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Home » Side Dishes » Sauteed Asparagus

March 10, 2019 By Sara 21 Comments

Sauteed Asparagus

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This sauteed asparagus is tender asparagus stalks cooked in butter, garlic and an assortment of herbs. A ten minute side dish that pairs perfectly with chicken, fish, pasta and seafood.

I am always happy to eat asparagus, some of my favorite ways to enjoy it include grilled asparagus foil packets and chicken asparagus stir fry. This sauteed asparagus is a simple yet satisfying way to get your veggies in with minimal effort!

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Sauteed asparagus with butter, garlic and herbs in a skillet.

We eat a fair amount of broccoli in this house, but when I’m looking to switch things up a bit in the green veggie department, I turn to asparagus. Asparagus is healthy and readily available most of the year. Best of all, my kids happily eat it! This sauteed asparagus is an easy way to get a flavorful vegetable on the dinner table in no time at all.

How do you trim asparagus?

The bottom of asparagus stalks tends to be tough and woody, and isn’t that pleasant to eat. The best way to figure out where to trim your asparagus is to take a stalk and bend it. Wherever the stalk snaps is where the tender part starts and the tough part ends. From there, you can line up all your asparagus stalks and trim the bottom off in the same spot as where your original piece of asparagus snapped in half. For this recipe, you’ll want to cut your asparagus stalks into 1-2 inch sized pieces.

Raw chopped asparagus stalks in a frying pan.

How do you saute asparagus?

The key to cooking fresh asparagus to make sure it’s tender, but not overly soft. You’ll want to watch the asparagus closely as it cooks. As soon as the color turns deep green, it can be removed from the heat. This sauteed asparagus is flavored with butter, garlic, dried Italian seasoning and fresh parsley.

Cooked chopped asparagus stalks in a stainless steel pan.

Tips for sauteed asparagus

  • This recipe works best with medium sized asparagus stalks. If you use the really skinny stalks they may overcook and get mushy. If you’re using thicker stalks, you may have to add a few minutes to the cook time.
  • To make this recipe vegan, use olive oil instead of butter.
  • Add the garlic towards the very end of the cooking time so that it doesn’t burn.
  • This recipe calls for dried Italian seasoning which is a blend of herbs such as oregano, parsley, and basil. It is available in the spice aisle of most grocery stores. Alternatively, you can substitute your favorite dried herbs in the same amount.

Cooked asparagus stalks in a pan with garlic, herbs and seasonings.

Is asparagus healthy?

Asparagus is full of vitamins and minerals such as Vitamins A, C and K. It also contains folate, iron, copper and calcium. Asparagus is high fiber and low calorie and is also low in carbohydrates.

A serving spoon in a pan of garlic and herb sauteed asparagus.

Sauteed asparagus variations

While I enjoy this recipe as-is, sometimes I add other ingredients that I happen to have around the house to spice things up a bit!

  • Sun Dried Tomatoes: Add 1/3 cup chopped oil packed sun dried tomatoes.
  • Mushrooms: Cook up 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms before you add the asparagus to the pan.
  • Shallots: Substitute 1/4 cup minced shallots for the garlic.
  • Olives: Add 1/3 cup sliced kalamata olives.
  • Cheese: Sprinkle feta or parmesan cheese over the asparagus before serving.
  • Pine Nuts: Add 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts right before serving.

No matter how you serve this sauteed asparagus, it’s sure to be a hit! We all need some go-to easy side dishes to complement dinner, and this one is a keeper.

More side dish options

  • Roasted Parmesan Broccoli
  • Glazed Carrots
  • Roasted Garlic Butter Mushrooms
  • Zucchini Gratin
  • Braised Cabbage
Sauteed asparagus with butter, garlic and herbs in a skillet.
Print Pin
5 from 14 votes

Sauteed Asparagus

This sauteed asparagus is tender asparagus stalks cooked in butter, garlic and an assortment of herbs. A ten minute side dish that pairs perfectly with chicken, fish, pasta and seafood.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword garlic asparagus, sauteed asparagus
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 101kcal
Author Sara Welch

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 lb asparagus stalks trimmed and cut into 1-2 inch pieces
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped parsley can also use green onions or fresh dill

Instructions

  • Melt the butter in a large pan over medium high heat.
  • Add the asparagus and cook for 3-4 minutes or until just tender.
  • Stir in the garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Cook for 1-2 more minutes, stirring constantly.
  • Sprinkle with parsley, then serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 101kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 368mg | Potassium: 229mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1120IU | Vitamin C: 6.8mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 2.6mg

