With its fresh and vibrant flavor, this savory Lemon Asparagus Rice is a perfect side dish for fish. Jasmine rice is mixed with asparagus tips, chopped parsley, lemon zest, and a little butter.
Adding a delicious side of asparagus rice to your fish or meat entrée can take any meal from okay to extraordinary!
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Why I Love This Rice and Asparagus
Jasmine rice is my favorite type of rice. It smells so good, and it's light and fluffy!
Asparagus is great for just about any meal. It's easy to cook and the perfect side for fish. Throw some lemon zest on top, and you have the perfect light rice pilaf to complement your dinner.
If you want to get a bit creative, try the rice with peas and mint, or how about carrots and dill? That would be a great combination!
Just chop everything into bite-sized pieces, steam the veggies, and toss them together for an easy side dish packed with flavor!
What You Need
- Jasmine rice (or other white rice)
- Asparagus Stalks
- Lemon
- Parsley
- Unsalted Butter
- Salt
- Pepper
- Water
See the recipe card below for quantities.
How to Purchase Fresh Asparagus
When buying asparagus, seek out the freshest spears you can find. They should be stored standing upright in cold water at the grocery store or produce market. For this recipe, choose thin or medium stalks.
Pay special attention to the purplish tips of each spear.
The tips should feel firm when touched. Asparagus that is past its prime might feel slimy, or its tips may no longer be pointy, appearing loose or separated. If this is the case, consider substituting it with broccoli or sugar snap peas instead.
Instructions
- Rinse the rice in a colander until the water runs clear.
- Bring water to a boil over high heat.
- Add the rice and ½ teaspoon of salt. Return to a boil.
- Then, lower the heat to the lowest setting.
- Cover the pot and set a timer for 15 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat and let it stand, covered, for 10 minutes.
Cut asparagus into 1-inch pieces, leaving the tips intact.
Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Drop in the asparagus and cook one minute. Using a slotted spoon or spider, remove the asparagus from the water and set aside for a moment.
In a large bowl, combine cooked rice, parsley, asparagus, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Toss.
Add olive oil or butter and toss. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Substitutions
Asparagus Lemon Rice can easily become Asparagus Cilantro Lime rice! Trade the parsley for cilantro and the lemons for limes.
- Rice - I used white Jasmine rice in this recipe. You can always use long-grain brown rice or Basmati rice. Uncle Ben's converted rice is always an option too. Use what you have on hand.
- Asparagus can be substituted with broccoli, green beans, diced carrots, or green peas. Even frozen peas and carrots would work!
- Parsley - cilantro, chives, or dill can be used instead of parsley. Make it fresh!
- Lemon - limes, or key limes can be swapped out for lemon in this recipe.
- Water - use chicken or vegetable broth in place of the water for cooking the rice.
- Butter - I used a tablespoon of Kerrygold butter in the rice. You can use a fruity extra-virgin olive oil or leave it out--your choice.
Variations
- Spicy - add chili pepper flakes or stir a teaspoon of Cholula hot sauce into the cooked rice for some heat.
- Sweet - mix in a sauteed onion for a little sweetness.
- Veggies: sub small pieces of other green vegetables. like broccoli, bell peppers, or artichoke hearts for asparagus.
- Fruit: instead of asparagus, fold in diced mango, pineapple, pear, or apple.
Storage and Reheating
Store the cooked rice in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Freezing is not recommended.
Reheat the rice in the microwave on high for a minute or two, depending on how much you have.
Takeaway
This springtime rice side dish goes well with fish and meat entrees.
Cooking Lemon Asparagus Rice is easy, requiring only a few ingredients you already have in your kitchen. It's budget-friendly and packed with nutrients.
You can make it in less than 30 minutes. Plus, it's incredibly versatile. You can pair it with just about anything or enjoy it on its own.
What Goes with Asparagus Rice?
Our favorite dishes to go with lemon asparagus rice are fried fish, roasted snapper, baked mahi mahi, fried shrimp, sauteed shrimp, broiled snapper. blackened fish, and grilled shrimp.
From fish to chicken and burgers, asparagus rice is a great side dish to go with your meals.
Try some of our favorite fish recipes:
- Pan-Fried Yellowtail Snapper
- Broiled Yellowtail Snapper
- Oven Roasted Mahi Mahi
- Crispy Pan Fried Mahi Mahi
- Roasted Whole Red Snapper
- Oven Roasted Mahi Mahi (Dolphin)
- Air Fryer Snapper with Old Bay and Veggies
- How To Roast a Whole Snapper in The Oven
- Summer Grilled Shrimp Recipes
- Easy Blackened Shrimp with Brown Butter Sauce
and all of our Florida Keys recipes!
FAQ
Rinse the rice in a colander until the water runs clear. Then, bring water to a boil over high heat, add the rice and ½ teaspoon of salt, and bring it back to a boil. Afterward, lower the heat to the lowest setting, cover the pot, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let it sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Finally, lift the cover and fluff the rice with a fork.
There are 145 calories per serving of asparagus rice.
You can flavor rice with roasted garlic, lemon zest, dried herbs and spices, butter or olive oil, and any cooked vegetables cut into bite-size pieces.
Steamed vegetables or a fresh garden salad complement fish and rice well, adding color and texture to the meal. For a flavor boost, consider a tangy lemon butter sauce or a refreshing cucumber dill yogurt sauce.
Lemon Asparagus Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup jasmine rice
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 pound fresh asparagus
- 4 tablespoons minced parsley, flat or curly leaf
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or unsalted butter
- Salt to taste
- Freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Rinse rice in a colander until the water runs clear. Bring water to a boil over high heat. Add rice and ½ teaspoon salt. Bring back to a boil and then lower the heat to the lowest setting. Cover the pot and set timer for 15 minutes. Let pot sit off the heat for 5 minutes. Lift cover and fluff with a fork.
- While rice is cooking, snap the ends off the asparagus. Cut the stalks into 1-inch pieces and leave the asparagus tips whole.
- Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Drop in the asparagus and cook one minute. Using a slotted spoon or spider, remove the asparagus from the water and set aside.
- When the rice is cooked, pour the hot rice into a big bowl.
- Add asparagus, chopped parsley, lemon juice, lemon zest, and butter.
- Toss with a rubber spatula until combined.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.
Felice says
❤️🐠🇺🇸
mallory k says
This worked exactly as written, thanks!