I am always having trouble finding good side dishes for my meals. It’s a perpetual problem, which was part of the reason I compiled my 15 Mouthwatering Side Dishes from Across the Internet to share with you last spring! And I definitely think I have another winner (if I do say so myself!) with today’s crispy battered asparagus paired with a deliciously tangy dipping sauce. These are quick to throw together, super delish, and actually pretty healthy. Healthy-ish. (What?! I know, right?)
I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not great at staying healthy on a regular basis. I mean, with all the delicious chocolate cakes and beurre blanc sauces in the world, it can be hard! Which is why I’m pretty excited about this recipe today. These asparagus were so simple!
The batter for these veggies is very thin, which means that the asparagus are only just lightly battered enough for them to fry up nice and crispy in the oil. I used vegetable oil in this recipe, which is admittedly not the healthiest oil for frying. However, you could go all out (for those of you who are still sticking with your New Years Diet!) and use canola oil, olive oil, or even coconut oil for your frying!
Related: The Health Benefits of Asparagus
If deliciously battered veggies aren’t enough, check out this dipping sauce. I wanted a sauce that was lighter and different from what we are all used to dipping veggies in. And like a sign from the culinary gods, when I opened our fridge to grab the mayonnaise, there was a container of Greek yogurt sitting right in front of it.
Bingo! The Greek yogurt gives a beautifully tangy note to this Dijon mustard-based dipping sauce, which I find refreshing. A few other ingredients such as white wine vinegar and olive oil round out the sauce.
Related: Asian-Style Oven Roasted Carrots
Now it’s your turn: what is your favorite quick and easy side dish for your weeknight meals? Share with me by commenting below so I can expand my repertoire!
- Vegetable oil
- 1 egg, separated
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- ⅔ cup cold water
- ⅓ cup + 1 tbsp. white flour
- ⅛ cup Dijon mustard
- 2-3 tbsp. Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp. white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- ¼ tsp. kosher salt
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
- 1 lb. asparagus, ends trimmed
- Himalayan sea salt, for garnish (optional)
- In a large frying pan, heat about 1 inch of vegetable oil to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- While oil is heating, prepare the batter. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk egg yolk, lemon juice, and cold water until combined. Stir in the flour until combined. In a separate smaller bowl, whisk egg yolk until firm. Fold into the rest of the batter and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes.
- While batter is resting, prepare sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together Dijon, Greek yogurt, white wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper until combined.
- When oil is heated, dip asparagus into the batter to coat. Add asparagus to hot oil and fry for about 2 minutes. Fry about 7-10 asparagus per batch, so as to not lower the temperature of the oil too much. Once cooked, remove asparagus to a paper-towel lined plate to drain.
- Serve asparagus with dipping sauce. Garnish with Himalayan sea salt, if desired. Enjoy!