Seed Oil Free Steamed Asparagus with Olive Oil & Lemon
Fresh asparagus has a natural sweetness and snap that really shines when you let simple, quality ingredients do the talking. Steaming keeps the spears brilliantly green and perfectly tender without drowning them in anything heavy, and the whole process takes just minutes from stovetop to table. A generous drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil is the fat of choice here — rich, fruity, and completely free from the refined vegetable and seed oils that sneak into so many restaurant and packaged versions of this dish. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice cuts right through the richness, and a pinch of sea salt ties everything together beautifully. If you have a lemon on hand, don't skip the zest — it adds a bright, aromatic lift that makes the whole platter feel a little more special. This is the kind of side dish that looks elegant enough for a dinner party but is honestly easy enough for a Tuesday night.
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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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