Cooking Asparagus on Stove with Garlic Butter
This sauteed asparagus recipe on stove top is the fastest way to cook asparagus, and a delicious way to create the perfect side dish. Learn the best way for how to cook asparagus on the stove with this simple and easy step-by-step guide to make this your favorite healthy, fast side dish.Â
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Simple Ingredients
- Fresh asparagus spears – the main ingredient
- Butter – to add flavor and oil the pan
- Fresh Garlic – adds aromatic flavor. You can use garlic powder if you do not have minced garlic.Â
- Black Pepper – provides seasoning
How to Cook Asparagus on Stovetop
Cooking asparagus as a simple side dish is easiest on stovetop. Melt butter in large pan, and fry asparagus and remaining ingredients. Stir around in the pan for about 6 minutes until fully cooked.
Tips for Making Pan-Fried Asparagus
- Don’t stack – cook asparagus in the large skillet in a single layer. Do not overlap or this will not cook the asparagus evenly.
- Add any seasonings – add parmesan cheese, italian seasoning, or any other seasonings you would like to flavor this skillet cooked asparagus.
- Quality asparagus – make sure to choose good quality asparagus at the grocery store. Good quality asparagus will be a nice deep green color throughout and have a smooth stalk with no wrinkles. Look for the scale leaves, aka bracts, being closed instead of open.
How to Trim Fresh Asparagus
The bend and snap technique. Bend the bottom of the asparagus until it breaks at the weak point. This will allow the hard, woody, tough ends of the asparagus come apart from the stem we are going to eat. Not all your asparagus will be the same size while using this technique. See picture below for reference. These are the hard, woody parts that are wrinkly. Discard them or turn them into a soup!
How to Wash Asparagus Stalks
Green asparagus might look clean in the grocery store, but the tips can contain dirt. Soak off dirt on the tips by soaking tips in a bowl with an inch of water. Towel off the water with a dish towel.
How Long to Cook Asparagus
The thickness of the spears matters. Thin asparagus spears cook the fastest, in about 3 minutes. The thick asparagus spears bigger in size cook in about 6-7 minutes. Not all the green spears cook the same.Â
What to Serve with
- Meat – any meat with butter like steak, pork chops, or butter chicken would complement garlic butter asparagus quite nicely!
- Pasta – garlic butter asparagus pairs well with pasta because of the garlic butter flavor. Try this simple recipe with shrimp scampi, pesto chicken pasta and sausage and spinach pasta.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover asparagus in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat by air frying or reheating on stove with a splash of water for freshness. You can use leftovers in pastas or in fried rice.
Other Simple Vegetable Side Dishes:
Garlic Butter Asparagus in Skillet
Recommended Products
Ingredients
- 1 bunch asparagus
- 2 tbsp butter cut in slices
- 1 tbsp garlic
- 1 tbsp pepper
Instructions
- In a large frying pan over medium heat, add half the butter.
- Trim ends of asparagus by bending the stalk until the bottom breaks at the weakest point. Discard the ends. Plate tops in melted butter on skillet.
- Add remaining butter on top of asparagus.
- Press garlic and place with asparagus and stir around to cook garlic. Season with pepper.
- Asparagus will be fully cooked after about 6 minutes or when it turns a dark green color.
Nutrition
All information presented on this site is intended for informational purposes only. Nutritional facts listed are a rough estimate and should only be followed as a general idea.
I am making the most of the last of the asparagus season here in Australia, and pleased to have come across your post. This is a simple and wonderful way to prepare asparagus.
Such a simple recipe but with beautiful big flavors that I wish asparagus was available year round! Thank you for an easy recipe that goes perfectly with our grilled chicken!
I like the idea of cooking asparagus on the stove top. That is my favorite method of cooking also love asparagus in any form.
A simple and delicious way to cook asparagus. Thank you. 😊 I’m looking forward to it coming back into season this Spring. I love them with salads too. 🌸
Healthy and delicious! Absolutely perfect! Thank you for sharing!
Yes to a faster and easier way of cooking asparagus! I’m sure that garlic butter makes it sooo delicious!