Low Sugar Steamed Asparagus with Brown Butter
Asparagus is one of those vegetables that barely needs help, but brown butter takes it somewhere truly special. The spears are steamed just until bright green and tender-crisp, then finished with a drizzle of nutty, golden butter that adds richness without a single gram of added sweetness. It's the kind of side dish that feels restaurant-worthy but comes together in under ten minutes with a handful of real, whole ingredients. Fresh parsley and optional thyme round out the flavor with a clean, herby lift that keeps everything tasting vibrant and fresh. Because the only fat here is unsalted butter and the seasoning is just sea salt, there's no hidden syrup, sweetened sauce, or processed shortcut to worry about — just honest cooking technique doing all the work. The brown butter step is the real magic: watching those milk solids turn golden in a light-colored pan and catching that toasty, almost caramel-like aroma right before you pull it off the heat is genuinely satisfying. Serve it immediately so the butter stays glossy and the asparagus holds its color and gentle bite.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 1 lb fresh asparagus, woody ends snapped off
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Arrange the asparagus in a single layer in a large skillet. Add enough cold water to reach about 1/4 inch up the sides of the pan. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then steam for 3–5 minutes, until the spears are bright green and just tender when pierced at the thickest point with a paring knife — they should bend slightly but not flop.
- 2
Transfer the asparagus to a serving platter using tongs and discard the steaming water. Pat the skillet dry or use a separate small light-colored saucepan for the butter.
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