Lightly sautéed broccoli and asparagus tossed with just a dab of butter and a sprinkle of parmesan makes a terrific side dish for any meal. I could happily eat this every single day!
Broccoli and Asparagus
Despite the simplicity of this side dish, the whole family enjoyed it and asked if we could cook the vegetables this way again. Sometimes, the simplest methods and ingredients really do show off vegetable flavors best.
Both of these vegetables have wonderfully earthy flavors and, together, they make for a great pairing.
With just a sprinkling of Parmesan and a bit of butter, this added up to a really tasty way to cook some fresh vegetables FAST.
Did I mention the total cooking time was only about 5 minutes? Yep. It really does come together that quickly.
Along with this Brown Butter Skillet Corn and some Chipotle Chicken, this was a dinner that my whole family enjoyed.
Sauteed Broccoli and Asparagus
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Add the vegetables and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add 1 tablespoon of water to the skillet and cover with a lid for 2-3 minutes to partially steam the vegetables.
- Uncover and continue cooking, tossing constantly, for about 4-6 more minutes. You want the vegetables to turn bright green and stay fairly crisp while barely softening from the heat.
- Add the butter to the bottom of the skillet and toss quickly to coat the pieces. Remove from the heat and sprinkle with Parmesan before serving.
Simple Roasted Asparagus is a classic side dish, every bit as delicious though maybe not quite as popular as Roasted Broccoli.
Speaking of roasting broccoli, this Honey Sriracha Broccoli is a MUST for any fan of roasted broccoli and it would be delicious with some asparagus in the mix too!
This Roasted Broccoli and Asparagus Salad by Love and Olive Oil is another delicious option to try.
Combining these two vegetables is always a tasty option, as seen with this recipe for Roasted Asparagus with Broccoli and Summer Squash.
Sauteed Broccoli and Asparagus with Parmesan
Ingredients
- 1 small head of broccoli, about 2 cups broccoli florets stem sliced thin and included if desired
- ½ lb asparagus trimmed and cut into 2″ pieces
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- kosher salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons parmesan finely grated
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Add the vegetables and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add 1 tablespoon of water to the skillet and cover with a lid for 2-3 minutes to partially steam the vegetables.
- Uncover and continue cooking, tossing constantly, for about 4-6 more minutes. You want the vegetables to turn bright green and stay fairly crisp while barely softening from the heat.
- Add the butter to the bottom of the skillet and toss quickly to coat the pieces. Remove from the heat and sprinkle with Parmesan before serving. Enjoy!
Nutrition
{originally published 8/11/12 – recipe notes and photos updated 4/21/22}
Beth says
Nothing beats asparagus – but adding broccoli in would be terrific!
Sue/the view from great island says
This sounds out of this world. I'm guilty of the old throw some chopped broccoli into the microwave for 2 minutes kind of side dish. I'm slapping myself now.
Rebecca Subbiah says
this looks so good 🙂
Mom on the Run says
What a great recipe! I also like the other 2 dishes you also paired with it. This is going on a weekly menu!
Chris says
I've never thought about mixing the two together but I really like the idea of that, since they have complimentary woody flavors.
Autumn@GoodEatsGirl says
Sauteed broccoli is one of my favorites! This looks great!
Jed Gray (sportsglutton) says
Every man loves broccoli and a tidbit of asparagus is always welcome. 😉
Roma says
Really quick, delicious and healthy. Everyone loved it.
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad that you liked it, Roma!
Miser says
It’s a good basic recipe. The asparagus will cook faster than the broccoli, so cook the broccoli for about 3-4 minutes before adding the asparagus. Throwing in a small handful of slivered almonds during the last 5 minutes would be a nice addition.
Mary Younkin says
I’m glad you like the recipe. The thickness of the asparagus will definitely affect how quickly the vegetables cook. I’m betting almonds would be a great addition as well.
Dave says
We weren’t sure that broccoli and asparagus would go well together but after seeing this recipe we decided to try it and it was good. Being quick and easy too is a great bonus. We’d definitely make this again.
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad that you liked it, Dave!
Jared Hammons says
Im a bachelor again , at 51 years, I find your recipes to be ; simple , basic , and delicious . I appreciate the ability to construct healthy , tasty meals in the kitchen. I needed change from the tru-blu bathelor dishes, i.e. sandwiches, canned food , lots of peanut butter. Thankyou.
Jared.
Mary Younkin says
I’m glad to hear that you’re enjoying the recipes, Jared.
Carrie says
Agree with Miser below–a good basic recipe. He’s right that the broccoli takes longer to cook, I wished I’d started with that first. I thought some browned pine nuts would be a good addition