I had a little taste of Asheville, North Carolina waiting for me when I returned to New Orleans last week. ย It wasn’t aย warm mochas or aย drinkable caramel, sadly… but those are fleeting anyhow. ย I found my friend Ashley’s book Handmade Gatherings waiting for my in my mailbox! ย The very same Ashley that writes about chickens and bees, and had me in a stone-bottomed river bed pretending to be warm for a Spring picnic photoshoot. ย Needles to say, Ashley is always welcome in my world. ย I usually just need boots, a sweater, and an empty stomach.
I found this recipe flipping through the Spring pages of Handmade Gatherings. ย Asparagus meets pistachios. ย Roasted tender and crunchy. ย Green on green. ย Salty and fresh. ย From the recipe title alone I knew it would be exactly right.
Spot on! ย This is dish is all balance and heart. ย Good timing. ย I was just starting to miss those endless waves of green-blooming Blue Ridge Mountains. ย Asparagus will step in where the mountain-longing creeps in.
Let’s get started. ย Asparagus is deliciously appropriate these days. ย I like these big-boy stalks for this recipe. ย The bigger the asparagus, the more pistachios stick!
Stalks are rinsed, trimmed, and lined up in a single layer… a mostly single layer.
Off to the oven we go. ย The stalks should be bone-dry before drizzled with olive oil.
It takes a really long time to shell pistachios for a recipe. ย It’s weird. ย Like you’re forced to eat every other nut that you shell.
It takes hours. ย Good luck getting there.
Once the nuts are shelled, they’re pulverized in a food processor. ย Good and ground. ย Salt is added.
I’m still getting used to this view. ย It feels like an extra treat to have new cookbooks join me.
Also… so many parades outside. ย So many.
Drizzled in olive oil and crusted big-time.
The colors alone tell you that asparagus and pistachios are a match made in heaven.
While the asparagus and pistachio roast, I made the vinaigrette. ย It’s simple and zippy: ย olive oil, lemon vinegar, and honey. ย Salt and pepper. ย Easy on the salt. ย Heavy on the pepper.
Fresh from the oven the roasted vegetables are drizzled with vinaigrette and topped with feta and fresh parsley.
Just like that this asparagus is everything.
The stalks are warm, tender, and just slightly sweet coated in a salty pistachio crunch. ย Feta is cold, crumbled, and super salty. ย Parsley adds a kick of fresh and bright, complimenting the lemon in the vinaigrette. ย It’s really wonderfully balanced in both flavor and texture.
I know it’s just asparagus… but this dish is totally hard to share.
Consider pouring yourself a glass of chilled pink wine and just getting down with the entire pan. ย It really is hard to resist.
Pistachio Crusted Asparagus with Feta
adapted slightlyย from Handmade Gatherings by Ashley English
serves 4
For the Asparagus:
2 pounds large asparagus
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup shelled roasted and unsalted pistachios
1 scant teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
For the Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
pinch of sea salt
several grinds of black pepper
Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Rinse the asparagus and cut about an inch off of the stem ends. ย Pat the asparagus dry.
Place the asparagus on a baking sheet in a single layer. ย Bake for about 5 minutes to dry the asparagus completely. ย Remove from the oven and drizzle with olive oil. ย Toss to coat.
Crush the pistachios in a food processor fitted with a blade attachment. ย If you don’t have a food processor, you can crush the pistachios in a sealed plastic bag using a hammer or kitchen mallet. ย Grind until fine. ย Transfer nuts to a small bowl and stir in salt. ย If your nuts are salted, use half the amount of salt.
Arrange the asparagus in a single layer. ย Generously spoon the pistachio mixture over the asparagus. ย Flip the asparagus (it might be a little awkward, it’s ok) and cover the other side in remaining pistachio.
