Asparagus
I love asparagus, especially the ones with tender stems.
Asparagus is a sustainable vegetable mostly grown and harvested in the United States, in the state of Michigan and Washington.
Asparagus is easy to prepare and cook. All you have to do is to trim off the bottom part of the stems.
There is no need to peel the hard skin and leaves on the stems.
Other Healthy Recipes You Might Like:
Sauteed Asparagus Recipe
What is the best way to cook asparagus?
I love healthy sauteed asparagus in a skillet on stove top. This simple recipe calls for only a few ingredients:
- Asparagus
- Butter
- Garlic
- Salt and pepper
Cooking asparagus takes only 8 minutes from start to finish.
How Do You Saute Asparagus?
First, heat up a skillet and saute the fresh asparagus.
Next, add some butter and lots of minced garlic.
Cook the asparagus just as soon as they are slightly wilted. Season with salt, ground black pepper and lemon juice.
Green Asparagus Vs. White Asparagus
Do you know that green asparagus and white asparagus are from the same plant? Yes!
Asparagus is planted about 10 inches below the soil surface.
Asparagus spears are white until they poke out from the soil and the sun photosynthesis process turns them into green color.
Hence, white asparagus are harvested by farmers from the ground right before the asparagus sprouts to the surface.
Due to the labor intensive process, white asparagus is generally more expensive.
Cook’s Tips
Asparagus is in season now. This is one of the best sauteed asparagus recipes and here are my tips:
- Always choose young asparagus. You can tell the difference between young vs. old asparagus from the diameter and width of the stalk. If the stalk are thicker, they are old asparagus. They are not ideal for sauteing, because the stalk are fibrous, tough and woody.
- Buy organic asparagus if you can as organic asparagus are always younger and more tender.
- Trim 1-2 inches off the bottom of the stalks before cooking.
- For young asparagus, you don’t have to peel off the skin. If you have big and fat asparagus, you might want to use a peeler to peel off the skin on the stalk to reveal the white, tender part of the stalks.
Toppings for Sauteed Asparagus
You can add a variety of toppings to jazz up this recipe. For examples:
- Shaved Parmesan cheese such as Parmesan asparagus recipe.
- Bacon
- Panko or breadcrumbs
- Lemon
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Use White Asparagus for This Recipe?
Yes, you sure can.
As mentioned above, white asparagus and green asparagus are harvested off the same plant, they are the same vegetable. I prefer white asparagus because they are more tender compared to green asparagus.
Is Asparagus Healthy?
Asparagus is one of the healthiest vegetables with well-balanced nutrition.
You can learn all about it Michigan Asparagus Board.
Asparagus is especially healthy for pregnant women as it’s the leading supplier of folic acid.
It is also packed full of nutrients, such as the following:
- Low in calories, about 4 calories per spear.
- Contains no fat or cholesterol.
- Low in sodium.
- A good source of potassium and fiber.
- Loaded with vitamin B6.
How Many Calories per Serving?
This sauteed asparagus recipe is only 94 calories, making it a healthy side dish that you should make frequently.
What Dishes to Serve with This Recipe?
Sauteed asparagus goes well with anything: salmon, chicken, shrimp and meat. If you like roasting in the oven, try this roasted asparagus recipe.
For a wholesome meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
5 Secrets to 20 Min Dinners
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How to Make Sauteed Asparagus?
Please refer to the recipe card below for detailed step-by-step method on how to make cook asparagus in a skillet, on stove top.
Sauteed Asparagus (The Best Recipe)
Garlic Butter Sauteed Asparagus - easy and healthy asparagus recipe that takes only 10 mins from prep to dinner table. Quick, fresh, and delicious!
Ingredients
- 10 oz. young asparagus
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- salt to taste
- 3 dashes ground black pepper
- lemon juice optional
Directions
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1Cut the bottom part of the asparagus stems, about 1-2 inches.
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2Heat up a skillet on medium heat and add the melted butter. Saute the garlic until slightly browned before adding the asparagus. Toss with a spatula to combine well with the garlic.
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3Add salt and ground black pepper. Add a squirt or two lemon juice, if using. Once the asparagus becomes tender and just cooked, remove from heat and serve immediately. DO NOT overcook the asparagus.
Recipe Video
Carter
Asparagus is my all time favorite vegetable to serve as a side or even a small snack! It’s healthy, and full of flavor! You’ve inspired me to make this for my kids tonight!
James
Quick, easy and flavorful. I followed the recipe cooking for 10 minutes and the texture was perfect, this was the best asparagus I have ever eaten!!
Susan Phillips
All I can say is OMG THANK YOU. I have tried many different recipes to get my husband to eat asparagus and have failed miserably. I found your recipe and found success. He loved it and ate 2 helpings of it. Thank you so much!!
Happy holidays to you.
Rasa Malaysia
Thanks Susan. I appreciate you trying my recipes. Happy Thanksgiving and please try more recipes on my site: https://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-index-gallery/
Susan
I will most definitely be trying them out. I peeked for a minute and say garlic so I know Ill be preparing some of the dishes. Thank you!
Rasa Malaysia
Hi Susan thanks for the support.
Vilma Gonzalez
OMG!!! What a delight!
I was browsing the Pinterest app for an easy to make asparagus recipe and VOILA, I found yours! I just finished making this dish for my ex-husband and daughter and let me tell you, they were licking the plate as if by magic these sauteed asparagus would reappear on their plate, lol! We are Hispanics and by nature we like to add a little Sabor to our plates so while sauteing the asparagus with garlic and butter, I added a pinch or two of adobo. Like I said, OMG! I will definitely be using this recipe again. Thank you so much!!!
Rasa Malaysia
Hi Vilma, thanks so much for trying this sauteed asparagus. I am so happy that you have found my site and tried my recipe. Please try more recipes on my site: https://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-index-gallery/
Kendoll
Best asparagus recipe ever. I love it. Thanks.
Rasa Malaysia
Thanks Kendoll, I am glad you love my asparagus recipe!
Jamie
Love the tips now I always go for tender asparagus and use your recipe to make asparagus. Yummy!
Rasa Malaysia
Awesome thanks Jamie. Please try more recipes on my site, they are all easy and delicious: https://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-index-gallery/
Neli Howard | Delicious Meets Healthy
This is one of my favorite side dishes! I could eat asparagus every day.
Laine
Thank you very much for this recipe! I was looking for a way to cook a sauteed asparagus for my husband and it turned out really well. He is on a no sodium diet so i just used unsalted butter and used ground black pepper and didn’t add salt. Also I added about half a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil for additional flavor. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe! ?
Rasa Malaysia
Hi Laine, thanks for trying my sauteed asparagus recipe.
Mary
Absolutely fabulous! I don’t think I’ll ever cook asparagus any other way. I like my asparagus with a little snap and you can’t go wrong coating it in butter & garlic. I just bought more & will be preparing it tomorrow night.
Rasa Malaysia
Hi Mary, awesome, so glad you love garlic butter sauteed asparagus.
Cathy Levine
I have been making asparagus this way for a long time. Glad to see it on your site. It’s so good!
Rasa Malaysia
Hi Cathy, thanks. Yes, best sauteed asparagus ever!