Lemon Butter Asparagus Almonds (Printer-Friendly)

Asparagus sautéed with lemon butter and almonds delivers bright flavor and elegance to any spring celebration.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed

→ Dairy

02 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Nuts

03 - 1/3 cup sliced almonds

→ Citrus

04 - Zest and juice of 1 lemon

→ Seasonings

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

→ Optional Garnish

07 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large skillet of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the asparagus spears and blanch for 2 to 3 minutes until bright green and crisp-tender. Drain and immediately submerge in a bowl filled with ice water to halt cooking. Drain again and gently pat dry with paper towels.
02 - Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced almonds and toast, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer toasted almonds to a bowl and set aside.
03 - Return the skillet to medium heat and melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Arrange the blanched asparagus in the skillet and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, tossing occasionally, until heated through.
04 - Sprinkle the lemon zest and pour in the lemon juice. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss to coat the asparagus evenly in the lemon butter.
05 - Transfer the asparagus to a serving platter. Top with toasted almonds and garnish with chopped parsley if desired. Serve immediately for best flavor and texture.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • You’ll be amazed how just butter, lemon, and almonds turn asparagus into a scene-stealer.
  • Blanching then sautéing makes the texture perfectly crisp-tender every time.
02 -
  • If you skip the ice bath, your asparagus will slump into sadness and lose their snap.
  • I used to overcrowd the pan with almonds and learned that toasting in batches keeps them perfectly golden.
03 -
  • Always zest the lemon before juicing – I’ve learned the hard way and you’ll thank yourself later.
  • Letting the asparagus dry fully after its ice bath means it’ll sauté instead of steam and soak up the lemon butter beautifully.
Go Back