Who doesn’t love an easy side dish that pairs with your favorite plant-based protein? These balsamic-honey potatoes and asparagus are easy to throw together and have a perfectly sweet, tangy flavor.
A sweet, zippy side that goes with anything
I love roasted potatoes, especially baby potatoes. They cook up in about 30 minutes and develop a gorgeous crisp crust outside with a dreamy, creamy inside.
In this recipe, I pair roasted baby potatoes with asparagus and a sweet, zippy balsamic honey sauce.
Should I use vegan honey?
For this recipe, I use vegan honey. Whether you abstain from honey or not is really a matter of personal preference. We’ll be releasing an article soon that gives a more in-depth look at the honey discussion within the plant-based community.
If you are looking for vegan honey, I absolutely love BlendItUp Bee Free Honey. It’s thick and viscous, and thanks to apple juice, it has a really nice fruity flavor. It works perfectly in glazes and sauces.
How to make this balsamic-honey potato and asparagus recipe
The beauty of this recipe is that you don’t need a ton of ingredients to make a rich side dish that pairs with your favorite meat-free protein.
What you need
- Potatoes and asparagus: I use baby potatoes because I love how quickly they roast! My favorite brand is Little Potato Company.
- Vegan honey: My favorite brand is BlendItUp, and I’ll be reviewing them soon!
- Balsamic vinegar: I use Colavita aged balsamic vinegar, but your favorite balsamic vinegar will work here!
- Dijon mustard: This helps thicken the sauce and gives it a great flavor.
- Oregano: I mince fresh oregano and sprinkle it on top, but fresh minced parsley would be great too.
How to make it
- Step 1: Roast the potatoes first. You’ll let them go for 20 minutes until almost cooked through.
- Step 2: Make the sauce. While the potatoes cook, prepare the sauce. Whisk together vegan honey, balsamic vinegar, and Dijon mustard.
- Step 2: Add the asparagus. Push the potatoes to one side of the baking sheet and arrange the trimmed asparagus on the other side.
- Step 3: Sauce time! Pour the sauce over the potatoes and asparagus and toss gently to combine. Sprinkle the fresh oregano on top. Finish roasting for about 10 minutes.
Just look how gorgeous that is! I absolutely love how the asparagus and potatoes work with the sweet, vinegary sauce. It’s absolutely divine!
To serve it, I place the asparagus in the middle of a serving platter and arrange the potatoes on both sides. From there, simply serve alongside your favorite plant-based protein like Meati Classic Steaks or Meati Classic Cutlets.
Balsamic-Honey Potatoes and Asparagus
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
- 1 pound baby potatoes, halved
- 2 tablespoons vegan honey
- 6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons loosely packed oregano leaves, minced
- 1 pound asparagus, woody ends trimmed
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
Roast the potatoes:
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
- Arrange the potatoes on a baking sheet and toss with 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange the potatoes cut-side down and transfer to the oven for 20 minutes.
Make the balsamic honey sauce:
- Whisk together the vegan honey, balsamic vinegar, and Dijon mustard. Taste and adjust the ingredients to your preference–more honey for additional sweetness, more vinegar for extra tanginess, or more mustard if you like a stronger Dijon flavor. Set aside.
Roast the asparagus:
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven after the potatoes have roasted for 20 minutes. Push the potatoes to one side of the baking sheet. Carefully arrange the asparagus on the other side of the baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil. Season the asparagus with salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle the minced oregano over the potatoes and asparagus and drizzle over the balsamic honey sauce. Use a rubber spatula to coat the vegetables in the sauce. Return to the oven for 10 minutes or until the asparagus is bright green and tender and the potatoes are fork-tender.
To serve:
- Place the asparagus on a serving platter and arrange the potatoes on either side. Serve alongside your favorite plant-based protein. Enjoy!
