Sautéed Asparagus
This sautéed asparagus is a quick skillet side dish made with fresh asparagus, garlic, butter, olive oil, and lemon juice. It’s a simple way to add a fresh green vegetable to chicken, fish, or steak dinners.
Servings: 4
Calories: 105kcal
Ingredients
- 1 lb Asparagus trimmed
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tbsp Butter salted
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- 1/2 Lemon juiced
- ½ tsp Natural Ancient Sea Salt or to taste
- ¼ tsp Black Pepper or to taste
Instructions
- Rinse, dry and trim the woody ends off of the asparagus.
- Heat olive oil in a large, wide skillet over medium-high heat
- Add asparagus to the skillet in an even layer
- Cook for 4 minutes & stir occasionally
- Add butter and garlic and cook for 1 more minute. The asparagus should be bright green with some blisters. Remove the asparagus from the heat
- Add lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste
Notes
- Trim the tough ends: Cut or snap off the woody ends before cooking so the asparagus stays tender.
- Dry the asparagus well: After rinsing, pat the asparagus dry so it sautés instead of steaming in the skillet.
- Use a large skillet: A wide skillet helps the asparagus cook in a more even layer, which makes it easier to get tender stalks with a few browned spots.
- Choose similar-sized spears: Asparagus that is close in size will cook more evenly. Very thin spears may need less time, while thicker ones may need a little longer.
- Cook over medium-high heat: This helps the asparagus blister slightly and stay bright green without getting soggy.
- Stir occasionally, not constantly: Letting the asparagus sit for short stretches helps it brown a little instead of just softening.
- Add the garlic near the end: Garlic cooks fast, so adding it with the butter during the last minute helps keep it from burning.
- Take it off the heat before adding lemon juice: This keeps the lemon flavor fresh and bright.
- Do not overcook: The asparagus should be bright green and tender with a little bite. If cooked too long, it can turn soft.
- Season to taste before serving: After adding the lemon juice, taste and add more salt, pepper, or lemon juice if needed.
Nutrition
Calories: 105kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 78mg | Potassium: 247mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1125IU | Vitamin C: 13.9mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 2.5mg
