Healthy, low in carbs, gluten-free, high in fiber, heavenly tasty, these are just some of the words we use when mentioning this amazing sauteed asparagus recipe. At less than 100 calories per serving and ready to eat at the dinner table in less than 20 minutes, you will be mad not to give this recipe a try!
If you love asparagus, you have to try my bacon wrapped asparagus recipe as your next appetizer or side dish.
Contents
⭐ Sauteed Asparagus Recipe
Sauteed or chargrilled, asparagus tastes delicious! They are different than any other green vegetable out there. I love asparagus because they are tender when cooked perfectly and combine with lemon zest, butter, and minced garlic, and you have a vegetable dish that you can eat on its own as a side dish.
The beauty of asparagus is that they go with pretty much any meat out there, no matter beef, poultry, or fish. As a result, recipes are abundant for asparagus. If you are looking for the best-sauteed asparagus, then look no further than this page, as I will show you how to sautee tender asparagus in under 20 minutes.
Green vegetables steamed or other are a must in a healthy diet and do some incredible things to your body when eating them regularly. Asparagus is one of the most nutritious greens you can come across as it is super low in carbs and high in fiber, minerals, and vitamins.
We keep it simple for this easy sauteed asparagus recipe by using fresh asparagus, lemon juice, salt, ground black pepper, and some sliced almond pieces for added crunch and flavor. An authentic recipe the whole family will enjoy.
🍽 What you Need
This quick stovetop side dish recipe has a crunchy, buttery texture and a touch of lemon juice to perfectly balance the sauteed asparagus. All you need is 5 ingredients and 20 minutes of your time to cook this basic method dish with just a single skillet.
🔪 How to make
Boil the asparagus first to get them nice and tender, but not too soft, and give them a quick saute in a large skillet, tossing a few times in the lemony butter juices and voilà, you have a delicately delicious side dish.
Preping
- The first thing to do is wash the asparagus and snap the woody sections at the bottom. I typically cut about 1" off the bottom. However, this will vary depending on the time of year.
- Grab your saute pan, fill it with enough water to cover the asparagus, and then bring it to the boil.
- Prepare a large bow with iced water ready and set aside.
Cooking
Step 1
Add asparagus to the boiling water and cook for 2-3 minutes until they are tender and crisp.
Step 2
Transfer the asparagus to the iced water immediately to stop them from cooking further.
Step 3
Now heat the butter to a skillet on medium-high heat. Add the asparagus and saute for 1 - 2 minutes.
Step 4
Squeeze the lemon juice over the asparagus and add the salt and pepper to taste.
Step 5
Add the sliced almonds evenly and saute for an additional minute, stirring occasionally.
Step 6
Put a plate on the dinner table, add the asparagus and serve immediately with the butter and toasted almonds.
💭 Cooking Tips
- This tip may go without saying, but don't overcook them in the boiling process as limp asparagus just doesn't quite taste as good as sauteed asparagus with a crunch.
- If you want to cut down the calories even further or just turn it vegan, simply substitute the butter for olive oil.
- Add some fresh chopped parsley to the butter sauce once you have removed the asparagus and cook on high heat for a few minutes to caramelize the butter, almonds, and parsley before drizzling it over the cooked asparagus.
📋 Frequently Asked Questions
How do you trim the asparagus?
A good rule of thumb is to grab the asparagus by the stalk and slightly bend them until they snap. This method shows where the rough part of the stalk ends and the tender part of the asparagus starts.
Once you have done this process with all the asparagus, line them up on a chopping board and trim them at the bottom about 1 thumbnail up from where they snapped.
Tip: While some may throw away the asparagus ends. I keep them to make asparagus soup.
📋 Variations
You can add lots of your household items to this dish, like green onions, minced garlic, cherry tomatoes, different cheeses like parmesan cheese, Brie, and even cheddar. Try some of these variations below to add something extra to your sauteed asparagus side dish.
Sherry and chestnuts
This is my staple side dish on festive occasions and always gets me compliments. Cook asparagus, a handful of chopped chestnuts, and minced garlic on high heat with a healthy portion of sherry (quarter cup) until it becomes a flame. Once the flame has died, give the skillet a quick toss to incorporate the flavors and serve.
Parmesan asparagus
If you're looking for a more Italian feel, this is your go-to recipe. Slice 1 cup of cherry tomatoes in half and ¼ cup of black olives to the skillet of asparagus. Saute in olive oil for 3 - 4 minutes and serve with shaved parmesan cheese.
Bacon asparagus
This is an English favorite and an excellent variation if you love crispy salted bacon. For this, you want to grab 100g of smokey bacon strips and chop them up into small pieces along with the white or green onion. Sauté the bacon and onion first for 5 minutes in olive oil and then add the asparagus. Cooking for a few minutes more, then transfer the ingredients to a serving dish, and serve with grated cheddar cheese.
🥗 What to serve with
You can serve the sauteed asparagus recipe with basically anything. In my kitchen, it is a common side recipe for parmesan crusted pork chops. Although, I also love eating it with a good steak, or a chicken/duck breast.
Whichever recipe you decide to combine the sauteed asparagus with, I am sure it will match!
🥫 Storage
This is one recipe you will not have enough left to store! But just in case you do, it is possible to store it for up to 4 days in the fridge. Freezing asparagus is not recommended because it will go soft and soggy after defrosting.
To store the sauteed asparagus in the fridge, let them cool down and place them in an airtight container with a slice of lemon (the lemon will help them keep fresh and stop them from going limp). Then, reheat them in a pan on medium-high heat for 2 minutes and serve immediately.
👪 Serving size
This lovely side dish only takes 20 minutes to make, makes 4 servings, and is easy to double if you have a crowd. The perfect side dish recipe to accompany any weeknight meal.
Also, give some of the variations a go if you're feeling confident in the kitchen. You don't need to be a seasoned chef to perfect sauteed asparagus; anyone can master this recipe and satisfy their critics with this recipe.
📋 Recipe
Sauteed Asparagus Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb asparagus spears
- 5 tablespoon butter - unsalted
- ½ lemon
- ¼ cup almonds - sliced
- salt and pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Wash the asparagus spears, and break off the woody sections at the bottoms / ends.
- Bring a pot of water (big enough to hold and cover the asparagus) to a boil over high heat on the stove.
- Prepare a bowl of ice water big enough for the asparagus and set aside.
- Place the asparagus into the boiling water, and cook for 2-3 minutes until they are still crisp but slightly tender.
- Immediately place the asparagus into the bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.
- Heat butter in a skillet over medium-high heat.
- Place the asparagus into the butter, and saute for 1-2 minutes.
- Squeeze in the juice from the lemon evenly over the asparagus.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Sprinkle the almonds evenly into the skillet, and cook for an additional minute.
- Place the asparagus on a serving plate, and top with the melted butter and toasted almonds from the pan.
Notes
- This tip may go without saying, but don't overcook them in the boiling process as limp asparagus just doesn't quite taste as good as sauteed asparagus with a crunch.
- If you want to cut down the calories even further or just turn it vegan, simply substitute the butter for olive oil.
- Add some fresh chopped parsley to the butter sauce once you have removed the asparagus and cook on high heat for a few minutes to caramelize the butter, almonds, and parsley before drizzling it over the cooked asparagus.
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