Tasty, juicy sauteed asparagus, cooked with butter, minced garlic, vinegar, and seasoned with a touch of salt & crushed peppers. The perfect vegetable side dish for any dinner.

Hello folks, it’s PBJ here with another recipe and today I’m gonna show yall how to cook Asparagus in a skillet. I am a huuuuge fan of sauteed asapragus… I just love the flavor of it and the way it tastes
What I like most about it is, unlike some other vegetables, it tastes great with pretty much anything. I think the only vegetable I like more is probably broccoli simply because it’s more versatile.
I like my asparagus one way, and that’s sauteed! Asparagus, like most vegetables, is typically served as a side dish.
How to prepare and wash Asparagus
Ok so the first thing you’re going to do is remove the woody ends of the Asparagus. The woody ends are the thick white/light colored hard roots at the bottom of the Asparagus – they’re tough with a very strong taste.
So make sure you cut and discard the ends. Some people make the mistake of trying to shorten the process by bringing the asparagus together and slicing all of the woody ends off at once.
The reason I dont recommend this is because some asparagus have longer woody ends than others. So to avoid cutting too much of the part we love off, cut each stick of asparagus one at a time – don’t be lazy!!!
Cleaning agents I like to use.
Now in the instruction section you’ll see that I create a salt water solution to wash the Asparagus. I wash my vegetables just like I wash my meats. I just believe in washing or at least rinsing the food before cooking it.
I do this to remove any residue that it may have accumulated while in the supermarket. So fill a big bowl with cool water, then add 1 tbs of salt to create a salt water solution. Let them soak in it for a few minutes, scrub then, then rinse.
Alternatives: Lemon juice, lime juice, or Vinegar. If you don’t want to use salt or just want other options, these 3 ingredients are the other 3 most common cleaning agents people use to wash vegetables and meats.

Cooking time and temperature
Now let me get into the cooking time because this is obviously an important. How long you cook the asparagus is completely up to you. Some folk like their veggies very soft, and others like them with a crunch.
I like my asparagus well done with a crunch. Overcooking it however, will result in it being limp which isn’t appealing to me. Remember it’s all about preference so Cook yours until they reach your desired level of tenderness.
I cook them over medium high heat so that they cook fast. Some people asked me if they should add water. No, they dont take longer to get tender and there’s enough liquid from the ingredients used.
Health benefits of asparagus
Now, asparagus has many health benefits, so be aware the longer you cook them the more nutrients it losses. If you’re like me and making Sauteed Asparagus for pleasure, there’s no harm in cooking them for an extended period.
Speaking of it’s nutritional benefits, Asparagus are a good source of dietary fiber, manganese, phosphorus, vitamin B3, iron, protein, and more….. so again, I wouldn’t fry them to oblivion if you’re eating them for health purposes.
The ingredients I like to use
Now I’ve noticed that most people prefer to saute their asparagus with olive oil. I prefer to use a combination of olive oil and butter because butter adds flavor and, with the other ingredients, creates a light sauce.
The ingredients I like to use to give my asparagus an amazing flavor are Apple cider vinegar, minced garlic, and crushed red peppers. I only use a small amount of each because I dont want to over season them.
I love the tangy flavor the apple cider vinegar gives the asparagus. It goes perfect with vegetables which is why if yall haven’t noticed, you’ll see apple cider vinegar listed as an ingredient on most of my vegetable recipes.
The Garlic is a must! It adds depth of flavor. You can use garlic powder, garlic paste, or both like I like to. I also use a hint of hot pepper flakes and a dash of black pepper just to add a lil pinch of heat to the asparagus. It adds a nice touch to them!
Now the apple cider vinegar is optional because I know vinegar is one of those things people either love or hate so if you don’t like vinegar, omit it… I don’t even use it all the time myself! Especially if I’m making it for a lot of people.
How To Make Sauteed Asparagus
- Cut off the woody ends of the asparagus spears.
- Fill a big mixing bowl with cool water and add 1 tbs of salt.
- Wash asparagus in salt water, then rinse them off.
- Place a skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add in the olive oil and asparagus.
- Then add in the butter, minced garlic, salt, crushed red peppers, and vinegar and give everything a light toss.
- Let the asparagus cook for 10 mins or until they reaches your desired tenderness.
- Toss the asparagus periodically as they cook.
Easy Delicious Sauteed Asparagus Video
What to serve with asparagus
- Salmon: This is a popular pairing and I see why because Salmon not only tastes great with asparagus but they look lovely when plated together. Whenever I cook salmon, I make asparagus with it. It’s just something elegant and classy about it. Together they make for a very healthy dish by the way.
- Steak: I often recommend steak for romantic dinners or sophisticated classy occasions, and when I think of the perfect vegetable to pair with a steak, I think of asparagus.
- Roast chicken: Everything goes with chicken but asparagus will especially taste great with baked aka roasted chicken. You can’t go wrong with this pairing.
- Parmesan cheese: As far as topping goes, asparagus tastes pretty good topped with grated parmesan cheese. This is a common topping for asparagus so try it out if you haven’t its good.
Storage and reheating
- How to store asparagus? You can store asparagus in a tupperware cover with a lid, or a similar dish or container with plastic wrap or aluminum. Then, store it in the refrigerator.
- How to reheat asparagus in a microwave: Microwaves dry vegetables out. I would put it in a microwave proof bowl, cover it if possible, and heat it up for 1 minute. 45 secs might get the job done unless you’re heating it up straight out of the refrigerator.
- How to reheat asparagus in a skillet: You can place it in a skillet over medium heat. Add a splash of water if neccesary, and let it cook for 5-8 minutes until hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How long does asparagus last? Sauteed Asparagus is best eaten the same day. If you don’t eat them the first day at least try to finish them by the second day.

