My fast and simple asparagus recipe shows you how to cook asparagus on the stove in just 5 minutes! It’s tender, yet crisp and simply dressed with lemon and butter.
A Quick & Easy Asparagus Recipe
When I’m looking for a quick and easy veggie side dish, I always reach for the asparagus (and a skillet). My version is faster than roasting, super flavorful, and so fresh tasting. I’ve prepared asparagus many ways over the years, and this one always is the one I turn back to (it’s Zach’s favorite, too).
What’s to love about this recipe:
- Perfect tender-crisp texture. There is absolutely no soggy, mushy asparagus in my household!
- Minimal ingredients to keep things simple and let the asparagus flavor really shine.
- Incredibly fast and easy veggie side dish.
- Scales easily. This recipe easily serves 2-4 people, but can be scaled to serve more. I do recommend cooking in batches if you double the recipe though (unless you have quite a large skillet)–you don’t want to crowd your pan.
What You Need
- Asparagus. You’ll need one pound of asparagus, which is typically one of those neatly wrapped bunches you can get from the grocery store or farmers market. Of course you can scale this up or down if needed (so long as your pan is large enough). Look for firm, vibrant green stalks with tightly closed buds. Whether you use thick or thin stalks is totally up to your preference and what is available in your store. I usually just try to pick a bunch with all the same thickness so they cook at the same rate.
- Cooking oil. Any neutral cooking oil, or even olive oil will work here. I personally use and recommend avocado oil, which is my preferred neutral oil these days (just a bit pricey!). I use it for everything from my old fashioned chocolate donuts to French onion chicken!
- Lemon. Don’t use bottled, you need a fresh lemon for this recipe. If you don’t like things super lemony, you don’t need to use all the lemon, though I do recommend adding at least a tablespoon of juice.
- Butter. Just a tiny bit of salted butter adds a lovely flavor at the end of the cooking process. If you don’t have salted butter, you can use unsalted and add an extra pinch of salt.
- Salt and pepper. We’ll add these at the beginning and end of the recipe. I don’t recommend a specific amount, you can just add it to taste. Freshly ground sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper are always best.
SAM’S TIP: Make sure to trim the woody ends from the asparagus. I usually snap them off because it’s quick, but if you don’t know quite where to snap them you can end up wasting some of the asparagus.
This is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full asparagus recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Cook Asparagus
Prep the asparagus
Wash the asparagus if needed and make sure to dry well. Let me reiterate that — dry it very well! I’ll thoroughly pat mine dry with paper towels and let air dry after that if needed. This will help it cook properly (too much water will steam the asparagus), stay tender, and prevent oil splatter.
Next, snap or chop off the woody ends. I personally always snap my asparagus (and while my kids won’t actually eat this recipe yet, they like to help with this step). This is super quick and gets it on the table sooner, but I’m aware this is a point of contention. Many pros will tell you to cut the asparagus instead (to be fair, it is likely marginally less wasteful).
Cook, garnish, and enjoy!
Sauté in oil over medium-high heat, seasoning as you go and stirring frequently. Once the asparagus is fork tender but still crisp, toss in the butter and lemon. Add additional salt and pepper if needed, and enjoy!
SAM’S TIP: Don’t overcook the asparagus! This can happen quickly. I actually like to just barely undercook mine so it’s still so slightly crisp (still pierce-able with my fork, though). By the time I get it on my plate, it’s perfectly cooked, since it continues to cook as it sits in the saucepan.
Ways to dress up asparagus
If I’m looking to get a bit fancier and more flavorful, I’ll sometimes cook a bit of minced garlic (like a teaspoon) to the oil for a few seconds (until fragrant) before adding the asparagus. It’s extra important to stir constantly here so you don’t burn the garlic. A sprinkle of parmesan on top before serving is another tasty option (with or without the garlic)!
What to serve with asparagus
We love serving this asparagus recipe as a side dish with maple glazed salmon, grilled steak or chicken, or garlic butter shrimp. It also goes well with white sauce pasta, like fettuccine Alfredo, chicken Alfredo or even pink sauce pasta! Make an easy vegetarian meal by serving with risotto and a slice of crusty artisan bread or gougeres.
Enjoy!
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How to Cook Asparagus
Ingredients
- 1 (453 g) bunch asparagus about 1 lb
- 1-2 Tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
- Salt and freshly-cracked pepper to taste
- ½ Tablespoon salted butter
- Juice of half a lemon you don’t have to use all of this, but use at least a Tablespoon
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Trim the asparagus by removing the woody bottom part that is tough and fibrous. You can do this with a knife (you’ll want to cut where it fades from white or very light green to a darker green) or snap off the ends. If you needed to wash the asparagus before using, make sure you dry it very well.1 (453 g) bunch asparagus
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add the asparagus and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until asparagus is fork-tender (should still be slightly crisp).1-2 Tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil, Salt and freshly-cracked pepper to taste
- Add butter and lemon juice and toss to coat. If needed, add additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.½ Tablespoon salted butter, Juice of half a lemon
Notes
- Saute 1 teaspoon of minced garlic in the oil for 30 seconds (stirring constantly) before adding the asparagus for a garlic flavor.
- Sprinkle a tablespoon or two of grated parmesan over the asparagus before serving.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Bruce
I always roast my asparagus, because it intensifies the flavor, but I ‘ll try this the next time, because I trust you.
Sam
Thanks Bruce! I think you are going to love it! 🙂
Diana Dean
my husband loves asparagus. but I’ve never bought fresh. always out of the can. I bake it with sea salt and lemon juice. but your recipe sounds so much better. we’ll be married 40 years in 2025. I should say I need to try to cook it right.
Sam
Congratulations on a long marriage! I wish you many more years of happiness! I hope you love the asparagus. 🙂
Brucee
You’ll find a world of difference between fresh and canned. I grew up on canned and always loved it, but once I tried fresh, it was a whole new ballgame.