This jazzed-up asparagus side dish is a great one to add to any dinner table. Pair it with a nice juicy pork tenderloin, and, well, our mouths are already watering. A word of caution, this side dish is not for every day. It’s slightly indulgent with the added sweetener, nuts, and bacon.
Nonetheless, it’s a quick and delicious way to change up the typical way asparagus is served, especially if you’re in a bind when entertaining. Your dinner guests will appreciate the hint of tangy, sweet, and spicy asparagus between the added crunch of bacon and pecans.
The one tricky ingredient in this recipe is the caramelized pecans. You can’t just go to the store and buy them. Those kinds are full of high-fructose corn syrup and a long list of ingredients when there should only be about four.
A simple search will result in several Paleo-friendly versions. If you’d rather skip this step, simply toasted pecans would be just as delicious. Just warm them on the stovetop over medium heat until they start to slightly golden.
Dijon And Pecan Asparagus Recipe
Serves: 4 Prep: 15 min Cook: 10 min
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs. fresh asparagus, trimmed
- 4 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
- ¼ cup caramelized pecans, chopped
- 1 shallot, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ tsp. red chili flakes
- 1 tsp. pure maple syrup or raw honey
- 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp. ghee or cooking fat
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
- In a bowl, combine the maple syrup, dijon mustard, and balsamic vinegar, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Melt ghee over medium heat in a large skillet.
- Add shallots, garlic, and red pepper flakes and sauté 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the asparagus and cook until soft with a little crunch, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Pour the dijon sauce all over the asparagus and give everything a good stir.
- Continue cooking for another 2 to 3 minutes, and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Serve topped with chopped pecans and crumbled bacon.
📖 Recipe
Dijon And Pecan Asparagus Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs. fresh asparagus trimmed
- 4 bacon slices cooked and crumbled
- ¼ cup caramelized pecans chopped
- 1 shallot diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ½ tsp. red chili flakes
- 1 tsp. pure maple syrup or raw honey
- 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp. ghee or cooking fat
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the maple syrup, dijon mustard, and balsamic vinegar, and season to taste with salt and pepper.1 tsp. pure maple syrup or raw honey, 2 tsp. Dijon mustard, 2 tsp. balsamic vinegar, Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Melt ghee over medium heat in a large skillet.2 tbsp. ghee or cooking fat
- Add shallots, garlic, and red pepper flakes and sauté 1 to 2 minutes.1 shallot, 2 garlic cloves, ½ tsp. red chili flakes
- Add the asparagus and cook until soft with a little crunch, 4 to 5 minutes.1 ½ lbs. fresh asparagus
- Pour the dijon sauce all over the asparagus and give everything a good stir.
- Continue cooking for another 2 to 3 minutes, and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Serve topped with chopped pecans and crumbled bacon.4 bacon slices, ¼ cup caramelized pecans
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