Recipe: Asparagus and Balsamic Tomatoes

by Elizabeth on May 21, 2013 · 6 comments

in recipes, side dishes

Now that spring has sprung, fresh vegetables are showing up in (reasonably priced!) droves at grocery stores and farmers’ markets.  This is always my favorite time of the year.  I love all sorts of fresh fruits and vegetables and I have such fun browsing the produce section of my grocery story and visiting a nearby farm market.

While many veggies are great served steamed or roasted with only simple seasonings, sometimes you want a little something different.  Enter this recipe for asparagus and balsamic tomatoes.  It highlights the freshness of the asparagus while adding a little something extra to make it sing.  I’m not a huge fan of asparagus, but even I liked this when my mom served it at our (almost) weekly Friday night dinners.  I think green beans would be a good substitute if you’re not an asparagus eater.

Asparagus and Balsamic Tomatoes

Asparagus and Balsamic Tomatoes
Print this recipe!

1 lb asparagus, trimmed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups halved grape tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons fresh mozzarella or goat cheese, optional

Cook asparagus in boiling, lightly salted water, until crisp tender, about 2-4 minutes.  Alternately, you can steam the asparagus in an asparagus or other vegetable steamer.  Drain asparagus and set aside on a serving dish.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet.  Add the tomatoes and garlic; cook until the tomatoes begin to break down, 5-7 minutes.  Stir in the vinegar and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until it looks syrupy.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pour the balsamic tomatoes over the asparagus and top with cheese, if desired.  Add more salt and pepper if needed.

-Adapted from The Well-Fed Newlyweds

This recipe for “Asparagus and Balsamic Tomatoes” is linked to Totally Tasty Tuesdays, Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays, and Tasty Tuesdays

{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Cate May 21, 2013 at 8:55 am

Mmm, this looks delicious. I’ve been looking for another way to serve asparagus, since I usually just roast it with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

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2 Elizabeth May 22, 2013 at 8:08 am

Roasting is always an excellent way to cook vegetables. But I guess it does get a little boring sometimes. 🙂 I thought this was a good way to change it up every once in a while.

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3 Amelia May 21, 2013 at 1:59 pm

This looks really good. I love tomato, mozzarella and (anything). It’s always a good combination.

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4 angie May 21, 2013 at 7:22 pm

my mother in law would have loved this yummy
come see what I shared at http://shopannies.blogspot.com

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5 Winnie June 26, 2013 at 3:40 pm

This is a wonderful salad – I love it!
We do make something similar but I like your version 🙂

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