Emulsifier Free Steamed Asparagus with Brown Butter
Tender asparagus spears meet a deeply nutty, golden brown butter in one of the most satisfying ways to let fresh produce shine. Many store-bought sauces and flavored butters sneak in lecithin or other emulsifying agents, so making your own brown butter from scratch is the cleanest route to that rich, restaurant-worthy finish. The technique here is straightforward — steam the spears until just yielding, then watch the butter transform in the pan until the milk solids turn toasty and fragrant. Fresh parsley and optional thyme lift the whole dish with a little herbal brightness that keeps it from feeling heavy. Every ingredient on this list is exactly what it says it is: real butter, sea salt, fresh herbs, and good asparagus. It comes together quickly and looks genuinely impressive on the table, which makes it an easy go-to for weeknight dinners or a dinner party side that requires almost no effort to pull off.
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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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