This sauteed asparagus is tender asparagus stalks cooked in butter, garlic and an assortment of herbs. A ten minute side dish that pairs perfectly with chicken, fish, pasta and seafood.
I am always happy to eat asparagus, some of my favorite ways to enjoy it include grilled asparagus foil packets and chicken asparagus stir fry. This sauteed asparagus is a simple yet satisfying way to get your veggies in with minimal effort!
Reading: how to stir fry asparagus on the stove
We eat a fair amount of broccoli in this house, but when I’m looking to switch things up a bit in the green veggie department, I turn to asparagus. Asparagus is healthy and readily available most of the year. Best of all, my kids happily eat it! This sauteed asparagus is an easy way to get a flavorful vegetable on the dinner table in no time at all.
How do you trim asparagus?
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The bottom of asparagus stalks tends to be tough and woody, and isn’t that pleasant to eat. The best way to figure out where to trim your asparagus is to take a stalk and bend it. Wherever the stalk snaps is where the tender part starts and the tough part ends. From there, you can line up all your asparagus stalks and trim the bottom off in the same spot as where your original piece of asparagus snapped in half. For this recipe, you’ll want to cut your asparagus stalks into 1-2 inch sized pieces.
How do you saute asparagus?
The key to cooking fresh asparagus to make sure it’s tender, but not overly soft. You’ll want to watch the asparagus closely as it cooks. As soon as the color turns deep green, it can be removed from the heat. This sauteed asparagus is flavored with butter, garlic, dried Italian seasoning and fresh parsley.
Tips for sauteed asparagus
- This recipe works best with medium sized asparagus stalks. If you use the really skinny stalks they may overcook and get mushy. If you’re using thicker stalks, you may have to add a few minutes to the cook time.
- To make this recipe vegan, use olive oil instead of butter.
- Add the garlic towards the very end of the cooking time so that it doesn’t burn.
- This recipe calls for dried Italian seasoning which is a blend of herbs such as oregano, parsley, and basil. It is available in the spice aisle of most grocery stores. Alternatively, you can substitute your favorite dried herbs in the same amount.
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Is asparagus healthy?
Asparagus is full of vitamins and minerals such as Vitamins A, C and K. It also contains folate, iron, copper and calcium. Asparagus is high fiber and low calorie and is also low in carbohydrates.
Sauteed asparagus variations
While I enjoy this recipe as-is, sometimes I add other ingredients that I happen to have around the house to spice things up a bit!
- Sun Dried Tomatoes: Add 1/3 cup chopped oil packed sun dried tomatoes.
- Mushrooms: Cook up 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms before you add the asparagus to the pan.
- Shallots: Substitute 1/4 cup minced shallots for the garlic.
- Olives: Add 1/3 cup sliced kalamata olives.
- Cheese: Sprinkle feta or parmesan cheese over the asparagus before serving.
- Pine Nuts: Add 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts right before serving.
No matter how you serve this sauteed asparagus, it’s sure to be a hit! We all need some go-to easy side dishes to complement dinner, and this one is a keeper.
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More side dish options
- Roasted Parmesan Broccoli
- Glazed Carrots
- Roasted Garlic Butter Mushrooms
- Zucchini Gratin
- Braised Cabbage
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