Simple Sauteed Asparagus is an elegant and enticing side to virtually any main meal. A bit of salt and a drizzle of lemon are all you need to activate spring’s most delicious vegetable flavors.
Spring. My favorite season. And my favorite season for cooking vegetables. It is when they are at their peak of flavor and texture. March, April, and May are the months when asparagus spears grow their fattest, juiciest, and most flavorful.
Asparagus is a versatile vegetable. While you can air-fry it, sous-vide it, steam it, deep-fry it, boil it, broil it, braise it, or toss it in a veggie soup, I prefer to sauté it. I find this gives me the most control over this vegetable, allowing me to catch it right as it starts to sweat. Then I can remove it before it tipples over into overcooked territory.
The Ultimate Guide to Sautéing (and Deglazing)
Any dish you sauté can have a pan sauce. Experienced chefs will tell you that a pan sauce can elevate a dish to out-of-this-world levels. That’s because the bulk of your flavor goes right into your pan and stays there unless you deglaze it.
French chefs use the word “deglaze” a lot, so what’s the deal with deglazing? Is it hard to do? Oh, my goodness, no.
“Brown bits” of food and marrow make chefs swoon. It’s where rich flavors collect, after all. Brown bits are simply what remains in your pan after cooking with butter and/or top-quality olive oil. To give your dish more delicious flavor, simply stir some cold white wine (or red wine if you’re doing a red sauce) into your pan and collect all the brown bits with your spoon. To make it a creamy wine sauce, add cream after deglazing. Other options are stock, broth, water, or apple cider.
How do I prep and store this asparagus?
Asparagus can be stored for up to a week in the fridge, as long as you wrap the ends in a wet paper towel or stand them up in a jar of water. You can freeze sauteed asparagus for up to two months without compromising flavor too much. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight then warm it back up in the oven or microwave.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this with my Delicious Roasted Cod and some Classic Scalloped Potatoes. For dessert, all this light eating deserves something completely naughty and indulgent, don’t you think? Astound your family with my luscious Pineapple Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.
Sauteed Asparagus
Ingredients
- 1 pound asparagus ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the asparagus pieces and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the asparagus is bright green and tender.
- Remove from heat and drizzle with lemon juice.
- Toss to coat evenly and serve immediately.
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