Black Pepper Free Steamed Asparagus with Olive Oil & Lemon
Bright, grassy asparagus gets a simple, elegant treatment here — just a drizzle of good olive oil, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, and a pinch of sea salt to let the vegetable shine. Steaming keeps the spears vivid green and perfectly tender without any fuss, and the whole process takes only minutes from start to finish. For anyone avoiding black pepper due to sensitivity or intolerance, this kind of recipe is a genuine find, because so many vegetable sides default to a heavy grind of pepper as their only seasoning. Here, the brightness comes entirely from citrus, and the optional lemon zest adds an extra pop of flavor that makes the dish feel anything but plain. It's the kind of side that pairs beautifully with almost any main course and looks far more impressive on the table than the effort involved would suggest. Fresh, clean, and completely satisfying.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 1 ½ lb fresh asparagus, tough ends snapped off
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt, or to taste
- 1 tsp lemon zest (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Pour about 1 inch of water into a large skillet or wide saucepan and set a steamer basket inside. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat.
- 2
Arrange the asparagus in the steamer basket in a single layer. Cover and steam until the spears are bright green and just tender when pierced at the thickest point with a paring knife, 4–6 minutes for medium spears or 6–7 minutes for thick spears.
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