Sautéed Asparagus with Parmesan Gremolata

Sautéed Asparagus with Parmesan Gremolata is a light and fresh side dish that is as quick and easy as it is delicious!

Sautéed Asparagus with Parmesan Gremolata

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It can be so easy to fall into the trap of making the same couple veggies for every meal. I know I'm guilty of this (broccoli/peas/corn/salad) because I'm a total creature of habit. So this year I'm trying to branch out and get more creative with my side dishes.

One thing I don't make often enough is Asparagus. During the summer, I make balsamic grilled asparagus but the rest of the year, I'm not cooking asparagus nearly as much which is shame. So I knew another asparagus recipe was on the horizon. It was really just a matter of getting inspired.

That inspiration came in the form of the Queen herself, Ina Garten. I love me some Ina (although I also totally wine about her on my Instagram stories sometimes- it's called H-uh-mmus not H-oo-mmus! But in all seriousness, it comes from a place of love!)! In this particular episode, Ina was making Green Beans with Gremolata and it looked so simple and so delicious that I knew I had to share my own take.

But wait...what is gremolata?

Gremolata is an Italian condiment. The primary ingredients are flat leaf parsley, lemon zest and garlic. The most traditional vessel for serving gremolata is Osso Buco but it's also a great option to serve over veggies and even makes an excellent addition to a marinade for protein or a salad dressing!

You can also get creative with the ingredients and add other tasty things to your gremolata. In this case I went with shredded parmesan cheese. But other great add-ins include anchovies. Substituting in other citrus like oranges or limes. Also, other herbs like cilantro or mint. Or a mixture of all these things.  The world is your oyster!

How to make Sautéed Asparagus with Parmesan Gremolata

• You'll start by removing the woodsy bottoms (wherever it naturally breaks is the right spot) and cut the asparagus spears into thirds.
• Then blanch your asparagus in boiling water and then plunging it into an ice bath to stop the cooking process.
• Next you'll finely chop the parsley and grate the garlic and lemon zest. Combine those with shredded parmesan.
• Heat some olive oil in a pan and throw your asparagus into the pan, sautéing for a minute or two to reheat the asparagus.
• Top with most of (but not all of) the Gremolata and stir to incorporate. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed.
• Transfer to a serving bowl and top with the remaining Gremolata. Garnish with lemon pieces and sprinkle with a little lemon juice if you want.

Helpful tools:

1. Fry pan
2. Chef's knife
3. Cutting board
4. Saucepan
5. Microplane
6. Measuring spoons

Sautéed Asparagus with Parmesan Gremolata

Jessy Freimann

Sautéed Asparagus with Parmesan Gremolata is a light and fresh side dish that is as quick and easy as it is delicious!

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 7 minutes mins

Total Time 17 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Italian

Ingredients

  

• 2 bunches asparagus spears, woodsy ends removed and cut into thirds.
• 5 Tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 4 teaspoons lemon zest
• 3 teaspoons garlic, grated
• 2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese, shredded
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste
• 1 lemon, cut into small wedges

Instructions

 

• Bring a medium pot of water to a boil.
• Add the asparagus and blanch for 2 minutes.
  
• Drain the asparagus and place it into an ice bath to stop the cooking.
• While the asparagus cools, combine parsley, lemon zest, garlic and Parmesan cheese into a small bowl and mix well until fully combined. Set aside.
• When the asparagus has cooled drain well.
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
• Add the asparagus into the pan and saute for a couple minutes, to heat the asparagus.
• Sprinkle with all but 1 Tablespoon of the Gremolata and stir well to coat.
• Taste a piece of asparagus for flavor and add salt and pepper to taste if needed.
• Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with the remaining Gremolata. Garnish with lemon wedges and squeeze a little lemon juice over the top if you want. Serve immediately.

Notes

This will last a couple days in the refrigerator. It also tastes great cold.

This recipe was inspired by Ina Garten's Green Beans Gremolata.

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If you tried this recipe please comment and rate it 🙂 I love hearing your feedback and answering your questions!

Other favorite asparagus recipes:

Pea Pesto Flatbread

Lemon Dill Salmon and Asparagus

You can find a full index of my recipes here.

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