Pan-roasted asparagus is one of the easiest sides you can make and thanks to the amazing flavour of the asparagus it only needs the simplest ingredients to make it pop.
Very often dinner sides are an afterthought, so when you need last-minute veggies to complete your meal try this pan-roasted asparagus. It’s super easy to make, requires just the veg and some oil, and will only cost you $5-8 (depending on where you shop) for four people.
It also only takes a few minutes to make with very little intervention so it won’t send you into a spin with everything else that needs to get done at dinner time.
Since this asparagus is pan-fried, it also doesn’t require any special equipment. A large pan is all you need to make this healthy and delicious side.
Preparing Pan-Roasted Asparagus
Ingredients
Asparagus: Garden asparagus is a perennial flowering plant whose young shoots are used as a vegetable. It has a very distinct and delicious flavour and is full of folic acid, potassium and fiber, among other nutrients.
Olive oil: I use olive oil for this recipe because of its mild flavour. Olive oil is the fat extracted from olives. The least processed is extra virgin olive oil, which I use in this recipe.
How to Make Pan-Roasted Asparagus
Asparagus makes an appearance on our dinner table at least once a week. It’s so simple to make and goes with everything. When cooked just right it’s sweet and tender, but not mushy.
I remember eating asparagus when I was younger and thinking that it was gross and stringy. I can’t remember where this was but I now know it just wasn’t optimally prepared.
To prevent the stringiness of asparagus it boils down to the prep.
How to Prep Asparagus
Wash the asparagus under cold water and trim off the bottoms. Instead of cutting them off, you will want to break them off instead. Hold one end of a spear in each hand and gently bend letting it snap on its own. That breaking point will be above the aged, and often stringy end.
Next, put 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium pan and turn the burner to medium heat.
Once the oil is hot, put the asparagus in the pan and toss it in the oil. Then sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss again to coat. Cook uncovered for 6-8 minutes depending on the thickness.
Now, turn the asparagus over and cover it with a lid. This will steam the asparagus giving it that perfect texture and sweetness. Cook for another 4 minutes until the asparagus is tender when pierced with a fork. There should be a little bit of resistance but you should be able to get the fork through.
That’s it! You’re all set. You should have sweet and tender pan-roasted asparagus.
Variations of Pan Roasted Asparagus
Now that you know how to cook the asparagus you can play around with different flavour profiles.
Parmesan Asparagus
Once you’re done cooking the asparagus simply sprinkle some
grated parmesan on top before serving. Voila! Super easy twist on the plain version.Garlic Butter Asparagus
In the last two minutes of cooking, add half of a tablespoon of butter to the pan and let it melt. In the meantime, peel the garlic. Press the garlic into the pan and sauté for 30 seconds to a minute making sure not to brown the garlic. Toss the asparagus to coat and serve immediately.
Lemon Asparagus
You can easily change the flavour of pan-roasted asparagus by adding a squeeze of lemon into the pan while cooking. That’s it!
Serving
Asparagus is such a versatile vegetable. Try it on the side of a striploin steak or any one of our delicious chicken dishes:
- Chicken in Mushroom Sauce
- Oven Baked Lemon and Herb Chicken Thighs
- Peri Peri Chicken
- Homemade Shake and Bake Chicken Drumsticks
- Creamy Dijon Chicken
- Stuffed Chicken Thighs with Cream Cheese, Feta and Spinach
- Balsamic Chicken
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Are you looking for dinner ideas? Check out our recipes:
Pan-Roasted Asparagus Recipe
Equipment
Instructions
- Wash the asparagus under cold water. You will want to trim the bottoms by breaking them off. Gently bend with both hands and let it snap on its own.1.3 lbs asparagus
- Put 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium pan and turn the burner to medium heat.2 tbsp olive oil
- Once the oil is hot, put the asparagus in the pan and toss it in the oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook uncovered for 6-8 minutes depending on the thickness.1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper
- Turn the asparagus over and cover it with a lid. Cook for another 4 minutes.
- Once your timer goes off the asparagus should be tender but not soft.
