This easy Sautéed Asparagus Recipe tosses tender-crisp asparagus in lemon juice and melted butter for a side dish to serve with almost anything. This is one of our favorite simple side dishes to make during spring and summer.
We are big on flavorful side dishes that take minutes to make in our house. Most of our meals aren’t complete unless there’s a side of Garlicky Butter Glazed Broccolini or Creamy Mashed Potatoes on our plates.
Sautéed Asparagus
Sautéed asparagus is an easy side dish that cooks this spring and summer vegetable in a hot pan with olive oil until the stalks become bright green and tender-crisp. Sautéing is a fuss-free, hands-on cooking method that gives you total control over the heat and flavors. I love roasted asparagus, but I find that sautéing it on the stovetop is the best way to avoid wilted stalks.
In this recipe, I dressed up the cooked asparagus with lemon juice, melted butter, salt, and pepper to complement its natural grassy and subtly sweet flavors. There are many ways to customize the flavors depending on what you like or how you plan on serving the asparagus. It can be seasoned with herbaceous spice blends or topped with cheese or nuts for a mouthwatering presentation.
Feel free to tailor the flavors to your liking. Regardless of any substitutions or changes, you’ll still be left with a quick 10-minute side dish that pairs well with chicken, pasta, beef, and more.
Be sure to refer to my How to Sauté guide to learn more about the art of sautéing vegetables.
Ingredients and Substitutions
I used 5 simple ingredients to transform fresh asparagus into a side dish you’ll want to pair with all of your favorite family dinners. I also included a few substitution ideas if you happen to be out of one or two ingredients.
- Oil – Olive oil or avocado oil are the best options here.
- Asparagus – Sautéing works best with fresh, medium-thick asparagus stalks. Thin or thick stalks will also work, but you’ll need to adjust the cooking times. Frozen and thawed asparagus might work as a substitute, but it will likely be softer after sautéing.
- Lemon – A splash of lemon juice brightens this side dish and complements the earthy sweetness of the asparagus. Lime juice will work as a substitute.
- Butter – I recommend using unsalted butter here to avoid making an overly salty dish. Feel free to omit the butter if you need this recipe to be dairy-free.
- Seasonings – Just salt and pepper. You can also season asparagus with an Italian seasoning blend for more flavor.
How to Sauté Asparagus
Preheat the pan: I start by heating the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
Sauté the asparagus: Once I see the oil is smoking lightly, I place the asparagus in the pan. Then, I sauté it for 2-3 minutes.
Add the flavor: I squeeze the lemon juice over the asparagus and add the butter to the pan. I toss the asparagus to coat it in all of the flavors.
Serve: I finish by seasoning the asparagus with salt and pepper, then serve it alongside dinner.
Chef Tip + Notes
Always chop off the bottom 1 1/2 to 2 inches of the asparagus spears before you start cooking. The bottom part of the spear is very woody and tough compared to the crisp stems and tips. Either snap off this bottom part by hand or with a sharp chef’s knife.
- Whole vs. chopped: You can sauté the asparagus stalks whole if you have a large and wide enough pan to cook them in an even layer. Or, if your pan is on the smaller side, chop them into 2-inch-long pieces instead.
- Thick vs. thin asparagus: Sautéing works with both thick and thin asparagus spears because you have so much control over the heat. Thinner stalks will cook faster (around 2 minutes), while thicker stalks will take a little longer (3 to 5 minutes).
- Keep the asparagus moving: By constantly moving the asparagus around in the pan, you encourage each spear to tenderize and brown slightly. We’re going for a light caramelization, so this shouldn’t take more than a few minutes.
- Cook with more vegetables: For additional flavor, sauté thinly sliced leeks, shallots, or onions in the pan before adding the asparagus. Minced garlic can also be cooked at the same time as the asparagus.
- More ways to season asparagus: Toss the sautéed asparagus with capers, lemon or lime zest, a pinch of cayenne pepper, or fresh herbs (thyme, tarragon, parsley, etc.) right before cooking.
- Garnish ideas: Turn this into an eye-catching side dish by topping the cooked asparagus with crumbled goat cheese, shaved parmesan cheese, crispy prosciutto, microgreens, sliced almonds, thinly sliced radishes, or diced ham.
Serving Suggestions
We’re big fans of green vegetables in our house, and asparagus is no exception. During spring and summer, you’ll find us serving this simple side dish next to classic main dishes, like Greek lemon chicken. It is also excellent with grilled favorites, like grilled salmon.
We also like laying the cooked asparagus on top of a bed of creamy risotto or next to garlic shrimp pasta to give these otherwise indulgent meals a pop of green.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: The asparagus should be served as soon as it’s done cooking.
How to Store: Transfer the leftover asparagus to an airtight container. Keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Freezing is not recommended.
How to Reheat: Leftover asparagus is best reheated in a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat until it’s warmed through.
More Vegetable Side Dishes
Sautéed Asparagus Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 bunches fresh asparagus
- juice of ½ lemon, about 1 and ½ tablespoons
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, optional
- coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- Slice off about 1 and a half to 2 inches of the bottom of the asparagus.
- In a large non-stick sauté pan, add 3 to 4 tablespoons of olive oil and turn up the heat to medium-high. Once it begins to very lightly smoke, add in the asparagus and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes using a spoon or spatula.
- Move the asparagus around so each one cooks and gets a little brown.
- Finish with a squeeze of a half lemon, or about 1 to 1 and a half tablespoons of lemon juice to help brighten everything up. Add the optional butter.
- Then season with salt and pepper. Mix to combine and serve.
Sautéed Asparagus Recipe