Asparagus with Tarragon Vinaigrette
by Katie Webster
April 10, 2017 (updated 2/17/23) Jump To Recipe
This recipe for Asparagus with Tarragon Vinaigrette is the perfect make-ahead Spring side dish that is ready in under 30 minutes. The asparagus is cooked and chilled and served with easy-to-make tarragon salad dressing.
I originally shared this recipe on April 13, 2011. I have updated the images and some of the text today.
Table of contents
Why We Love This Recipe For Asparagus with Tarragon Vinaigrette
The words “Can be made up to one day in advance” are music to any cooks ears when he or she has company coming. I know when I entertain, I like to hook myself up the day before by prepping what I can. Well, this asparagus with vinaigrette is great for that.
Asparagus Vinaigrette is perfect for make-ahead occasions like Easter brunch. But it would also be appropriate to make ahead and serve as a chilled side dish with fish, steak or chicken for a Sunday supper. Note, the tarragon vinaigrette dressing can also be made the day before.
Key Ingredients For This Recipe
- Asparagus: Make sure to trim the woody ends off the asparagus as they can be really tough.
- For The Dressing: Extra-virgin olive oil, Champagne vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- Seasonings: Shallot and chopped fresh tarragon
Step-by-Step Instructions to Make This Asparagus Vinaigrette
Step 1: Cook asparagus
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In the meantime, wake an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and cold water. Add the asparagus to the boiling water and cook until they are crisp tender and bright green, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain the asparagus and transfer them to the ice bath to cool.
Step 2: Make the dressing
Meanwhile, combine the shallot, olive oil, vinegar, honey, tarragon, Dijon and the remaining ¾ teaspoon salt in a blender and puree until smooth.
Step 3: Assemble asparagus with vinaigrette
Arrange the asparagus on a platter. Drizzle them with the vinaigrette and grind tons of fresh black pepper on top.
FAQs and Expert Tips
Store leftovers in an airtight container or cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To make the asparagus ahead, just cook and cool the asparagus, cover it and store it in the fridge overnight.
Note, the tarragon vinaigrette dressing can also be made the day before too, but it needs to be held separately or it turns the asparagus a not-so-lovely shade of army green. Just drizzle it on before serving, sprinkle on a generous amount of black pepper and you’re good to go.
If you want to try chilled asparagus without the dressing, they would taste wonderful topped with some Hollandaise or pesto! You could even make the vinaigrette AND the hollandaise, or add some pesto to the dressing,
Menu Suggestions
To serve this at an Easter Brunch here are some more recipe ideas that can be made ahead:
- This Creamy Horseradish Potato Salad is served chilled and can be made the day before.
- A Healthy Maple Carrot Cake perfect for dessert (If you are gluten free, you don’t have to miss out on Carrot Cake. This Gluten-free Carrot Cake Recipe looks just about perfect!)
- You’ll love this Maple Black Pepper Candied Bacon!
- This Apple Cheddar and Sausage Breakfast Strata and Easy Veggie Quiche are perfect for brunch.
- Easter is not complete without a batch of my Spinach and Bacon Deviled Eggs.
- I love dipping fresh strawberries in this Easy Maple Greek Yogurt Dip .
Additional Recipes to Try
- This Roasted Asparagus Salad with Goat Cheese or this Sesame Roasted Asparagus Salad are both worthy of your consideration this season!
- This Asparagus Panzanella is a non-traditional bread salad, and topped with a poached egg makes a delicious spring brunch or supper.
- Add it to rice and chicken and you have a great one pot meal! Try my One Pot Chicken and Rice with Spring Veggies.
- Make sure to check out this collection of 35 healthy asparagus recipes too!
Additional Asparagus Recipes to Try
Thanks so much for reading! If you are new here, you may want to sign up for my email newsletter to get a free weekly menu plan and the latest recipes right to your inbox. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought!
Happy Cooking! ~Katie
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Asparagus with Tarragon Vinaigrette
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
This Asparagus with Tarragon Vinaigrette is the perfect make-ahead Spring side dish to add to your Easter menu. It is ready in under 30 minutes and just also happens to be vegetarian and Paleo friendly!
Ingredients
- Salt for boiling water plus ¾ teaspoon, divided
- 3 bunches asparagus, woody ends trimmed, peeled if desired
- 1 shallot, peeled and roughly chopped
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons champagne vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon chopped tarragon
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Make an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and cold water. Add asparagus to the boiling water and cook until crisp tender and bright green, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain the asparagus and transfer to the ice bath to cool.
- Meanwhile, combine shallot, olive oil, vinegar, honey, tarragon, Dijon and the remaining ¾ teaspoon salt in a blender. Puree until smooth.
- Arrange asparagus on a platter. Drizzle with the vinaigrette and grind tons of pepper on top.
Notes
0 mg Cholesterol, 2 g Added Sugars
To make ahead: Prepare through step 2 up to 1 day ahead. Store cooked and cooled asparagus and dressing separately, covered in the refrigerator.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 minutes
- Category: Side dish
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 90
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 228 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 6.5 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 2 g
Keywords: asparagus with tarragon vinaigrette,make ahead asparagus,asparagus vinaigrette
Katie Webster
Katie Webster studied art and photography at Skidmore College and is a graduate of the New England Culinary Institute. She has been a professional recipe developer since 2001 when she first started working in the test kitchen at EatingWell magazine. Her recipes have been featured in numerous magazines including Shape, Fitness, Parents and several Edible Communities publications among others. Her cookbook, Maple {Quirk Books} was published in 2015. She launched Healthy Seasonal Recipes in 2009. She lives in Vermont with her husband, two teenage daughters and two yellow labs. In her free time, you can find her at the gym, cooking, stacking firewood, making maple syrup, and tending to her overgrown perennial garden.
This asparagus looks beautiful and sounds divine. It’s a perfect side dish for any meal.
★★★★★
Thank you Nikki
This is such a lovely side dish! It’s perfect for serving to company but simple enough for a weeknight at the same time!
Definitely! Thank you so much!
Asparagus season is back, will definitely give it a try and let you know how it goes.
★★★★★
Awesome! Thanks for letting me know!
I just found the perfect Easter side dish! Thank you so much, it is so delicious!
★★★★★
Let me know how it goes.
When my daughter was little I made something with mushrooms in it and told her it was tarragon…now she won’t eat anything with tarragon in it! Huge mistake! She’s 12 now and still won’t go near it. I’m going to make this and tell her it’s “herb vinaigrette” just to see what happens!
★★★★★
Haha I love that idea!
I made this the other night. Wonderful! I wanted a recipe I could use all the fresh tarragon in my garden. This will be a recipe I use for a long time.
★★★★★
This was an excellent recipe. I used my immersion blender for the dressing. I will be making this again soon. My guests loved it!
Thanks for the recipe~! I just printed it. We’ve been having lots of asparagus this spring, and I’m glad to see a new recipe. Your tarragon dressing looks like a wonderful change, and a spring herb in my garden. It sounds like a perfect match for the asparagus.
Whenever I hear or read the word tarragon my mouth waters, it’s such an underused herb ~ love that pour shot!
Thank you Susan. I totally agree! My grandmother used it in chicken salad and it always reminds me of her.
Thank you thank you thank you!! I’ve been looking all over the web for a fabulous make-ahead green vegetable for Passover (the ultimate in challenging scheduling). I’ve got a month to practice recipes and prep so I’ll be making this for a trial run next week.
Yippee! This is a good one for sure Suzanne. I love this dressing on other vegetables and green salad too. I am so glad you found me. Thanks for leaving a comment!