One of our best recipes for how to cook asparagus on the stove comes from the late, great Southern chef, Edna Lewis. She learned this method from her mother, who taught her that cooking asparagus in the skillet concentrates its flavor rather than diluting it, as steaming or boiling can. This stovetop asparagus recipe requires very few ingredients and seasonings, making it a quick and easy side dish to cook and enjoy within minutes.
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Equipment
Skillet Asparagus
Cooking asparagus in the skillet concentrates its flavor rather than diluting it, as steaming or boiling can.
Yield: serves 4-6
Time:
15 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 lb. asparagus
- 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Rinse the asparagus well in cold water and trim the tough ends of the stalks. In a heavy skillet with a tight-fitting lid, melt the butter over medium heat. When the butter is foaming, add the asparagus and shake the skillet from side to side a few times to coat the stalks. Cover and cook until the asparagus begins to steam, shaking the skillet occasionally to prevent burning, about 3 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking until the asparagus is tender but still crisp and bright green, 5–10 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve hot.
More Asparagus Recipes
Of all the vegetables that start to fill the markets come spring, asparagus is one of our favorites. The tender, crisp stalks are one of the first to arrive on spring produce baskets. Asparagus is also one of the most versatile ingredients—you can enjoy it raw in a chopped salad, tossed with pasta, or pureed in a sauce. We also love to blend into refreshing spring soup recipes. We’ve rounded up our favorite asparagus recipes here. 
Cooking asparagus in the skillet concentrates its flavor rather than diluting it, as steaming or boiling can. Skillet Asparagus 
Unlike its green-skinned counterpart, white asparagus has a tough, bitter peel that must be removed before cooking. The following is the classic way of preparing the treasured vegetable in Germany (though simple steaming is also popular). Get the recipe for White Asparagus 
Blanched asparagus is flavored with a sprinkling of celery salt and a splash of cream before being perched atop rye toast. Get the recipe for Asparagus on Toast with Cream 
A hot skillet and a little oil are all you to bring out the flavor of spring asparagus. Get the recipe for Stir-Fried Asparagus 
Asparagus is cooked on a preheated baking sheet in the oven until tender yet toothsome, then served with a tahini-yogurt sauce packed with fresh herbs for dipping. Roasted Asparagus with Tahini Ranch 
Crisp-tender asparagus and a sweet, earthy mixture of beets and citrus are tossed in an herb-packed, umami-rich salsa verde. Get the recipe for Grilled Asparagus with Citrus-Beet Salad and Whipped Ricotta 
A deceptively simple vinaigrette of olive oil, white wine vinegar, chopped parsley, and crushed tomato transforms simple steamed asparagus into a sumptuous and well-turned-out dish—exactly what a great dressing should do. Catalan Asparagus Vinagrette (Espàrrecs Amb Vinagreta) 
Asparagus is used two ways in this puréed cold soup: it adds a grassy note to the potato-leek base and is left raw for the shrimp salad garnish. Get the recipe for Chilled Asparagus Soup with Herbed Shrimp 
Sweet macadamia nuts, toasted to deepen their flavor, give a creamy base to this creative chilled gazpacho with asparagus. Get the recipe for Chilled Macadamia Gazpacho with Cured Asparagus 
Chef José Andrés likes to cook these calçots, here served with asparagus, in the traditional manner: in a newspaper. The newspaper traps in steam from the cooling calçots, making them more tender and soaking up any excess oil. These tender Spanish green onions, always served with Romesco sauce, are a classic springtime treat. Grilled Calçots and Asparagus with Romesco Sauce