This Sautéed Asparagus recipe guarantees perfectly cooked asparagus every time! It’s simple and will have a healthy side dish on your table in 10 minutes!
Once warmer weather rolls around, there’s nothing I love more at dinner time than a quick, healthy meal. In our house, that usually means firing up the grill, throwing on our favorite meat (topping it with a bit of homemade pesto!) and serving it with a side of sautéed vegetables.
Lately, my go-to dinner vegetable has been asparagus. It’s spring time, so that means asparagus is in season and at its peak! Since fish or chicken takes less than 10 minutes to cook on the grill, you can start this quick 10 Minute Sautéed Asparagus recipe on the stovetop at the same time as you begin to preheat your grill.
It took me a while to figure it out but the secret to perfectly cooked asparagus is adding a splash of water to the saute pan and then quickly covering it to lock in all the heat. You get the best of both worlds with this method. You end up with asparagus that’s tender and cooked all the way through while also getting a bit of browning on the outside.
Before I figured out this water trick, I used to cook the heck out of asparagus, widdling it down into little spears that were charred on the outside with a crunchy, undercooked inside. By the time I was done cooking them, they had turned an ugly shade of green — you know that shade of green, it’s that same shade of green as the boiled-too-long, frozen peas your Grandmother used to serve you (or at least mine did!). It’s that shade of green that’s unattractive and definitely not appetizing.
My water method keeps the asparagus looking green, bright and fresh, and definitely something you’d be craving to put on your plate and eat!
To jazz up the asparagus in this recipe, I add a bit of pressed garlic to the olive oil while it heats in the pan before adding in the veggies. This gives the garlic a chance to cook some and also flavors the olive oil. Right before the asparagus has finished cooking, I add in a sprinkle of coarse salt, crushed red pepper flakes and a dash of sesame seeds for a bit of crunch. This dish is definitely simple, quick and perfectly complements any main dish you choose to serve.
Right before the asparagus has finished cooking, I add a sprinkle of coarse salt, crushed red pepper flakes and a dash of sesame seeds for a bit of crunch. To finish it off and add a bit of brightness and acidity, I squeeze a small wedge of lemon over top, right before serving. This dish is definitely simple, quick and perfectly complements any main dish you choose to serve.
- 1 pound asparagus spears, washed and cut into thirds
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 small garlic cloves
- ¼ cup water
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- pinch of coarse salt
- squeeze of lemon juice (about a ¼ of a lemon)
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat
- Press the garlic cloves into the warming garlic and let cook for 30 seconds
- Add in the asparagus and toss to coat with the olive oil and garlic
- Cook on medium-high for 3 minutes
- Pour in the ¼ cup of water and immediately cover the skillet with a secure fitting lid
- Reduce heat to medium-low and let the asparagus cook for 5 minutes
- Remove the lid and add the sesame seeds, red pepper, and a hefty pinch of coarse salt
- Toss to coat then squeeze on the lemon
- Serve immediately