This sauteed asparagus is a veggie recipe you'll want to make every night for dinner. It combines tender asparagus spears sauteed in a garlicky lemon butter sauce and topped with toasted breadcrumbs for a nice crunch. And the best part about this sauteed asparagus recipe is that it takes just 5 minutes to make!
The Best Sauteed Asparagus
Asparagus is one of those vegetables that only tastes delicious if you know how to cook it right. So if you've been looking for the best way to cook asparagus, this recipe is just what you need!
The sauteéd asparagus turns out perfectly tender with a little crunch, and it's jam-packed with flavor from the lemon garlic butter sauce. Plus, to make this one of the best asparagus recipes ever, I added some crunchy bread crumbs that really take this healthy veggie to another level.
And not only is sauteing asparagus on the stovetop delicious, but it's also the fastest way to make asparagus stalks. It takes minutes to cook it to perfection, and the process could not be any easier. Just add the asparagus and the rest of the 5 ingredients to the skillet and let it all cook. That's really all there is to it! I'd go as far as saying that is the best way to cook asparagus, along with this Instant Pot asparagus recipe.
So this recipe makes a quick, healthy, and crowd-pleasing veggie side dish that's easy enough for a busy weeknight dinner and fancy enough for a holiday feast. I love serving this sauteed asparagus with this air fryer cornish hen or this easy roasted pork loin. And I have more serving recommendations for you later, so keep reading!
Ingredients
Once again, just 5 simple ingredients - plus salt and pepper - are all you need to make one of the best easy sauteed asparagus recipes. And it's more than likely that you have most of them on hand already!
Anyway, here are all the ingredients for this sauteed asparagus recipe:
- 12oz. fresh asparagus spears, trimmed (the thinner, the better)
- 2 tablespoon butter
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon toasted Panko breadcrumbs for serving
Simple, right?
Now, I recommend using thin asparagus for this recipe. Thick asparagus takes longer to fully cook than thin stalks, and the garlic might overcook as a result.
By the way, if you're picking up asparagus stalks from the store, grab some extra, and you can use it to make my bacon-wrapped asparagus recipe next! It's another one of my favorite easy asparagus recipes that's always a hit at the dinner table.
How to Make Sauteed Asparagus
As I mentioned earlier, this sauteed asparagus can be made in as fast as 5 minutes with minimal effort!
All you have to do is prepare the garlic butter and saute the asparagus. So it's really a fantastic last-minute side dish for busy weeknight dinners or if you're hosting.
Now grab your skillet, and let's get into the steps for this sauteed asparagus recipe.
Step 1: Prepare the Asparagus
First things first, you'll want to remove the ends of the thin asparagus stalks since they're typically really hard to chew. So either snap the bottom of the asparagus off or you can use a knife to cut them.
Step 2: Saute The Asparagus
Now that the asparagus is good to go, add the butter to a large skillet and melt it over medium high heat.
Once it's melted, add the garlic paste - or minced garlic - and cook for about 30 seconds or until the garlic is fragrant. And make sure to give it a little mix while cooking, so it doesn't burn
Next, add the asparagus to the skillet and season it with a little bit of salt and pepper. Then you can give everything in the skillet a mix to toss the asparagus in the garlic butter as it cooks.
Follow that up by adding lemon juice and continue sauteing until the asparagus is vibrant green and tender enough to pierce with a fork.
Step 3: Garnish and Serve
To finish up, toasted the panko breadcrumbs for a minute or so in another skillet over medium heat.
Finally, serve the asparagus on a tray with the toasted breadcrumbs on top and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese if you want to elevate the flavor even more.
Serve warm, and enjoy!
What to Serve with Sauteed Asparagus
This sauteéd asparagus recipe is a versatile side that goes with practically anything. Seriously, whatever you're making for dinner is the perfect match for this asparagus.