Equipment:
Here are the cooking utensils you’re going to need for this recipe.
- Large knife: To remove the woody ends of course.
- Mixing bowl: I use this to soak and clean my asparagus in.
- Large skillet: This recipe requires a large skillet or pan because we’re cooking a nice amount of asparagus here.
- Measuring Spoons: You need measuring spoons to accurately measure the seasonings.
These pretty green stalks are so tasty and full of flavor… you’ll definitely enjoy them as your dinner’s vegetable side dish so give them a shot and tell me how you like them by leaving a comment below.
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Later, Enjoy!
Pbj~

Easy Delicious Sauteed Asparagus Recipe
- Author: PhillyboyJay
- Prep Time: 5 Mins
- Cook Time: 10 Mins
- Total Time: 15 Mins
- Yield: 6
- Category: Vegetable Sides
- Method: American
- Cuisine: American
Description
Tasty, juicy Asparagus, sauteed with butter, minced garlic, vinegar, and seasoned with a touch of salt & crushed peppers. The perfect vegetable side dish for any dinner.
Ingredients
- 2 Lbs Asparagus Spears
- 2 Tbs Butter
- 2 Tsps Olive oil
- 2 Tsp Apple Cider Vinegar (optional)
- 1 Tsp Minced Garlic
- 1–1/2 Tsp Salt
- 1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 Tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- 1/8 Tsp Black pepper
Instructions
- Cut off the woody ends of the asparagus spears.
- Fill a big bowl with cool water and add 1 tbs of salt.
- Wash asparagus in salt water, then rinse them off.
- Place a skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the olive oil and asparagus.
- Add in the butter, minced garlic, salt, crushed red peppers, and vinegar to the skillet, then stir in well.
- Let the asparagus cook for 10 minutes or until it reaches your desired level of tenderness.
- Toss the asparagus periodically as it cooks.
Love this recipe. You got me cooking with ACV ♥️
I love your recipes….need I say more!
I was making asparagus for the first time and I asked a few people I know “How do you make it?” and they all told me stuff that didn’t sound right so I asked myself “WWPBJD?” LOL, decided to search his website and landed on this gem! I was shook at how easy and tasty this was. PBJ, you are the reason I am open to cooking with ACV more. I learned just how much I like that vinegar flavor.
Anyways, bomb recipe. Straight forward and simple. I even use garlic powder sometime if I don’t have fresh or minced garlic and it still works well. I would just say I got jacked up trying to decrease the salt. This is the main way I make asparagus now. Thanks PBJ! <3
Love this recipe as I do All your recipes! Great flavor! I didn’t cook much but your recipes have slowly but surely changed that. The more of them I try the more I want to try another one!
Thank You for sharing!
Dee
The best recipes i have found to understand & follow. Great. Shepherds pie. lease do a beef stew recipe
. Thanks
Fantastic flavor! I really like the little kick of heat from the red pepper flakes. I will definitely make this again!