You can make Tarragon Butter Asparagus in less than 15 minutes! Steamed asparagus is delicious topped with a simple, herb butter sauce. You have to try this family favorite I've been making for decades!
I have to introduce you to our favorite asparagus side dish. Once you make this Tarragon Butter Asparagus, you'll wonder where it's been all of your life!
It's quick and easy but impressive enough for guests.
The recipe simply calls for steaming asparagus on the stove (or in the microwave), then topping it with melted butter that's seasoned with tarragon and black pepper.
That's it!
It doesn't sound like anything. But I assure you, it's everything. I've been making this for decades!
I love making Steamed Corn on the Cob this way too.
Recipe ingredients
You just need four ingredients to make magic!
Asparagus: Thin asparagus spears work best for steaming. They'll cook faster than thicker asparagus. You can use green, purple or white asparagus.
Salted Butter: I always use salted butter in my cooking because I love its flavor. In this recipe, it's the only source of sodium. If you use unsalted butter, you'll need to add a pinch of salt to the tarragon butter.
Tarragon: This herb tastes fabulous in melted butter and gives this dish its signature flavor. I stock dried tarragon (affiliate link) in my pantry since I make this asparagus often.
Tarragon butter also is delicious on steak, chicken or fish. And you can use tarragon in Hollandaise sauce, Béarnaise sauce and salad dressings.
If you need a tarragon substitute, go with basil and perhaps add a few drops of lemon juice in the butter sauce.
How to make tarragon butter asparagus
See the card at the end of this post for the full recipe, but here's an overview.
- Cut off the bottom, woody part of the asparagus, since it will be tough.
- Place the asparagus in a steamer basket over shallow boiling water. (See the recipe notes for using a pan or the microwave instead.)
- Cover and steam the asparagus for 10 minutes, or until you can pierce it with a fork and it's crisp on the outside, tender on the inside.
- Make the butter sauce by melting butter in the microwave and stirring in crushed, dried tarragon and black pepper.
Done!
Isn't asparagus like that one friend who's always elegant and sophisticated, seemingly without trying? (In case you're wondering, I'm never that friend.)
Recipe tips
- The easiest way to trim asparagus spears is to line them up so the bottoms are even, then use a chef's knife (affiliate link) to cut off the bottom two inches of the bunch. Snapping off the ends one at a time takes too long.
- You can melt the butter for the sauce in a pan on the stove if you wish, but it's more convenient to melt it right in the bowl you'll be using to serve the tarragon butter. Just make sure to use a microwave-safe bowl.
How to serve it
Serve the steamed asparagus in a platter (affiliate link) with a small bowl of tarragon butter on the side. I like to let each person spoon some of the butter sauce on his or her portion. But you can pour some of it on top ahead of time, if you prefer.
This Tarragon Butter Asparagus tastes wonderful as a side dish for fish, beef, pork, lamb or chicken. Try it with Parmesan Baked Cod, Steak Pinwheels, Baked Pork Tenderloin with Glaze or Easy Chicken Marsala.
Frequently asked questions
If you don't have a steamer but want to steam asparagus on the stove, you can use a pan. Add an inch of hot water to a large skillet and bring it to a boil.
Lower to a simmer and add the asparagus to the pan. Cover and cook the asparagus until it's tender.
You can use the microwave to steam asparagus, but it's best to use thin spears so they cook faster.
Trim the asparagus, rinse it and place the wet stalks in a glass pan (or a microwave-safe bowl where they can lay flat). Add a tablespoon of water.
Cover with wax paper or a microwave-safe plate and heat for three minutes on high. Wearing oven gloves, check for doneness and heat longer if needed.
Just like you'd store flowers in a vase, asparagus stays fresher when it's standing up in a container of shallow water.
Trim an inch off of the bottom of the stalks first, then place the bundled asparagus in something like a mason jar or plastic quart container. Add 1-2 inches of water, cover with a clear plastic bag or plastic wrap, then refrigerate for up to a week. If the water gets cloudy during that time, you can change it out as needed.
More vegetable dishes
But if you love asparagus, don't miss Mom's Asparagus Frittata or this Baked Vegetable Risotto with Asparagus and Spinach.
You also have to try:
- Sautéed Italian Peas
- Italian Carrot Salad
- Italian Stuffed Artichokes
- Italian Green Beans with Tomatoes
Enjoy!
If you make this Tarragon Butter Asparagus recipe, please leave a comment and a rating!
Tarragon Butter Asparagus (Steamed)
Ingredients
- 1 bunch asparagus
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- ⅛ teaspoon tarragon
- 1 pinch black pepper
Instructions
Steamer Instructions (see notes if using a pan or microwave)
- Fill the bottom pot of your steamer set with a couple of inches of hot water. Set it on the stove, covered, over high heat to bring it to a boil.
- While the water is heating, rinse the asparagus and cut off the bottom two inches (or the part that seems tough). Add the asparagus to the steamer basket.
- When the water is boiling, place the steamer basket on top of the boiling pot and cover the steamer basket with a lid. Steam the asparagus for 10 minutes, or until it is cooked to your liking. Test it by piercing one with a fork and tasting it.
Tarragon Butter
- When the asparagus is almost done cooking, place the butter in a small, microwave-safe bowl and cover it with wax paper. Melt the butter in the microwave. Rub the tarragon between your thumb and fingers to crush it up a bit, and sprinkle it into the melted butter. Add the pepper and stir to blend.
- Serve the asparagus in a platter with the bowl of tarragon butter on the side. Each person can spoon some tarragon butter over his or her portion. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Notes
Nutrition
(Recipe Source: Adapted from a recipe I once saw in a Time cookbook. Originally published on April 5, 2016 and updated now with new photos and additional information. Photos by Kanyi Muraguri for Cooking with Mamma C.)
Cheryl "Cheffie Cooks" Wiser
Hi Andrea, love asparagus! Yes I use tarragon a lot in many recipes. Glazed honey-carrots with tarragon, chicken salad with tarragon-grapes-walnuts, very flavorful herb! Cheryl
Mamma C
Ooh, your carrots and chicken salad sound wonderful, Cheryl!
Angie
Love asparagus! I'd love to grow it but I don't have the patience, I'll just buy it 🙂 I think I have a tarragon /chicken recipe . This sounds wonderful, very spring!
Mamma C
This would go perfectly with your chicken recipe, Angie! I don't have any kind of garden, thanks to all of the deer in my yard, so I buy all of my veggies. Anyone with a home garden is lucky! 🙂
annie@ciaochowbambina
These are my favorite kind of dishes!! With all the asparagus in the world these days, this recipe will definitely be added to my bunch of favorites! Thanks for sharing, my friend!
Mamma C
I'm so happy it's asparagus season. I hope you try this, Annie!