Place in the oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until tender through. ย Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
To make the vinaigrette, in a small jar or bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients. ย Drizzle over the roasted asparagus just before serving. ย Top with feta and parsley and serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
64 Responses
This was a hit! The asparagus at our farmers market this week was slender so I just reduced the cook time (rinsed early so it air-dried & I was able to skip the 5min oven dry, cooked just about 10min total)
Hello, I made this as part of a fancy schmancy dinner for my daughterโs new inโlaws. We ditched the feta, but used the Frenchy vinaigrette from JTBโs asparagus salad. Big win! I also prepped ahead. Be careful to not overcook. Start checking at 10 mins. 5 min dry off bake is crucial. Thank you, Joy! Jill L Seattle
Joy – thank you for re-posting this recipe. I made it with lamb for our Easter dinner last night and it was delicious.
Costco sells bags of the pre-shelled pistachios that would be perfect for this recipe. They’re quite salty, but omitting any other added salt called for in the receipt would hopefully balance that out. Looking forward to trying this!
Joy!
Guess what I just made for supper!
I followed your instructions to a t- no need to tweak perfection.
My husband and I followed your advice and sat down to eat right off the pan, and shared some Pinot Gris. It was the perfect meal- my favorite of 2017 so far.
Thank you for sharing such an awesome recipe.
This was seriously delicious. Thanks so much for a great side and a wonderful use of all ingredients. So happy I made this to go with my dinner tonight!
Meant to tell you in my last email that I am from beautiful Asheville! What restaurant did you go to when you first tried this dish? We are blessed with SO many awesome restaurants here!
We went to Rhubarb, The Admiral and that one biscuit place.
I am amazed that the “big boy” stalks get tender?? When I cook asparagus the stalks many times are tuff. Helpful suggestions?
Some asparagus are just more fiberous than others. Try cutting off the ends and steaming more in salt water.
Sounds to me like heaven on a plate!
This looks delicious! I would love to try this!
I was saving this one and finally made it this evening for Father’s Day dinner side dish. Holy WOW, it was the star of the show. Joy, I don’t know how you do it but every single recipe I’ve ever made from your website has turned out flawlessly. Thanks for this fantastic one!!
Made this last night for guests along with chicken and corn on the grill. It was an absolute hit. Thanks!
Yum! I’m going to have to make this!
Fresh new asparagus with pistachios sound marvelous – can’t wait to try this!
MMmm! I love asparagus, pistachios, lemons, and feta! And I just so happen to have some asparagus waiting for me in my refrigerator right now. I went to school in Asheville, NC and I really miss those beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains too!
Just made this and it is omgoodness delish!!!!
I am so making this tonight
This looks delicious!
I also love getting little peeks of your new home :) I hope you are settling in well!
Oh man! I’ve been looking for some creative ways to serve asparagus. This looks killer.
Looks zoo good, my mouth is watering! Now if I just had asparagus and pistachio!
I’m having such an asparagus moment right now. But love this green on green. Pistachios and asparagus – why did I never think of that? What a dreamy recipe!
I can’t believe you shelled all those pistachios! I just buy the bag from Trader Joe’s and call it a day, I’m lazy.
Is there such a thing as “just aparagus”, especially in April? ;) Love the pistachios- I think they aren’t used nearly often enough in recipes, and I love them!
Oh, I love the idea of using a nut crust with asparagus! I usually only think to use them with fish, but this is so clearly beautiful and delicious. Yay!
I am definitely going to make this! Spring for me is “all asparagus, all the time”
This asparagus looks delicious! I’m always looking for new ways to spruce up roasted veggies — can’t wait to try this one.
