Any way you want to cook your asparagus (roast it, grill it, whatever!) will work for this recipe, and you can put the lemon-almond pesto on everything! It has the bright flavor of lemon without being too lemony, so it's perfect for adding to vegetables--it works with them, rather than overpowering them as lemon juice sometimes does. Go get some fresh veggies!
Recipe
Servings: 4 -6 servings
Calories: 206kcal
Ingredients
- cooking spray or olive oil mister
- 2 bunches asparagus ends trimmed
- ½ c. almonds I like using raw, but roasted work too
- 1 garlic clove peeled
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- salt + pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Spray 2 rimmed baking sheets with cooking spray. Place asparagus on sheets in a single layer and spray tops with additional cooking spray. Roast for 10-15 minutes or until tender (thinner asparagus will take closer to 10 minutes).
- Combine almonds, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper in food processor and process until roughly chopped. Spoon over asparagus before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 206kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 7gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gSodium: 1mgPotassium: 232mgFiber: 4gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 61IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 82mgIron: 1mg
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Marta @ What should I eat for breakfast today says
I know and I can see them in stores already. I'm so happy, I like them with everything.
Alissa N says
Ahh I love asparagus so much!! It hasn't come in local here yet (the only kind I can find is imported from Mexico, and there is just something about the stuff at the farm that is so much yummier) and I can't wait!!! This looks incredible and I love how simple it is!! Did I mention that I can't wait for asparagus? I am so making this first.
Kiersten says
I kind of forget that we get everything much earlier here in the South--we've been getting local asparagus for a while! 🙂
Ernie says
Making this tonight - looks great!
Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious says
How did you know that asparagus is my favorite veggie?!
Rachel @ Following In My Shoes says
(1) I adore lemon and asparagus together.
(2) I always look for the skinny asparagus too.
(3) I just finished dinner but I really, really, really, really want to eat this!
Kiersten says
Chris always gives me grief about the skinny asparagus, so I'm glad I'm not alone. 🙂
Notorious Spinks says
And you're making my heart melt with this recipe! Love it!
Genevieve says
Fun idea for a different way to dress up asparagus! I guess I wouldn't really know what to call it either - it looks like a crumble topping but it does have a lot of the same ingredients as pesto...I guess it doesnt matter what its called as long as it tastes good though! I bet it would work well over pasta with asparagus too, like a bread crumb topping.
Kiersten says
I always have trouble naming my recipes. Once in a while, someone will send me an email or leave a comment saying something like, "You said this is a pesto, but it's not. A pesto is a sauce made with x, y, and z, and your sauce is not made with those ingredients..." Oh well. 🙂
Anne says
Looks delicious, and I love how simple it is
Robin (Masshole Mommy) says
So simple and this sounds so darn tasty!
Jennifer @TheRebelChick says
This looks amazing! We are huge fans of asparagus and I am always looking for new ways to prepare it. 🙂
Beth says
We made this for dinner Friday night and it was delicious! The pesto was easy to assemble and looked so elegant sprinkled across the asparagus. The next day I used the leftover pesto on a mixed greens salad. It was the perfect touch. Thanks for the great recipe!
Kiersten says
Thank you for your comment--I'm so glad to hear it was a hit!
Maryann says
We like our roasted with lemon too.
Miss @ Miss in the Kitchen says
This looks wonderful. Asparagus is our absolute favorite. It grows wild near our house and it my favorite 2 weeks of the year.
Kiersten says
When we lived in Wisconsin, I know there were areas where asparagus grew at the side of the road--people would pick it right there!
Courtney @ The Fig Tree says
This looks fantastic. I adore asparagus and am so happy it's in season. I made pizzas with asparagus on the weekend and they were delicious. I'll have to try this recipe this week too, as I have another bunch in the fridge to use up. The lemon almond pesto sounds like a wonderful topping!
Kiersten says
Yay! I hope you like it if you make it. 🙂
Jenny @ MyLittleMe says
Oh, I love asparagus! I'll have to try this. Pinning for later!
Stephanie @ henry happened says
I just bought 4 bunches of asparagus last weekend so perfect timing! I always just roast with olive oil so this will be a fun change b/c I cannot resist anything with the word pesto in the title.
Kiersten says
4 bunches?! Well, you can make this recipe twice then. 🙂
Angela @ another bite please says
i bought 4lbs at the farmers market this week...can't wait to make your recipe with it. I love asparagus...LOVE
Kiersten says
Asparagus is definitely the highlight of spring for me. 🙂 Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Christy@SweetandSavoring says
Just wanted to let you know we're eating this right now for dinner with some brown nice and it's delish! (I threw some basil leaves into the food processor and there's that nice sweet hint along with the lemony-ness)
Kiersten says
I love the idea of adding basil. 🙂 I'm glad it turned out well!
Leah says
This was great! And I think it *is* something like a pesto in the general sense of the term: it can be made by pounding and crushing. Anyway, I didn't have almonds so made this with almond flour (which is just ground almonds, after all). It made a paste, and it was fantastic on the asparagus. Thank you!