Filed Under: Gluten Free, Side Dishes, Vegetarian Dishes Tagged With: Asparagus, Garlic, Low Carb

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Comments

  1. Jim says

    February 28, 2021 at 2:12 pm

    5 stars
    Absolutely easy and delicious I will make this again save this recipe in my favorites

    Reply
  2. JACQIE CARRILLO says

    January 7, 2021 at 3:44 pm

    5 stars
    Amazing! Because I am an extremely huge fan of garlic,I mixed garlic powder in the butter before sautéing the Asparagus. It’s perfect. The Italian seasoning adds such a great flavor

    Reply
  3. Joey says

    December 5, 2020 at 12:24 pm

    5 stars
    Simply the best!!

    Reply
  4. Selma says

    November 23, 2020 at 6:50 pm

    5 stars
    I loved the seasonings on this recipe! The asparagus came out with a nice crunch also!

    Reply
  5. Kristy says

    July 7, 2020 at 12:54 pm

    5 stars
    So easy and yummy! Loved it!

    Reply
  6. Sandi says

    March 29, 2020 at 3:41 pm

    5 stars
    I have always been partial to asparagus prepared in the oven, but I think I like this recipe better. Mmmm good!

    Reply
    • Anthony Deutz says

      May 23, 2020 at 1:17 am

      5 stars
      Thank you for the recipe. That is hands-down the best asparagus I’ve ever eaten. And I made it! Yum!

      Reply
  7. Cindy says

    March 27, 2020 at 5:10 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe is amazing & so yummy!

    Reply
  8. Ashley says

    July 7, 2019 at 10:25 am

    5 stars
    This Recipe is amazing!! I was so excited to try it! I am always looking for new ways to make side dishes and this was perfect! Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  9. Becca Wilson says

    March 14, 2019 at 8:31 am

    Asparagus is one of my favorite sides when it comes to veggies. These look like they would be so amazing!

    Reply
  10. Shannon Gurnee says

    March 12, 2019 at 9:47 pm

    I love eating asparagus! I cook mine in olive oil and add garlic and Greek Seasoning. I like to cook it al dente. Yummy!

    Reply
  11. Porsha says

    March 12, 2019 at 6:44 pm

    This makes me want some asparagus for dinner !

    Reply
  12. Tiffany La Forge-Grau says

    March 12, 2019 at 3:06 pm

    5 stars
    This is one of my husbands favorites. Getting the flavors right is very important; great recipe!

    Reply
  13. emman damian says

    March 12, 2019 at 11:18 am

    5 stars
    The sauteed asparagus is so easy to do. It’s so healthy too! It’s my to go side dish at any mains.

    Reply
  14. Jacque Hooper says

    March 12, 2019 at 9:54 am

    5 stars
    Asparagus is my all time favorite vegetable to serve as a side or even a small snack! It’s healthy, and full of flavor! You’ve inspired me to make this for my kids tonight!

    Reply
  15. Subhashish Roy says

    March 12, 2019 at 7:26 am

    Asparagus health benefits should make it one must have vegetable at regular intervals. The green looks so nice & attractive. This preparation should be a great side dish. And moreover, as you suggest, made in just 10 minutes. Awesome.

    Reply
  16. artchee says

    March 12, 2019 at 4:05 am

    5 stars
    I like asparagus. We usually just saute it with butter.

    Reply
  17. Heather says

    March 11, 2019 at 7:37 pm

    This is one of my favorite side dishes! I could eat asparagus every day.

    Reply
  18. Sarah Bailey says

    March 11, 2019 at 2:43 pm

    Asparagus is one of those things that has so much flavour to give and seems to have so many different ways to cook it. I am going to have to try and sautee it myself and see what I think.

    Reply
  19. Cherishingflo says

    March 11, 2019 at 11:18 am

    I love asparagus but I didn’t even know how healthy it was for you! I mean I knew it was good for you because it’s a vegetable but wow! And I love sauteed asparagus! mmm sooooo good

    Reply
  20. Stacie says

    March 11, 2019 at 8:27 am

    5 stars
    This sauteed asparagus sounds so good. I’ve only ever steamed it before. We eat A LOT of asparagus, though, so I’m sure my family is going to appreciate the variation.

    Reply

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With 3 young kids, dinner can feel like feeding time at the zoo! I'm a mom on a mission to create easy, healthy and family friendly recipes ...Read More
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