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Get It NowWhether it’s sautéing or stir frying vegetables, making them on the stovetop is often the fastest way to cook them. Let me show you how to saute asparagus in just 10 minutes! It’s one of my go-to ways to get a side dish on the table fast. The key to this simple sauteed asparagus recipe? Start with olive oil to saute, then add a lemon garlic butter at the end. (I use a similar method to make sauteed zucchini, too.)
Why You’ll Love This Sauteed Asparagus Recipe
- Perfectly crispy yet tender – Say goodbye to mushy veggies! Sautéing at just the right temperature for just the right amount of time keeps the balance between crisp and tender spears.
- Bright lemon-garlic flavor – Tender asparagus gets a burst of tangy lemon and savory garlic.
- Only 5 simple ingredients – With a few things you might already have in your kitchen, you can whip up a tasty side dish in a flash.
- Ready in just 10 minutes – I love this side for busy weeknights, date night at home, and everything in between.
- Faster than baking – This sauteed asparagus recipe beats oven roasted asparagus on cook time, getting your veggies to the table even faster.
Ingredients & Substitutions
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for sauteing asparagus, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Olive Oil – I prefer the flavor of olive oil for this dish, but you can also use avocado oil or any other cooking oil you have on hand.
- Asparagus – Sauteed asparagus recipes work best with thin stalks, though medium ones also work okay. If you’ve got thicker ones, try roasted asparagus or air fryer asparagus instead. Trim the woody ends from your asparagus stalks.
- Butter – Since I add salt separately, I use unsalted butter for this recipe, but feel free to use salted and reduce the amount of added salt. For a dairy-free option, you can just use more oil or butter flavored coconut oil.
- Garlic – If you want the best flavor, use fresh minced garlic. For a quick shortcut (that I take often, if I’m being honest), use 1/2 tablespoon of jarred minced garlic instead.
- Lemon Zest – Use a zester to get lemon zest without the bitter pith. If you want to enhance the lemon flavor, add a fresh squeeze of lemon juice (at the end) or lemon pepper seasoning (at the same time as the salt and pepper).
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper
TIP: There are two easy ways to trim asparagus.
You can just line up the stalks and cut off all the ends using a knife, which is the fastest way, but I prefer the bending method to remove only what is needed. To do this, bend each stalk gently near the base, until the end snaps off.
How To Saute Asparagus
This section shows step-by-step photos together with the instructions, to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Saute asparagus. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the asparagus, and season with the salt and pepper. Saute asparagus until it turns bright green, but is not fully cooked yet.
- Add butter, garlic, and lemon. Make a well in the center of the pan, add the butter and let it melt. Add the garlic and lemon zest to the butter and saute without stirring, until the garlic is fragrant.
- Combine. Stir the asparagus into the garlic butter mixture. Continue to cook until the sauteed asparagus is done to your liking, usually just a minute or two.
Recipe Variations
This lemon and garlic sauteed asparagus is deliciously simple (just how I like it), but here are some other variations for something different:
- Balsamic Vinegar – Before sautéing, toss the asparagus spears in a mixture of balsamic vinegar and olive oil. (You’ll need less oil in the pan, if any.) You could also drizzle with balsamic glaze after sauteing asparagus to add a sweet and tangy flavor.
- Cheese – Sprinkle parmesan cheese over the asparagus towards the end of the cooking, and cover with a lid to let it melt. I also like a sprinkle of feta over the top when I’m making the balsamic version above.
- Herbs & Seasoning – Add a teaspoon of Italian seasoning or a pinch of red pepper flakes for extra flavor while sauteing. You can also garnish with fresh herbs after cooking. I recommend fresh, spring-inspired ones, like dill, chives, or parsley.
- Nuts – Toss some pine nuts or sliced almonds into the pan at the same time as the garlic and lemon zest to toast them a little.
Storage & Reheating
For the best sauteed asparagus, make it right before serving. It takes just minutes to cook, so it’s easy to make fresh, and the texture is just not the same later. But if you do have leftovers and need them for later, here is what to do with them:
- Store: Place any leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. I don’t recommend freezing, as it ruins the texture even more.
- Reheat: Reheat in a skillet for a few minutes, just until warm.
Leftover ideas:
If I have leftover asparagus, I prefer to use it for a different dish rather than reheating, since it gets mushy later. Turn it into cream of asparagus soup, make an asparagus casserole, or toss it into egg muffin cups.
What To Serve With Sauteed Asparagus
Asparagus is the perfect side dish to just about any main! Try it with:
- Chicken – I’m a big fan of simple! Try my method for a juicy, healthy baked chicken breast, or make some crispy chicken legs.
- Steak – My most popular ones are sirloin steak in the oven and my classic New York strip, but my personal favorite is filet mignon. Sometimes I make air fried filet mignon for a more hands-off method. For spring holidays, whip up this sauteed asparagus recipe alongside a rump roast.
- Seafood – Try broiled lobster tail, seared halibut, or surf and turf for a fancier meal. For every day, my go-tos are baked salmon, crispy broiled salmon, or flaky pan fried tilapia.
