Sauteed Asparagus with Garlic Butter

Sautéed asparagus with garlic butter is a 5-minute side dish — use a hot skillet to caramelize the stalks, then a quick, covered steam to keep them tender and vivid green. No blanching, no oven required. Just asparagus, olive oil, garlic, butter and a squeeze of lemon.

📝 Ingredients

• 1 pound fresh asparagus (bottom stalks trimmed, sliced into 2-inch pieces)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1-2 wedges fresh lemon

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Trim the tough ends from the stalks of 1 pound fresh asparagus. Cut the spears into ½-inch pieces on the diagonal.
2. 2Put 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a 12-inch saute pan or skillet and place over medium-high heat. Add the asparagus and cook 3 minutes, stirring or shaking the pan frequently.
3. 3Add 2 tablespoons water, 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Cover the pan and cook 2 minutes — this step steams the asparagus, cooking it from the inside out.
4. 4Uncover the pan and add 2 tablespoons butter, swirling the pan off the heat until it melts.
5. 5Transfer the asparagus to a serving platter — be sure to scrape out all the buttery pan juices. Squeeze the lemon wedges over the platter and serve.