Garlic butter asparagus is an easy, crowd-pleasing side dish you can whip up in less than 15 minutes. Chopped almonds and garlic are sauteed in butter, and the asparagus is cooked until crisp-tender. A little squeeze of lemon finishes the dish.
Garlic butter asparagus is an easy, crowd-pleasing side dish I make when I want something special without much effort. Chopped almonds and garlic are sautéed in butter, then the asparagus is cooked until crisp-tender and finished with a squeeze of lemon. I usually cut the asparagus so it fits neatly in the pan, but you can absolutely leave the stalks whole if you prefer.
The result is crisp-tender asparagus wrapped in rich, garlicky butter that’s pretty hard to resist. Crunchy almonds add the perfect contrast, while garlic cooked two ways—crispy slices and finely minced—layers in big flavor. A little lemon juice brightens everything up, and from start to finish, this dish is on the table in just 15 minutes.
A few variations to try
While we love our garlic butter version, there are a few ways that you can switch things up to keep the recipe fresh and new each time that you make it.
- Make garlic parmesan asparagus. Sprinkle a handful of grated Parmesan onto the asparagus in the last few minutes of cooking.
- Italian. Add one teaspoon of Italian seasoning to the asparagus.
- Spicy. Sprinkle with chili flakes while cooking.
Favorite asparagus recipes
- Asparagus Soup
- Roasted Asparagus
- Asparagus Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Sauteed Asparagus with Garlic and Parmesan
- Asparagus Goat Cheese and Cherry Tomato Breakfast Tart
Garlic Butter Asparagus Recipe
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Ingredients
- ▢ 1 tablespoon butter
- ▢ ¼ cup almonds (chopped)
- ▢ 4 cloves garlic (2 sliced and 2 minced)
- ▢ 1 lb asparagus (cut into 2″ pieces (see notes))
- ▢ Juice from 1 lemon
- ▢ Sea salt (to taste.)
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the almonds and garlic and cook until the almonds start to brown and the sliced garlic begins to crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon. 1 tablespoon butter, ¼ cup almonds, 4 cloves garlic
- Add the asparagus and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften, about 8 minutes. 1 lb asparagus
- Once the asparagus is soft, add the almonds and garlic back into the pan and squeeze the lemon over the top. Season to taste with salt. Juice from 1 lemon, Sea salt
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here .
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Garlic Butter Asparagus Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ¼ cup almonds , chopped
- 4 cloves garlic , 2 sliced and 2 minced
- 1 lb asparagus , cut into 2" pieces (see notes)
- Juice from 1 lemon
- Sea salt , to taste.
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the almonds and garlic and cook until the almonds start to brown and the sliced garlic begins to crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon. 1 tablespoon butter, ¼ cup almonds, 4 cloves garlic
- Add the asparagus and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften, about 8 minutes. 1 lb asparagus
- Once the asparagus is soft, add the almonds and garlic back into the pan and squeeze the lemon over the top. Season to taste with salt. Juice from 1 lemon, Sea salt
