Asparagus Mimosa (Whole30, Keto, Paleo)

Asparagus mimosa is a classic French recipe that embodies spring on the plate! Combining tender, crunchy asparagus stalks with a lemon vinaigrette and topped with fluffy, sifted hard-boiled eggs – it’s the perfect vegetable dish to serve with Sunday brunch or a colorful spring dinner.

A plate of asparagus mimosa from above on a rectangular plate, blanched asparagus tossed with a tangy vinaigrette and sifted hard-boiled eggs. The red banner at the bottom says paleo, Whole30, and keto.

Why is this dish called Asparagus Mimosa?

This old-school asparagus salad recipe is traditionally tossed with hard-boiled eggs that are pushed through a fine-mesh sieve so that the bright yellow yolks resemble the small yellow flowers of the mimosa tree, also known as Acacia dealbata. It’s just a coincidence that the similarly colored mimosa brunch cocktail, made with champagne and orange juice, is named after the same flowers. You can make it a mimosa inspired meal by serving both this coming weekend!

Side shot of asparagus mimosa on a rectangular white plate with forks and plates on the side.

Ingredients Mimosa Asparagus

Asparagus

Since this dish is all about asparagus, you should choose the best you can find. Choose bright green stems with tight buds at the top and check that the cut ends are not dry or woody. It doesn’t matter if you use thin ones or thick ones, just make sure they’re all the same size so they cook at the same time.

How to store asparagus: If you don’t cook the asparagus right away, trim the ends and store the stalks with the ends cut off in a glass jar filled with water. Loosely cover the jar with a plastic bag and store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Spicy vinaigrette

My favorite part of this recipe is the lemon vinaigrette made with chopped shallots, lemon zest, lemon juice, champagne vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. If you don’t have champagne vinegar on hand, you can use more lemon juice or replace it with white balsamic vinegar or sherry vinegar.

Cooked hard boiled eggs

The “mimosa” part of the name comes from the soft boiled eggs that adorn the top. Although the classic way to prepare eggs is to pass them through a fine-mesh strainer, you can also pass them through the small holes of a grater or simply chop them. Separate the egg yolks from the whites before cutting them, so that the two colors contrast and stand out.

Someone in a red apron is pushing hard-boiled egg yolks through a strainer to make asparagus mimosa.

My favorite way to make hard boiled eggs is in the Instant Pot – if you make them ahead of time, this dish can be made in minutes!

If you’re allergic to eggs, just leave them on top and you’ll still end up with a fabulous asparagus salad!

Herbal garnish

I love seasoning the asparagus mimosa with chopped fresh herbs and use what I find at the market. Some of my favorite herbs to use include:

Chives
Italian parsley
Tarragon
Chervil

Give instructions in advance

The best thing about this dish is that you can prepare the components ahead of time and put everything together before serving! Cooked asparagus and hard-boiled eggs can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Make the vinaigrette the day you serve it, and don’t pour the dressing over the asparagus more than a few hours in advance because the stalks will turn a dull greenish brown color. (How disgusting.)

How to prepare asparagus Mimosa

Bring a large covered pot of water to a boil over high heat.

A hand putting the lid on a gray pot full of water on the stove.

While the water heats, fill a large bowl with ice water…

A large silver bowl filled with ice is filled with water.

…and cut the bottom 2 inches from asparagus.

An overhead shot of someone cutting off the woody ends of a bunch of asparagus.

When the water boils, add a generous pinch of salt and stir to dissolve it.

One hand is adding a large pinch of Diamond Crystal kosher salt to a large gray pot filled with boiling water.

Carefully immerse the peeled asparagus in boiling water and cook for approximately 2-6 minutes (depending on thickness)…

Two hands add asparagus to a gray pot filled with boiling water.

…or until they are bright green and tender and crunchy.

An overhead shot of a gray pot filled with boiling water and bright green asparagus. A hand with a pair of tongs is mixing them.

Taste one to make sure the consistency is As soon as right, because no one wants mushy asparagus.

An Asian woman in a red apron bites into a piece of asparagus.

Use a pair of tongs to transfer the asparagus to the bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.

Someone uses tongs to place cooked asparagus in a large bowl of ice water.

Dry the asparagus carefully with absorbent paper or a clean cloth. If the spears are wet, the seasoning won’t stick! Arrange the dried spears on a serving platter.

Someone in a red apron cooked asparagus on a large white tea towel.

It’s time to make the vinaigrette! Mix together the shallots, lemon zest, lemon juice, champagne vinegar, kosher salt, and black pepper in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup. Let everything rest for a few minutes to soften the shallots.

An overhead close-up of a liquid measuring cup filled with chopped shallots, lemon zest, lemon juice, champagne vinegar, salt and pepper

Add the mustard and slowly blend the extra virgin olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Someone in a red apron is whisking extra virgin olive oil in a measuring cup with vinaigrette ingredients.

Pour the dressing over the asparagus, tossing to coat thoroughly.

Someone in a red apron pours a lemon-scallion vinaigrette over cooked asparagus on a white rectangular plate.

Cut the hard-boiled eggs in half and separate the cooked yolks from the whites. Pass the egg whites through a fine mesh strainer with the back of a metal spoon over the seasoned asparagus.

A woman in a red apron is pressing egg whites through a strainer over cooked asparagus

Next, push the egg yolks through the fine mesh strainer. Be sure to scrape the outside of the sieve to get all the egg goodness!

Someone in a red apron is pushing cooked egg yolks through a small strainer onto a plate of asparagus topped with egg whites.

Add additional black pepper and sprinkle the top with chives or your favorite chopped fresh herbs.

An Asian woman in a red apron is sprinkling chopped chives over asparagus mimosa.

Enjoy!

An overhead shot of a rectangular plate filled with Asparagus Mimosa, cooked asparagus drizzled with a lemon vinaigrette and topped with chopped hard-boiled eggs and chives.

Looking for more recipe ideas? Go to my recipe index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017) and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2022).

EASY TO PRINT RECIPE CARD

Fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside. Bring a large covered pot of water to a boil over high heat.
While the water heats, trim the bottom 2 inches of the asparagus.
When the water boils, add a generous pinch of salt and stir to dissolve it.
Carefully lower the cut asparagus into the boiling water and cook for about 2 to 6 minutes (depending on thickness) or until bright green and tender.
Use a pair of tongs to transfer the asparagus to the bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.
Dry the asparagus carefully with absorbent paper or a clean cloth. If the spears are wet, the seasoning won’t stick! Arrange the dried spears on a serving platter.
Mix the shallots, lemon zest, lemon juice, champagne vinegar, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup. Add the mustard and slowly blend the extra virgin olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Pour the dressing over the asparagus, tossing to coat thoroughly.
Cut the hard-boiled eggs in half and separate the cooked yolks from the whites.
Pass the egg whites through a fine mesh strainer with the back of a metal spoon over the seasoned asparagus. Next, push the egg yolks through the fine mesh strainer. Be sure to scrape the outside of the sieve to get all the egg goodness!
Add additional black pepper and sprinkle the top with chives or your favorite chopped fresh herbs. Enjoy!

Give instructions in advance
The best thing about this dish is that you can prepare the components ahead of time and put everything together before serving! Cooked asparagus and hard-boiled eggs can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Make the vinaigrette the day you serve it, and don’t pour the dressing over the asparagus more than a few hours in advance because the stalks will turn a dull greenish brown color. (How disgusting.)

Nutrition information is calculated automatically, so should only be used as an approximation.