- More Sides – I like to toss some diced potatoes in the air fryer, so they can cook while I’m sauteing asparagus on the stovetop. They are my girls’ favorite! For lighter meals, I also like mashed cauliflower or roasted rutabaga.
- Sauce – After cooking, drizzle the asparagus with tahini sauce or hollandaise sauce for a creamy and luxurious finish.
More Asparagus Recipes
I grab all the fresh asparagus in the spring! If you’re the same way and need more ways to use it, try these flavorful asparagus recipes:
My Favorite Tools For This Recipe
- Lemon Zester – I use this for everything from citrus zest to cheese to chocolate.
- Skillet – This is one of my favorite pans! The large surface area is perfect for sauteed asparagus, and it conducts heat exceptionally well for nonstick.
Sauteed Asparagus (Lemon & Garlic)
This sauteed asparagus recipe with garlic and lemon is fast, easy, and perfectly crisp tender. Just 5 ingredients + 10 minutes to make!
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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Heat olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the asparagus. Season with salt and pepper.
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Saute for 3-5 minutes, until asparagus turns bright green but is still slightly crisp.
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Make a well in the center of the pan, add the butter and let it melt. Add the minced garlic and lemon zest to the butter. Saute for about 1 minute without stirring, until garlic is fragrant.
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Stir the asparagus with the garlic butter. Continue to saute for 1-2 minutes, or until the asparagus is done to your liking.
Did You Like It?
Leave a rating to help other readers (this also helps me continue to provide free recipes on my site), or get the recipe sent to your inbox.
Recipe Notes
Serving size: 3-4 asparagus spears, or 1/4 entire recipe
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. 🙂
19 Comments
Sara
0I love asparagus and this was super quick to make. The addition of lemon zest really brightens it up. Adding this to my Easter dinner menu!
Jennifer
0The garlic and lemon put this recipe over the top! I’ll make it this way from now on!
Marie
0Tried the sauteed asparagus with pine nuts and it was a perfect addition. The toasty nuts brought a nice crunch and the asparagus turned out perfectly crisp-tender. So yum! Excited to try the other variations!
Dee
0I made this and paired it with steak and it was so good! Loved the flavors especially the garlic butter!
Alicia
0Tried this sauteed asparagus recipe and we all loved it so much! Very easy to make and the flavor is just amazing. Next time, I will pair steak with this. Thanks for the recipe!
Jennifer
0My husband and I are both picky eaters, so I never thought I would like asparagus, but we love this recipe and it’s a regular in our rotation.
Bev
0My friend had told me about how she makes asparagus with lemon but I wasn’t sure then I came across your recipe and omg it was delicious me n my son really enjoyed it definitely a keeper and will make it again this way. Thanks for sharing your recipe 20/03/2023
Renee
0The asparagus was crisp and just right and the flavor was awesome. My problem was that the Asparagus had scortch marks.
There may have been two issues here.
1 the asparagus was crowded in the pan, so I divided the bunch in half and sautéd them in two batches.
2. the real problem was that the olive oil got too hot when I turned the stove to medium high. The temp was just one bump over medium, so more medium than high. The olive oil overheated in the pan at the end of sautéing the first batch, but was able to sauté the two batches. Then added the butter, melted it and added the garlic and the lemon zest. let it saute 1 min. then added the rest of the already steamed asparagus back to the pan. It tasted great, but the asparagus had scorch marks from sautéing . Need your suggestions.
Should I trim all of the asparagus into 1 inch pieces so they all fit in the pan. The large burner had a 14 inch cast iron skillet as the main entreé was the Keto Salisbury steak, so I didn’t have a second large burner for the 14 inch large stainless steel pan in which to cook the asparagus.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Renee, I’m glad you liked the flavor! I used a non-stick pan, not a cast iron pan, so that is likely the difference. Cast iron retains heat much better, so it probably got too hot. For cast iron, I’d recommend medium heat at most, maybe even a tad lower. Hope this helps for next time!
Robin Robinson
0Thanks for a great recipe and a fresh idea on preparing asparagus. I didn’t have lemon zest on hand but a squirt of lemon juice seemed to work fine. Absolutely delicious and will make again!!
Hmw
0Can’t wait to try this.
Av
0I love this recipe do much! It’s beautiful and perfect for this time of the year.
Av
0Lovely recipe!
Sandra Shaffer
0So simple and perfect with any main dish or even on a salad. The lemon is so fresh tasting on asparagus.
Deeba Kalanchvi
0I really like your recipe, Wholesome Yum. I will try it soon.
Kristina Tipps
0I love asparagus and this was a really easy recipe, not to mention light, refreshing and delicious. Will be a new go to for asparagus.
Scarlet
0The butter, garlic and lemon zest make these sauteed asparagus absolutely fantastic!
Swathi
0Sauteed aspargus looks delicious
Claudia Lamascolo
0We love your asparagus and this is easy and perfect!