Purple Asparagus Recipe with lime and shallots takes only 15-minutes, and it's as delicious as it is beautiful. This is a perfect vegan or vegetarian spring or summer side.
Purple Asparagus
Did you expect it to be a vibrant green beneath it's purple-reddish exterior?
It's beautiful inside and out.
One of my favorite things to do on Cooking On The Weekends is simply to celebrate the beauty of food.
I often look at raw ingredients as paint. When I look at this photograph below I see purple textured brushstrokes. Delicious brushstrokes. 😉
Green Asparagus vs. Purple Asparagus
- Purple asparagus is only slightly different in flavor and texture from green asparagus.
- The purple is sweeter with a sugar content that's about 20% higher.
- And purple asparagus is typically less fibrous and is therefore often more tender.
- With these subtle differences, purple asparagus recipes are interchangeable with green asparagus recipes.
Do you have to peel asparagus?
Asparagus doesn't necessarily have to be peeled, but unless it's very thin, it's a good idea.
Peeling it removes the more tough and fibrous portions -- and it makes it even prettier. Especially with purple asparagus recipes -- when you peel it, it's suddenly becomes two stunning colors. The contrast is lovely, and makes purple asparagus recipes a work of art!
Peeled or not, purple asparagus recipes are beautiful!
As pretty as a bouquet of freshly cut flowers.
Even the scraps are a bundle of beauty.
What makes purple asparagus purple?
- Purple asparagus is rich in anthocyanins (don't even try to pronounce it!), which is what makes it purple.
- Anthocyanins are antioxidant compounds -- those that are also found in blueberries and blackberries among a handful of other purple, red, and blue-like foods.
This purple asparagus recipe below is super simple and would be delicious with any asparagus variety -- purple or not.
You should be seeing purple asparagus in the specialty section of some grocery stores and at your local Farmer's Market.
Enjoy this light and healthy Purple Asparagus Recipe!
More asparagus recipes:
- Vegan Asparagus Soup
- Parmesan Asparagus Salad
- Lemon-Dill White Asparagus
- Lemon Grilled Asparagus in Foil
- Asparagus Aussie Lamb Crostini
- Pickled Asparagus
Purple Asparagus Recipe with Lime and Shallots
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound purple asparagus
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
- 1½ tablespoons shallots, super finely diced
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place a medium-sized bowl of ice water on your work space.
- Prep asparagus. Cut the bottom few inches (the tough portion), off of the asparagus and discard. You can actually "snap" the ends off with your hands -- it almost always breaks right where it should.Rinse the asparagus and then peel from just below the floret to the bottom, using a vegetable peeler.
- Steam. Place a steamer in a pot with the water level just below it. Over high heat, bring the water to a boil, add the asparagus to the rack, sprinkle it with salt and cover. Reduce the heat to low and steam until tender, 5 minutes. (The cooking time will vary, depending on the thickness of the asparagus.)
- Shock. Immediately add the steamed asparagus to the bowl of ice water and let it sit for a couple of minutes. (This is called shocking.)Then remove, pat dry with paper towels, and add them to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Set aside.
- Make and add sauce. In a very small saucepan, melt the butter with the lime juice and shallots. Then season to taste with salt and pepper. (Here's How to Season to Taste.)Drizzle the butter sauce over the asparagus and carefully toss to be sure it's well coated.
- Serve! (I like cutting the asparagus spears in half vertically because I love how it looks.)
NOTES
NUTRITION
This post contains Amazon affiliate links for your convenience at no additional cost to you. I received the purple asparagus from Melissa's Produce -- as always all opinions are my own.
Recommended for this recipe:
Patricia@FreshFoodinaFlash
Beautiful! Valentina, always love your photography, but this is special. Thanks for sharing!
valentina
Thanks so much, Patricia! 🙂
Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious
Stunning photography!
valentina
Thank you so much, Dorothy! XO
Sippitysup
The first time I ever saw purple asparagus my jaw dropped (so I could take a bite). Great recipe and beautiful pics that do look like paintings. GREG
valentina
Thanks, Greg -- I loved your salad recipe. 🙂
David
Seems like you, Greg, and I have been enjoying our love affair with purple asparagus this summer. Love your simple and fresh vinaigrette! xo
valentina
True! I loved seeing it on both of your sites. Great minds think alike! 😉 xo
David
Oddly, I haven’t seen any purple asparagus this season… makes me sad. But the green asparagus has been sweet and wonderful!
Cathy | She Paused 4 Thought
Absolutely gorgeous!
valentina
Thanks, Cathy! XO
David @ Spiced
Wow, you're totally right about the artistic value in food - especially this purple asparagus! Once you peel it, the colors are just so fun and striking. I love asparagus, and this is asparagus season right now. Thanks for sharing this tasty recipe, Valentina!
valentina
You are welcome! Thank YOU! 🙂 ~Valentina
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
How gorgeous is that asparagus??! I was so elated the other day to find some asparagus growing in our garden. Granted, there are only a couple of stalks, but it gets me all excited for what's to come. This pairing with lime and shallots sounds wonderful!!
valentina
Oh how awesome to have asparagus growing in your garden -- even if only a few stalks. Love that. Thank you for visiting, Dawn. 🙂 ~Valentina
Kim Lange
I love asparagus! This looks amazing as a great side dish! Pinning! xo
valentina
Thanks for pinning and for visiting, Kim. 🙂 ~Valentina
Liz
Beautiful with a delicious recipe! I've been ODing my family on asparagus so needed a new idea for it. My latest batch was part purple, but yours is definitely a show-stopping, gorgeous color!!
valentina
Ha! I too have been serving a ton of asparagus -- much to my older son's dismay 😉 -- I just love it and the purple is so fun. Thanks for visiting, Liz. 🙂 ~Valentina
John / Kitchen Riffs
Love the looks of purple asparagus. Drop. Dead. Gorgeous. Wonderful flavor, too, of course. 🙂 Such a nice recipe -- thanks.
valentina
Thank YOU, John. 🙂 ~Valentina
Eha
Well, have to wait about four months to check whether the local farmers' markets can supply the elegant purple variety . . . do not remember the local supermarkets being 'friendly' re that ! Looks absolutely lovely . . .