Lemon Butter Asparagus Almonds (Print Version)

Asparagus sautéed in lemon butter and finished with toasted almonds. Perfect side for any spring meal.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed

→ Dairy

02 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Nuts

03 - 1/3 cup sliced almonds

→ Citrus

04 - 1 lemon, zest and juice

→ Seasonings

05 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
06 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Optional Garnish

07 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large skillet of salted water to a boil. Add trimmed asparagus and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until crisp-tender. Drain and immediately submerge in a bowl of ice water to halt the cooking process. Drain again and pat asparagus dry.
02 - Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced almonds and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove almonds from the skillet and set aside.
03 - In the same skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the blanched asparagus and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until heated through.
04 - Add lemon zest, lemon juice, sea salt, and black pepper. Toss the asparagus to coat evenly in the lemon butter.
05 - Transfer the asparagus to a serving platter. Top with toasted almonds and chopped parsley, if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The splash of bright lemony butter makes even ordinary meals feel a little fancy.
  • This asparagus always vanishes from the table way faster than I expect.
02 -
  • If you turn your back even briefly, almonds will go from perfect to burnt in seconds—trust me.
  • Blanching the asparagus before sautéing locks in the green and snap, making all the difference.
03 -
  • Use a microplane for cloudlike lemon zest without any bitter pith.
  • Sauté just until the asparagus is hot—overcooking leaves it limp.
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