Steamed asparagus

Recipes developed by Vered DeLeeuw
Nutritionally reviewed by Rachel Benight MS, RD, CPT

My favourite way to enjoy asparagus is to make steamed asparagus, dressed with a simple sauce of melted butter, lemon juice, and garlic.

I make the occasional grilled or roasted asparagus. But my favored way to consume this wholesome vegetable is the simplest. I adore producing steamed asparagus.

The elements you’ll need to have

You’ll only need to have a handful of easy components to make this tasty recipe. The precise measurements are incorporated in the recipe card beneath. Here’s an overview of what you’ll require:

1. Fresh asparagus. Choose spears with a medium thickness.


2. Melted butter


3. Lemon juice


4. Seasonings: Kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder

How to steam asparagus?

It’s so simple! Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed directions. Here are the basic methods:

1. Commence by boiling some water – this takes a even though.


2. Subsequent, trim the asparagus and area it in a steamer basket.


3. Cover and steam until finally tender-crisp.

How long does it get to steam asparagus?

It will take just 5 minutes. I like to use medium thickness asparagus spears when generating his recipe. I uncover that the quite thick ones are not as tasty, and the very thin ones by some means much less satisfying.

How to make microwave asparagus

If you don’t very own a steamer, you can use the microwave. Here are the actions for generating microwave asparagus:

1. Wash and trim the asparagus.


2. Place it in a huge microwave-safe bowl.


3. Include 1 tablespoon of water to the bowl.


4. Cover tightly with a microwave-protected plate and microwave on high for 2-3 minutes for a single bunch of asparagus, right up until tender-crisp.

Don’t overcook it!

If the asparagus is ready before you are prepared to serve it (perhaps the main course is even now cooking), you need to nonetheless eliminate it to a serving plate. Cover it with foil to maintain it warm.

It’s better to serve it crisp at area temperature than to overcook it in an try to preserve it warm.

What to put on steamed asparagus?

I season it merely, with an effortless sauce of butter, garlic and lemon juice.

If you’d like a more elaborate sauce, you could best your asparagus with this straightforward to make hollandaise sauce. But I normally don’t bother. I reserve hollandaise sauce for eggs benedict.

I actually consider that when the asparagus is youthful and fresh, it’s delightful with no sauce at all – just a sprinkling of coarse kosher salt and black pepper!

What to serve with steamed asparagus?

Anything at all, actually. It’s such a versatile side dish. I generally attempt to serve it with a principal dish that I can make on the stovetop (so that I don’t have to use both the oven and the stove).

So I usually serve this side dish with any of the following primary dishes:

How to store leftovers?

Leftovers preserve in the fridge in a sealed container for about 3 days, but they won’t be as excellent as fresh. I desire to chop them cold and add to a salad, rather than consider to reheat them.