Asparagus with Crumbled Eggs and Capers: Low-Carb Spring Side

Quick Summary: Fresh asparagus topped with grated hard-boiled eggs and briny capers. A quick, protein-rich side dish that’s naturally low-carb. Inspired by Ottolenghi but simplified for weeknight cooking. Prep: 15 min | Cook: 15 min | Serves: 4

Jump to: RECIPE | Making Vegetables Easy | More Slow Carb Sides | FAQ

While protein and fat take center stage on low-carb diets, vegetable side dishes are what make meals interesting. This asparagus recipe delivers both: the eggs add protein while the capers add a briny punch that elevates simple steamed asparagus to something special.

I adapted this from Yotam Ottolenghi’s “Plenty,” simplifying it for weeknight cooking. His vegetable dishes are inspiring but often complicated. This version keeps the essence while cutting the fuss.

The trick is grating the hard-boiled eggs on a coarse cheese grater. It creates a light, fluffy topping that distributes evenly over the asparagus spears.

While the macronutrients of protein and fat hold star status on low carb diets, the vegetable side dishes are often what make the meal more interesting and complete.  The asparagus recipe below is not only low carb, but offers a lot of protein from the egg garnish. And it’s quick and easy to boot!

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I also earn from qualifying purchases. You can read our disclosure information here– 

There are many cookbooks and blogs that include recipes for low carb side dishes featuring vegetables, and some are quite inspirational.  Many of the more creative recipes however, are either quite complicated or include grains or dairy.  

I bought the cookbook “Plenty” by Yotam Ottolenghi and absolutely love it, but I find I save most of his creative vegetable dishes for special occasions due to complicated ingredients or lengthy directions.

How to Make Cooking Vegetables Easy

The resistance to making vegetable sides usually falls into a few categories:

• The recipe problem: We don’t make vegetables often enough to have methods memorized. Solution: master a few simple preparations that work with any vegetable. Sauté with olive oil, finish with salt and acid (lemon or vinegar).
• The prep problem: Chopping and rinsing takes time. Solution: buy pre-cut when available, or prep vegetables on Sunday for the week.
• The flavor problem: Plain vegetables are boring. Solution: finish with butter, good salt, balsamic vinegar, chile spices, or hard-boiled eggs.

Salt, btw, has been unfairly maligned. Processed foods contain hidden salt, which is the health problem. If you cook at home with whole foods, adding salt to vegetables enhances flavor without health issues.

Once vegetables become something you can prep on autopilot, they are really very quick and add a whole new dimension to your meals as a low carb side dish.  

And when you start to feel that resistance to cooking vegetables, remember…

“Cooking is a practice, same as Buddhism, CrossFit and sobriety. You just have to do it until that’s what you do. ”  — Sam Sifton

How to Make Asparagus with Eggs and Capers

The full instructions are in the recipe card below. In short:

• Hard-boil eggs by bringing water to a boil, turning off the heat, covering, and letting sit 10 minutes.
• Transfer to ice water, peel, and grate on a coarse grater.
• Snap the tough ends off asparagus spears and boil 3 minutes until tender. Drain, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with capers, salt, and pepper, then top with grated egg.

Tip: Fresh eggs don’t peel well. Use eggs at least a week old for easy peeling.

More Slow Carb Side Dishes

So, my recent attempts at getting more creative with spices on vegetable dishes are taking me into the realm of different cultures.  Moroccan, Ethiopian and Vietnamese are my favorites so far, but I’ve just scratched the surface with spice combinations. 

The Cauliflower dish and the asparagus dish below were inspired by Yotam Ottolenghi’s book, which I adapted to be compliant with a low carb diet.  The Korean spinach recipe was only slightly adapted from a recipe for Korean Barbecue in Fine Cooking Magazine.  

A few other slow carb vegetable dishes you might enjoy include:

• Vegetable Medley of Brussel Sprouts, Cauliflower and Broccoli
• Adding Fruit Vinegars to Vegetables as a Sheet Pan Dinner
• Low Carb Chimichurri Sauce to Enhance Vegetables

FAQ

Interested in the Slow Carb Diet? Check out this comprehensive E-Guide on Fat Loss through a Slow Carb Diet.

Asparagus w/ Crumbled eggs & Capers

A low carb side dish of fresh asparagus enhanced with the protein and flavor of crumbled eggs and capers

5 from 3 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 130

Author Dorothy Stainbrook

Equipment

• large pot
• coarse grater Like a cheese grater

Ingredients

1x2x3x

• 3 eggs
• 2 large bunches asparagus
• 2 Tbsp olive oil or olive oil
• 2 ½ tsp capers drained
• 1 tsp sea salt
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

 

• Place eggs in a pot of water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When water is boiling, turn burner off and cover the pot. Let it sit for 10 minutes.

  Remove eggs with slotted spoon into bowl of ice water and let cool. Peel under cool running water. * note: fresh eggs will not peel well. you really need eggs that are at least a week old.
  3 eggs
• Grate the eggs on a coarse cheese grater.
• Bend the asparagus until the tough bottom ends snap off and compost the ends (or use in soups). Place the asparagus spears in a large pot of boiling water and cook for 3 minutes, or until tender.
  2 large bunches asparagus
• Drain asparagus. While still warm, drizzle the oil over the asparagus and sprinkle with capers, salt and pepper. Top with the grated egg.
  2 Tbsp olive oil, 2 1/2 tsp capers, 1 tsp sea salt, 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Notes

**Note:  Salt is an ingredient that can take vegetables from good to great. Salt has been given a bad rap, and the use of it is frequently misunderstood.

Processed foods include a LOT of salt (often hidden) and that is where the health problem comes in. If you cook at home, and use very little processed food, using salt will enhance your food without the health issues.

 

Nutrition

Calories: 130kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 6gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 123mgSodium: 665mgPotassium: 251mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 940IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 44mgIron: 3mg

Did you make this recipe?If you tried this recipe, please give it a star rating! To do this, just click on the stars above. Comments are always helpful also and I respond to all of them (except rude ones)