Sauteed Asparagus Recipe
Easy sauteed asparagus with garlic and miso butter. An easy healthy side dish comes with tips on preparing and sauteing asparagus to crisp and tender.
Servings: 3 servings
Ingredients
- 1 lb asparagus
- 0.4 oz garlic cloves 2 medium
- 1 tbsp white miso paste
- 2 tbsp chicken stock or vegetable stock
- 2 tbsp butter
- 0.5 tbsp avocado or light olive oil
- 1-2 pinches of coarse salt or to taste
Instructions
Prepare the asparagus
- Rinse the asparagus under running water, especially around the flowery tips, then pat dry.
- To trim the woody ends, you can either bend one spear near the base and let it naturally snap, or cut off the bottom 1 to 2 inches where the color changes from pale white-green to a deeper green.
Prep the garlic and miso
- Finely mince the garlic. In a small bowl, combine the miso paste with the stock and stir well until the miso dissolves.
Sauté
- Preheat a large 12-inch sauté pan over medium heat until it feels warm but not smoking hot.
- Add the butter and oil and swirl to coat the pan. As soon as the butter melts, add the garlic and sauté for 10 seconds.
Add the asparagus
- Add the asparagus to the pan. Sauté by gently shaking the pan back and forth and using tongs or a wooden spatula to flip the spears so they cook evenly, about 2 minutes. You should hear a gentle sizzle the whole time.
Add the miso mixture
- Give the miso mixture another stir, then pour it into the pan.
- Keep tossing and sautéing for another 2 minutes, until the asparagus is coated and the sauce is well incorporated.
Check doneness
- For a crisp-tender texture, the asparagus should turn a bright emerald green and look lightly glossy on the outside.
- To test, insert a fork into the thicker bottom end. It should go in with a little resistance. When you bite into it, the asparagus should still have a slight snap. It should not taste raw, mushy, or overly soft.
Taste and adjust
- Turn off the heat and taste. Add another pinch of salt if needed.
Serve
- Transfer the asparagus to a serving plate and spoon the miso butter pan juices over the top. Serve warm.
Notes
- Asparagus thickness: Asparagus comes in different thicknesses, and thicker stalks need a little more time to cook through.
- Thin spears: 3 to 4 minutes
- Medium spears: 4 to 5 minutes
- Thick spears: 5 to 6 minutes
- Hybrid steam-sauté method: For extra thick spears, you can briefly cover the pan to help them cook through faster. After adding the miso-stock mixture, cover the pan for about 2 minutes. Shake the pan from time to time. This helps soften the center without overcooking the outside.
- Heat control: Keep the pan warm but not too hot. If the pan gets too hot, the butter and miso can burn and taste bitter.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 136kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 407mg | Potassium: 343mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1382IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 3mg
