This sous vide asparagus recipe is my go-to sous vide side dish. Topped with a simple yet flavorful lemon pepper it is ready in about 10 minutes. Or in about the time you need to sear off and rest my sous vide pork tenderloin. I dare say they are match made in heaven!
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I am not sure where the rumor that you shouldn't sous vegetables came from. It is absolutely the fastest and easiest way to ensure tender yet crunchy veggies. You know, when they are perfectly cooked but still have that snap.
While I typically won't get my Anova out just to make a quick side dish. If I have it out, I am going to make my side dishes sous vide style. At least one of them.
📖Why My Recipe Works
This is a quick cooking hands off side dish that is naturally gluten and dairy free. But the asparagus is still crisp.
Try topping with my romesco sauce, garlic butter sauce or red pepper crema for an easy upgrade.
🧾Ingredient Notes
Sous vide asparagus is a simple recipe using basic ingredients that are probably sitting out on your kitchen counter. Because of this, it is important to select a fresh lemon and fresh asparagus.
- Fresh Asparagus- It doesn't matter if if you use thick or thin stalks because you can adjust the cooking time! Don't use frozen asparagus. Use any color asparagus, even white!
- Lemon- We are using the zest only so you need a fresh lemon.
- Olive Oil- This is for drizzling so pick a good quality oil.
⏲️ How to Sous Vide Asparagus
- Set your temperature to 180 F and preheat the water.
- Trim the ends of the asparagus. The best place to trim asparagus is right where the white transitions to the green.
- Lay the asparagus in a single layer in your bag. Sprinkle on salt, pepper, and lemon zest.
- Seal the bag using your vacuum sealer. If you don't have a vacuum sealer, you can use a 1 gallon freezer bag and try the water displacement method.
- The actual cooking time for sous vide asparagus is based on the size of the stalk. Pencil thin should be cooked for 8 minutes and the large thick stalks up to 12 minutes.
Water Displacement Method
No vacuum sealer? No problem! Use the water displacement method with a gallon freezer bag. While you won't get all the air out, squeezing out bubbles around the asparagus prevents uneven cooking.
Just add your asparagus and seasonings to the bag, slowly lower it into the cooking water to force air out, seal, and cook. For extra-large bags, clip them to the pot's side to avoid blocking your immersion circulator
How to Weigh Down a Sous Vide Bag
You can buy sous vide weights specifically made for weighing down bags. However, I don't find that necessary.
There are two options for weighing down your bag. First, you can simply place a dinner plate on top of the bag to weigh it down.
Or you can make your own sous vide weight by placing a spoon or butter knife (i.e., something without a pointy end) into the bag before you seal it.
🔪 Equipment
I recommend the mid-range model 1000 watt Anova precision cooker. Along with this, you will need a few accessories.
I highly recommend a vacuum sealer. Great for preserving leftovers and it does make sous vide cooking much easier. I have a Food Saver brand vacuum sealer, but Anova also makes a vacuum sealer. Don't forget to buy extra bags!
More Asparagus Recipes
🌡️Storing Leftovers
Sous vide asparagus is great for a dinner party or holiday dinner for the same reason it can be made in advance. You can package and vacuum seal your asparagus up to 24 hours in advance.
I do not salt my asparagus until after cooking when doing meal prep. The long exposure to the salt can dim the vibrant green color.
Leftover asparagus can be stored in a tightly sealed container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. I like to chop up leftover asparagus and add it to salad or beet poke bowls.
You can also reheat in the microwave or in saute pan.
📖 Recipe Card
Lemon Pepper Sous Vide Asparagus
Ingredients
- 1 pound green asparagus
- 1 lemon zest only
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
Instructions
- Fill a large pot or container with warm water. Using your immersion circulator, preheat the water bath to 180 F degrees.
- Trim the ends of the asparagus. Lay the asparagus in a single layer in a food-safe plastic bag.1 pound green asparagus
- Sprinkle on salt, pepper, and lemon zest. Seal the bag using your vacuum sealer or water displacement method.1 lemon, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Submerge your bag in the water. Cook for 10 minutes.
- Cut open bag, place asparagus on a serving plate. Drizzle with olive oil and serve with extra slices of lemon.1 teaspoon olive oil
Notes
- You can use white, purple, or green asparagus in this recipe.
- For pencil-thin asparagus cook for 8 minutes. For thick asparagus cook for 12 minutes.
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