagus? That sounds delicious! I can't help you with the party ideas, but if you need any help eating all this asparagus, just let me know and I'll be there! Pinned!
Kathryn
Thanks Rachelle! But, um, I ate it all. All of it. But we can make it again and maybe I'll share 😉
karrie@TastyEverAfter
I'm tired just listening to everything that you have to do for the next 5-6 weeks! lol! I love asparagus and always roast it then squeeze a little fresh lemon on it. Same thing, every time. So glad you posted this recipe because it's simple yet elegant and will make my boring asparagus exciting and yummier 🙂
Kathryn
Haha, me too Karrie 😉 I get stuck in a rut with veggies too - hope this helps you break out for something a little different (but not too far off from your regular go-to!)
Oana @AdoreFoods
I love, love this recipe!! Lucky me I have fresh asparagus bunch in the fridge and some almonds in the pantry so I'll be making it this weekend! Thanks for sharing it 🙂
Kathryn
Thanks Oana! I hope you give it a try - it's my new favorite way to eat asparagus!
Meg
I love asparagus and this looks like a super simple, yummy way to eat it. Thanks for the idea! Pinned. And as for parties, I'm currently planning a dinosaur themed birthday for my four-year-old, and I've been having lots of fun with it!
Kathryn
Thanks Meg! The dinosaur party sounds like fun - know my little boy would love something like that when his birthday rolls around 🙂
Frugal Hausfrau
What a lovely recipe, Kathryn! I have a weakness for asparagus and this takes it to the next level! Thanks for linking up with us at Throwback Thursday!
Mollie
Kathryn
Me too! I try to eat ALL the asparagus every spring when it's in season so I don't miss it so much the rest of the year 😉
Charlene Asay
I love asparagus. Around here this time of year it grows wild. I would like to personally invite you to Family Joy Blog Link Up Party. Check it out! It's open Sunday-Wednesday. http://thinking-outside-the-pot.com/?p=2505
Kathryn
Thanks Charlene! I think asparagus is my favorite spring vegetable 🙂 And thanks for the invite - I'll definitely stop by the party!
Angela @marathonsandmotivation.com
I love asparagus and this recipe looks fabulous! Thank you for sharing, Pinned 🙂
Kathryn
Thanks Angela!
Kim Young
Yum! One of my favorite dishes! There just isn't an easier way to dress up asparagus. Delicious! Thanks so much for visiting us at You Link It We Make It!
Kathryn
Thanks Kim!