With that said, here are some of my favorite recipes to serve with this sauteed asparagus:
- Pan seared thin pork chops
- Sauteed chicken livers
- Roasted chicken thighs
- Pan seared salmon
- Bottom round roast
How To Store Cooked Asparagus
This recipe for sauteed asparagus makes enough for 4 side dish servings. Honestly, it's so good that you'll probably want to double or triple the recipes. Then if you have leftovers, you can eat them the next day.
Speaking of leftovers, you can store the leftover cooked asparagus in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for 2-3 days.
With that said, if you want to keep it for longer, you can freeze the asparagus for 2-3 months. To store in the freezer, just put in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag.
How To Reheat Cooked Asparagus
This leftover cooked asparagus is actually pretty good cold, but you can certainly reheat it.
For a quick method, just put the asparagus on a plate and microwave for about 20 seconds or until warm.
If you don't want to use the microwave, you can saute asparagus again in a skillet over medium heat for a couple of minutes, turning it over frequently until it's warmed through.
FAQs About This Sauteed Asparagus Recipe
Should I blanch asparagus before sauteing?
Giving thicker asparagus spears a quick blanch before sauteing is a great way to make them more tender without overcooking the other aromatics. But if you're using thin spears, you generally don't have to blanch your asparagus before sauteing.
How do you cook asparagus so it doesn't get soggy?
Cooking asparagus for a short time over high heat is a great way to ensure it stays tender yet crisp, never soggy and chewy. Sauteeing asparagus is one of the best cooking methods, but roasting is also effective for thick asparagus stalks.
How do you trim asparagus?
You can easily remove the tough, woody ends of an asparagus stalk by snapping the bottom half of the asparagus. It'll naturally break where the woody part meets the tender part of the stalk. You can do this for all the asparagus spears or use the first asparagus as a guide for trimming the rest of the bunch and cut the ends off with a knife.
Wrapping It Up
Well, that's how to make the best sauteed asparagus in just 5 minutes!
Now I may be biased, but I honestly think this is one of the best ways you can cook asparagus. Not only is it fast and simple, but the asparagus cooks perfectly every single time, coated in the most addictive garlicky lemon butter sauce with crispy toasted breadcrumbs on top.
I mean, can it get any better than that?!
Anyway, I hope you enjoy this sauteéd asparagus recipe as much as my family and I do! If you give it a try, don't forget to leave a comment below and let me know what you think.
More Easy Side Dish Recipes
If you love quick, healthy, and tasty side dish recipes like this asparagus one, I have many more great options you can check out on the blog.
Here are some of my favorite easy side dish recipes:
- Oven roasted okra
- Sauteed broccoli
- Roasted broccolini
- Roasted kohlrabi
- Sauteed eggplant
- Sauteed brussel sprouts
- Air fryer brussels sprouts
And be sure to check out my YouTube channel, TikTok, and Instagram for more easy and delicious recipes like this. I post new recipes on there all the time!
PrintThe BEST Sauteed Asparagus Cooked Perfectly In 5 Minutes
This sauteed asparagus is a veggie recipe you'll want to make every night for dinner. It combines tender asparagus spears sauteed in a garlicky lemon butter sauce and topped with toasted breadcrumbs for a nice crunch. And the best part about this sauteed asparagus recipe is that it takes just 5 minutes to make!
- Prep Time: 1 minute
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 6 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Side
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Vegetable
Ingredients
12 oz. asparagus, trimmed (the thinner, the better)
2 tbsp butter
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tsp garlic paste
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp toasted Panko breadcrumbs for serving
Instructions
- Trim the asparagus by removing the bottom parts.
- Melt butter over medium-high heat in a large skillet.
- Add garlic paste and cook until fragrant, for 30 seconds.
- Add the asparagus and season it to taste with salt and pepper. Toss gently to coat the asparagus with butter.
- Add lemon juice and cook until the asparagus are tender.
- Toast the breadcrumbs in a pan over medium heat for a few minutes until golden.
- Serve asparagus warm, topped with toasted Panko breadcrumbs.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 46
- Fat: 2
- Carbohydrates: 6
- Protein: 2
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