Roasted Asparagus Gets a Wow-Worthy Wasabi Twist

By Nicole Perry
POPSUGAR Photography | Nicole Perry
POPSUGAR Photography | Nicole Perry

Drizzled with oil, sprinkled with salt, and roasted in a screaming-hot oven, in-season asparagus is pretty darn perfect. Sometimes, though, it's fun to give it a bit of a twist, like in this recipe. Here the standard procedure applies, plus one simple but significant addition: a mouth-tingling sesame-wasabi vinaigrette. It may not seem like much (at least on the effort front), but this tweak turns this side into a notably different dish, perfect for busting dinner ruts.

Sesame-Roasted Asparagus With Wasabi Vinaigrette

Yield4 servings

Adapted from The Best of Rose Elliot: The Ultimate Vegetarian Collection by Rose Elliot

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 pound asparagus, trimmed
  • 4 tablespoons toasted sesame oil, divided
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons wasabi powder
  • 2 tablespoons warm water
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon neutral vegetable oil, such as grapeseed
  • Sesame seeds

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.

  2. Toss the asparagus in 2 tablespoons of sesame oil, spread out on a baking sheet, and sprinkle with salt. Roast for about 15 minutes, or until just tender and lightly browned in places.

  3. To make the vinaigrette, put the wasabi into a screw-top jar, add the warm water, and mix into a paste. Add the rice vinegar, vegetable oil, the remaining 2 tablespoons of sesame oil, and some salt, put the lid on, and shake vigorously for a few seconds until smooth.

  4. Arrange the asparagus on individual plates, and drizzle the vinaigrette on top. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Notes

If you can make the dressing ahead of time — up to 24 hours before — the flavor of the wasabi mellows a bit. To make gluten-free, use gluten-free wasabi powder (some brands thicken it with wheat starch).