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Sautéed Asparagus and Peas

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Asparagus and peas prove the old adage: what grows together, goes together. This is the perfect side dish for spring!

asparagus and peas

There’s a useful adage: what grows together goes together. In other words, if fruits and vegetables grow in the same season and region, they’ll taste great together. Think tomatoes and basil, strawberries and rhubarb, bananas and coconut and — in this case — asparagus and peas. Plus, I always think combining vegetables in a side dish dresses them up and makes them so much more interesting. Buttered peas, for instance, are a little boring to serve on their own, other than perhaps to children. But the addition of asparagus, cut into pretty bite-sized spears, transforms them into a company-worthy dish.

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Sautéed Asparagus and Peas

Asparagus and peas prove the old adage: what grows together, goes together. This is the perfect side dish for spring!

Servings: 4
Total Time: 15 Minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup minced shallots
  • 1 bunch thin asparagus spears, ends trimmed, cut into 1½-inch pieces on a diagonal
  • 1 cup thawed frozen peas
  • Salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon honey

Instructions

  1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent, 4-5 minutes.
  2. Add the asparagus, ¼ teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Continue cooking over medium-low heat, stirring frequently so the shallots don't burn, for about 5 minutes or until tender-crisp. Add the peas and honey and cook about one minute more until the peas are warmed through. Add more salt and pepper to taste (I usually add about ⅛ teaspoon more salt and a few twists of pepper) and serve.

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • Calories: 89
  • Fat: 6 g
  • Saturated fat: 4 g
  • Carbohydrates: 8 g
  • Sugar: 4 g
  • Fiber: 2 g
  • Protein: 2 g
  • Sodium: 127 mg
  • Cholesterol: 15 mg

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

Gluten-Free Adaptable Note

To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.

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Comments

  • Hello Jenn,
    This recipe was also a part of our Thanksgiving fare. Being a bit overwhelmed that day, we just went in order with everything on low heat on one of the rear stove burners. So when things looked done, we proceeded to the next step. I forgot to thaw the peas so the frozen ones when it as is which just took more time. How delicious they were!

    • — Keith Taylor on December 2, 2023
    • Reply
  • Made this on a whim the other night when looking through your cookbook for something green. What a hit! My husband said “you HAVE to make these veggies again!” So simple yet so delicious.

    • — Michelle Leigh on November 14, 2023
    • Reply
  • THANK YOU THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH…I LOVE THE RECIPES AND I ESPECIALLY APPRECIATE THE PICTURES OF INGREDIENTS NEEDED AND STEPS. YOU ARE A TRUE BLESSING!! I HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM YOU….AGAIN..THANK YOU!

    • — VKI on September 10, 2023
    • Reply
    • ❤️

      • — Jenn on September 10, 2023
      • Reply
  • Can I serve cold for a cookout?

    • — Monique on June 29, 2023
    • Reply
    • Sure, just make sure you give it a stir or two first in case the butter has congealed a bit in the fridge.

      • — Jenn on June 29, 2023
      • Reply
  • Easy and simple. A few simple ingredients but tastes FABULOUS!

    • — Kate from Alberta on June 24, 2023
    • Reply
  • This is soooo good! Who knew we could crave veggies! Your secret of adding a touch of honey adds such incredible balance to dishes! I forgot the honey once, big mistake haha!

    • — Mara on June 11, 2023
    • Reply
  • This recipe is exceptional! My family was surprised how much they liked it! Great combination, goes well with grilled salmon 🙂 Very easy to prep ahead of time and throw on stove to cook. Definitely will make this again for my fussy friends!

    • — Susan Van Aartsen on May 27, 2023
    • Reply
  • This is one of our favorite sides from your website especially in the spring. But we now have a baby less than 1 year old who can’t have honey. How should we modify the recipe? Thanks!

    • — MM on April 24, 2023
    • Reply
    • So glad you like it! You can replace the honey with a pinch or two of sugar.

      • — Jenn on April 24, 2023
      • Reply
  • My husband was skeptical, now he requests this dish. Thank you. Your site is one of my go-to places when looking for inspiration.

