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Perfect Garlic Sauteed Asparagus is the best way to cook asparagus. This delicious and easy garlic asparagus is cooked in less than ten minutes!
Or, if you’d like to incorporate a couple more seasonal vegetables, you might be interested in making my Sautéed Spring Vegetables.
Perfect Garlic Sauteed asparagus is vibrant green and oh-so-delicious. I sure do love sauteed asparagus… when its cooked right. I firmly believe the best way to cook asparagus is to blanch it first and then to saute it. But how does one saute asparagus? I explain below. This is one of those vegetables that is most fresh and tender in the spring, but thankfully available year round.
If you’re a fan of this veggie and love the flavor of garlic asparagus, I’m sure you’ll be find of my Asparagus Gouda Galette, or my Pressure Cooker Asparagus Soup, or a side of Asparagus Risotto with Pecorino Romano. Oh man, I’m starting to feel hungry just thinking about the possibilities! Oh! I just remembered that I did a roundup of 25 Spring Asparagus recipes. See? I really do love asparagus, but I still feel that if you ask me what I think the best way to cook asparagus is, I would tell you sauteed asparagus… or even better – sauteed garlic asparagus.
Freshly cut asparagus. Isn’t it pretty? If you’ve followed my blog, you know how fascinated I am with the natural beauty of fresh produce. I mean, just take a moment to enjoy all those beautiful shades of green in the photo above.
Table of Contents
How to saute asparagus:
- So, here’s the trick to perfect sauteed asparagus. You must blanch it first.
- Blanching your veggies not only brings out their most vibrant colors and flavors, but it cooks them just the slightest amount to get rid of the raw and starchy flavors. I use this same process when I make my Asparagus Goat Cheese Frittata.
- To do this you place the trimmed fresh asparagus spears in boiling in salted water for 1 minute, then transfer them to large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.
- Then, by the time you toss the asparagus in the pan with the screaming hot garlic butter, your goal is to saute the asparagus just until it is heated through. You’re not actually cooking them, or rather over cooking them, in the garlic butter. Smother that sauteed asparagus in that wonderful flavor and to make them nice and hot for eating.
There you go – the secret behind perfect sautéed asparagus with buttery garlic revealed!
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh asparagus
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 cloves garlic minced or roughly chopped (personal preference)
Instructions
- Give your asparagus a fresh cut and trim off the bottoms. Boil a large pot of salted water. Blanch the asparagus by boiling in salted water for 1 minute, then transfer asparagus spears to large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.
- In large heavy bottom pan, heat butter over medium high heat. Once butter is melted, add garlic and cook just until it turns golden brown; this only takes a couple of minutes. Remove asparagus from ice water and shake off any excess water. Add to hot garlic butter and sauté until spears are evenly coated in garlic butter and warmed through, about 3-4 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper and/or a squeeze of fresh lemon.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Such great advice to blanch the asparagus–it does indeed make all the difference! The asparagus stalks turned out perfectly crisp-tender, avoiding the unpleasantly tough/chewy stalks I kept getting no matter how carefully I’d trim and peel them pre-sauté. Spring cheers for asparagus, and thank you!