Cashew Asparagus Pilaf

Fresh asparagus and toasty cashews combine to create a bright, fresh-tasting spring pilaf in this simple, easy one-pot side dish. (Adapted from a traditional Armenian recipe.)

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I've never been much of an asparagus fan, but this Cashew Asparagus Pilaf converted me!

For years I was kind of envious of people who love asparagus, because they just seemed to relish the eating experience so much. Not me! Time after time, I tried to like it - I really did. But every time, I would take one bite and a weird green-bitter aftertaste would bounce around on my tongue and remind how much I didn't love it at all.

Then a few years ago, I decide to take a different tack. Maybe starting with a pile of naked asparagus wasn’t the answer. On a whim, I made this Cashew Asparagus Pilaf, which is an adaptation of an old Armenian recipe. (I have a close, familial connection with the Armenian community, and a great love for their fabulous traditional foods and recipes.) 

The cashews and lemon in this pilaf bring out the lovely, delicate sweetness of the asparagus, but with none of the weird aftertaste. The pilaf itself is satisfying and filling, and will stand in as a main course if you let it. (Throw in some leftover chicken and you've got a complete meal!)

How to Choose Asparagus

Because of its short "freshness life," asparagus is one crop that we always try to buy directly from our local farmers. (If you live in the Portland area, be sure to check our Portland Farmers’ Market Guide for a market near you!)

For this recipe, you want to look for thin, fresh asparagus stalks. Fresh asparagus should be bright green in color, with slight fading to white at the cut end of the stalk. If asparagus seems faded or dull, it had passed its sell-by date.

Asparagus should stand up straight, and be firm and smooth to the tough. Do not choose limp or wilted stalks. The tips of the asparagus should be tight; closed and compact. If the leaves are soft or spreading away from the stalk, keep looking.

Asparagus comes in a variety of sizes, ranging from very thin to jumbo. Generally, the thinner the stalk, the more tender the asparagus will be. Thicker stalks can be chewy, stringy, and have an unpleasant, woody texture.

For this recipe, we prefer to use the thinnest stalks we can find. That said, you may prefer making the pilaf with a bigger stalk, especially if you are a big asparagus lover. The important thing is to select stalks that are uniform in length and thickness, as this makes preparation easier and will result in more consistent cooking.

How to Store Asparagus

Fresh asparagus is best prepared and eaten as soon as possible after harvesting. Store asparagus as you would fresh cut flowers: trim the bottoms and stand the stalks in a glass with a couple inches of water. Put the glass in the fridge, and make sure the water in the glass does not dry up. Asparagus will stay fresh this way for about 4-5 days. 

How to Make Cashew Asparagus Pilaf

This pilaf is very simple to make, and can be on the table in about 45 minutes, most of which is hands-off time.

First gather and prep your ingredients. 

Ingredient Substitutions: 

Cashews: WHole, raw cashews are one of the anchor ingredients in this recipe, but you can definitely sub in other nuts. (Almonds are always a good option.) Stick with raw, unsalted varieties though. 

Onions: Red, white, or yellow onions all work well in this pilaf. I prefer to use a sweet onion to encourage those sweet undertone flavors in the final product. Red onions will make your final pilaf appear a bit darker in color. 

Spaghetti: We use thin spaghetti for this recipe. Regular spaghetti or angel hair will also both work; however, you may need to adjust the sautéing and simmering times. 

Rice: We've made this successfully with jasmine rice, basmati rice, brown rice. The cooking times shown in the recipe below are calibrated for using basmati rice, which is our favorite version. 

Butter: We use salted butter for this recipe. If you used unsalted butter, you may need to adjust the seasonings accordingly.

Lemon: If you don't have a fresh lemon, you can use bottled lemon juice. If you don't have any lemon zest, double the amount of lemon juice. 

Chicken stock: You can make this recipe vegetarian by simply subbing in vegetable stock for the chicken stock. 

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium-low heat. When the butter is bubbly, add the cut-up asparagus pieces.

I like to leave a couple of stalks whole, turning them occasionally as I'm sautéing the asparagus pieces. I use these for garnishing when the pilaf is served. 

Stir the asparagus in the hot butter for two minutes, and then add the coarsely chopped cashews. Continue to cook, stirring very frequently, for four more minutes.

Reduce heat to low, cover the skillet, and allow the cashews and asparagus to cook, stirring once or twice. Continue to cook for four more minutes, or until the cashews are toasted and the asparagus is done to your liking.

We like our asparagus just past al dente; tender, and just barely done. If you like you asparagus more done, which is to say softer, wait an extra minute or two before adding the cashews. When the asparagus and cashew mixture is done, turn off the burner and remove the mixture to a medium bowl and set aside.

In the same skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the broken spaghetti pieces and stir, sautéing until it is just beginning to toast.

When the spaghetti pieces are just beginning to brown, add the chopped onion.

Sauté the spaghetti and onion together for 2 minutes, and then add the rice and garlic and sauté another 2 minutes.

When the spaghetti-rice mixture is toasty, pour in the chicken broth and add the lemon zest.

Stir and bring the mixture a simmer over medium heat, then cover it, reduce the heat, and simmer for about 25-30 minutes. Uncover and stir the mixture occasionally, then put the cover back on and let it continue to cook. 

Keep a careful eye on the pilaf, especially in the last ten minutes of cooking. Check and add liquid as needed toward the end of cooking time. You may need to add additional liquid, depending on the specific spaghetti and rice.

Taste the rice to make sure it is done to your liking before proceeding. 

Stir the cooked asparagus and cashew mixture back into the pilaf. 

The final step is to sprinkle to pilaf with lemon juice, and it's ready to serve! Garnish with lemon slices and whole cooked asparagus stalks and serve warm.

Recipe Updated June 22, 2021 (Originally published September 5, 2013)

Cashew Asparagus Pilaf is a light, satisfying side for any meal. Check out our recipes for Cranberry Orange Pearl Couscous, Cheesy Vegetable Orzo, and Spaghetti Squash with Garlic & Almonds for other delicious side dish options.

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