Simple 15-Minute Steamed Asparagus

This simple steamed asparagus, dressed with melted butter, lemon juice, and garlic, is a surprising delicacy, and it's so easy to make!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 5

Total Time 15

Servings servings

Calories 70kcal

1 bunch fresh asparagus medium thickness, about 20 spears
2 tablespoons butter melted
1 teaspoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or ¼ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Pour 1 inch of water into a saucepan. Bring the water to a boil.
Chop off about an inch from the bottom of the asparagus. There's generally no need to peel them since we're using medium-thickness spears, but if some of the spears are very thick or woody, go ahead and peel the bottom.
Place the asparagus in a steamer basket. Once the water has boiled, carefully place the basket in the saucepan. Cover and steam until the asparagus is just barely tender, about 5 minutes. Thinner spears will require just 3 minutes of steaming.
Immediately remove the asparagus from the steamer and transfer it to a serving platter. Drizzle it with melted butter and lemon juice, and sprinkle it with kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Serve immediately.

It's important to avoid overcooking asparagus. If it's done before you are ready to serve it (perhaps the main dish is still cooking), remove it to a serving plate and cover it with foil to keep it warm. It's better to serve it crisp at room temperature than to overcook it in an attempt to keep it warm.
I like to use medium-thickness spears when making this recipe. The very thick ones are often fibrous, and the very thin ones are flimsy.
You can keep the leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for about 3 days. I don't like them reheated. I prefer to chop them cold and use them in a salad.