A drizzle of rich, nutty, brown butter blended with a splash of balsamic vinegar is a simple way to enhance the flavor of tender, freshly steamed asparagus.
PrintAsparagus with Balsamic Brown Butter
This is a deliciously easy side dish of tender, steamed asparagus drizzled with a combination of brown butter and balsamic vinegar.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 2 lbs asparagus, ends trimmed
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Bring 1/2-inch of water to a boil in the bottom of a large pan outfitted with a steaming rack. Place the asparagus on the rack, cover and cook until bright green and tender when pierced with a sharp knife in the thickest part of the stalk, about 7 minutes.
- While the asparagus cooks, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the butter begins to foam. As soon as the color starts to darken, whisk in the vinegar and remove the pan from the heat. Keep a watchful eye as it's very easy to burn.
- Plate the asparagus, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with the brown butter mixture.
Bob Irvine says
Asparagus needs more than just butter. Brown butter, buerre noisette, fills that taste void very nicely, however, balsamic brown butter dresses asparagus in a fantastic fashion with that nuttiness and a hint of acidity.