Strawberry, Raspberry, And Asparagus Recipe

Baked asparagus is one of our favorite side dishes – it’s simple, affordable, and quick to prepare. But there are admittedly few recipes that deviate from the simple asparagus most of us are used to making, and that can be a bit of a drag when you are trying to add some variety to your diet.

That’s where this recipe comes in – in addition to prepping your asparagus, as usual, you’ll serve it with some yummy berries and drizzle with a sweet and tangy balsamic and pomegranate sauce.

The combination may seem a bit strange, but you’ll find the sweet flavors of the fruit provide a balance to the earthy flavor of the asparagus in a beautiful way. This vegetarian recipe might also get your kids to try out their veggies when they see the fruit included!

The key to baking a great asparagus is not to overdo it. These little stalks might seem like they need a lot of time cooking in order to soften them up, but if they stay in the oven for too long, you’ll end up with a dish that’s a bit sloppy.

To avoid this, look for asparagus bunches that have a consistent width throughout each of the stalks. When prepping, don’t just line them up and chop away – try to trim each piece so that none of them are overly narrow or wide (you’ll probably end up with different lengths, but that’s perfectly fine!)

Since the flavors of this site are so unique, consider pairing them with a more neutral main course so that you don’t have different tastes competing with each other on your plate. For this dish, try serving with the Pork Chops with Garlic Sage Butter or a Rosemary-Honey Roast Chicken.

Strawberry, Raspberry, And Asparagus Recipe

Serves: 4 Prep: 10 min Cook: 10 min

Ingredients

• 1 lb. asparagus, trimmed
• 10 medium strawberries, sliced
• 1/2 cup raspberries
• 4 fresh basil leaves, minced
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup pomegranate juice
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
2. In a bowl, combine the asparagus and olive oil; season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Place the asparagus on a baking sheet and cook in the oven until soft, about 10 minutes.
4. Pour the balsamic vinegar and pomegranate juice into a saucepan.
5. Reduce to 1/4 cup over medium heat.
6. Serve the asparagus with strawberries and raspberries; drizzle with the balsamic vinegar mixture.
7. Serve topped with fresh basil.