I love the idea here of crunchy and creamy. I could survive on feta alone. It’s that good all the time!
http://www.taffetaandtulips.com
Really lovely detail. I do admire the brevity of your writing style – used to make such interesting observations. Love your point about the colours of asparagus and pistachio suggesting that Cupid had a hand in this match. Sadly, in the UK, we have a few more months to wait for good asparagus. I shall have some pistachios on standby …
OMG I love all of it! You had mit with Feta but the asparagus is also one of my fav veggies!
https://love-your-ego.blogspot.de
You’re right, this dish just sounds spectacular, the flavours, colours, textures. Yes! Thanks for the book link, it really looks lovely x
Looks amazing! Asparagus and pistachios are probably two of my favourite things. Ever. Beside chocolate ;)
But I would have one little question, if I’m using ready-shelled pistachios, about how much do I need them? Thanks if you can help!
This asparagus looks delicious, Joy!
Just the recipe I needed Joy! Asparagus awaits!
Such a beauty!
Asparagus + crispy pistachios + lemony vinaigrette + creamy salty feta = amazing. This dish is spring, essentially. Trader Joe’s does sell bags of shelled pistachios. They are less crispy than the shelled ones but for this application I think it’d be ok :)
I used to make a very similar recipes a couple of years ago, with walnuts and grana padano (comparable to parmigiano). Thanks for reminding me as asparagus is in season right now over here :) and i will definnitely try it with feta and pistachios!
Okay yeah we’re definitely on the same page. Saturday night, I was baking a pistachio cake for my Easter feast and I literally ate every other one. After getting them all shelled, I realized that I didn’t even have enough to put in the cake. LOL. Oh well?
This looks crazy delish, by the way. I need to check out Ashley’s book!
I have never had a pistachio in my whole life! Clearly I have been missing out! This looks wonderful!
Ooh this looks like a fun way to dress up asparagus. I will definitely need to get SHELLED pistachios, though. Shelling pistachios–ugh. Ain’t nobody got time for that.
This looks delish! I’ve become a feta monster lately so anything I can put it on is welcome! Yum-o :)
That sounds amazing! And it looks so good!
I love this Joy! Such a yummy recipe!
LOVE this. Those greens, looking gor.ge.ous.
Love the pistachio crust!
I love the combination of ingredients in this recipe. I am now daydreaming about asparagus and I can almost taste how fabulous this is going to be!
i think so!
I was going to head to the pharmacy for half-price easter candy day, but this inspired me to go to the farmer’s market instead (annnd the wine shop). You’re a hero, joy.
This looks so amazingly delicious I can’t wait to try it.
Question – when I was ‘Pinning’ this great recipe… I couldn’t get any photos of this recipe… That happened to me last time I pinned one of your recipes. The only three choices that show up are photos of you (and you’re lovely) or photos of the covers of your cookbooks. Is there a way you can fix this?? Thanks!!
hi Cecile! thank you so much for letting me know! strange. i can pin photos just fine. try using the small ‘pin it’ button that appears when you hover over a photograph.
i’ll definitely look into make it easier for you! thanks again!
For some reason I don’t get photos of the recipe…. strange, huh?
I was just in Ashville myself – I loved it!! And what a great recipe – gotta go… ‘Pinning’ this immediately!!!
Looks lovely :)
L x
http://workingmumy.blogspot.com
Asparagus and lemon anything sounds great!
Wow i have got to try the combo of pistachios and feta more often. Everything about these roasted veggies have addiction written all over it!
I think – I *think* – I’m going to have to go out and buy these ingredients right now, and have this for lunch. I don’t feel like it can wait until tomorrow.
Nope, it definitely can’t wait.
This really caught my eye in my blog reader this morning … what a wonderfully simple way to dress up asparagus … but not too much. Love it!
Looks absolutely gorgeous… definitely going to have to try this
You’ve no idea how much I was searching for a fresh asparagus recipe! Thanks for your work and this amazing blog, you are an everyday smile with it, for me. Thanks
Hugs
Ludi
And happy Easter!
Can’t wait for your new cookbook to come out! Counting down the days!
Thanks for experimenting with asparagus! Been looking to find a new way to cook it!
I’d never have thought of feta and asparagus going together, but now that I think of it they are perfect for each other. I’m gonna make this. Plus that glass of pink wine you mentioned;)