    • — Mary Ward on March 24, 2023
    • Reply
  • Jenn,
    I love your site and cookbooks. I was wondering if this could be made ahead of time and reheated. I’m hosting a dinner party and am trying to do as much as possible in advance. Thank you.

    • — Mary McConnell Ward on December 10, 2022
    • Reply
    • Yes definitely! And so glad you enjoy the recipes. 🙂

      • — Jenn on December 10, 2022
      • Reply
  • Can I make this with frozen asparagus?

    • — Phyllis on July 29, 2022
    • Reply
    • Hi Phyllis, I think you could get away with it, but that it would definitely be best with fresh asparagus.

      • — Jenn on July 31, 2022
      • Reply
      • How long would we cook the frozen asparagus?

        • — Dora Zaharias on April 30, 2023
        • Reply
        • Hi Dora, I think you could get away with frozen asparagus here, but this would definitely be best with fresh. That said, I’d cook it according to the guidance on the bag, but maybe cut off a minute or so so it doesn’t end up mushy.

          • — Jenn on May 1, 2023
          • Reply
  • A question actually–is there a substitute for the shallots? my guest cannot eat any onion or garlic. Thanks.

    • — Karen on July 27, 2022
    • Reply
    • Hi Karen, there’s no real substitute for the onions, unfortunately. I’d just omit them; the veggies will still be good. 🙂

      • — Jenn on July 28, 2022
      • Reply
  • Easily a 5* recipe for ease, health, taste and comfort. This recipe was first printed in 2017 and we have worn out the page. It has been made in various changes (bigger asparagus, litlle more honey, etc) and has never failed to satisfy. It is definite a staple in our kitchen, thank you Jenn.

    • — Jeffrey Hall on May 30, 2022
    • Reply
  • This is the perfect spring side dish! I saved this recipe ages ago, and I just got around to trying it last week. Why did I wait so darn long?!?! The combo of the peas, asparagus, and shallots with a touch of honey is just awesome! It’s also comes together very quickly for an easy weeknight side—even though it’s fancy enough for company.

    • — Alex S. on May 11, 2022
    • Reply
  • Made this tonight with one of your salmon recipes. My husband was very wary about this combination. But we both loved this dish!!! Another Jenn winner. By the way at this point we talk about you as if you’re a good friend. Your name is brought up several times a week. It’s hilarious. And we always say ‘Jenn is coming for dinner’ when I am making one of your recipes.

    • — Sharon G on April 4, 2022
    • Reply
    • 💕

      • — Jenn on April 4, 2022
      • Reply
  • Hi Jenn, I was thinking of making this for Passover to have something fresh and green to counter all the kugels. 🙂 Any advice if I triple or quadruple the recipe? And is there a good way to prepare ahead of time and reheat without compromising the taste and freshness?

    • — Sheri on March 25, 2022
    • Reply
    • Hi Sheri, if you want to triple this, I think you can get away with it as long as you use a large enough pan. If you want to quadruple it, I’d definitely use two skillets. And it’s fine for you to make this a head and reheat it briefly in the microwave. Hope that helps!

      • — Jenn on March 25, 2022
      • Reply
  • We swapped out the frozen peas with fresh snap peas. We did take Jenn’s advice and added the snap peas 2-3 min before the asparagus for added cooking time. It turned out fantastic. FYI as a side dish we also made the oven roasted carrots as well. Great option for those not inclined to enjoy asparagus.

  • Fantastic recipe!! I’ve made this dish a number of times, and everyone loves it! I often make it in advance and serve it a room temperature. Thank you, Jenn, for such a great, make-ahead side dish recipe!!

  • Delicious, just about to cook it for the second time. It’s really nice to have something different from the usual we both love it.

  • I can’t wait to try this recipe for Christmas! I love recipes that can be made in advance! If I double this recipe, how long do you suggest I reheat it in the microwave? I’m always tempted just to reheat things in a pan on the stove….I don’t want to overcook it. Thanks.

    • — Wendy Schoenburg
    • Reply
    • Hi Wendy, If you’re doubling the recipe, I’d start with about 90 seconds and check it. After that, I use 30-second increments until it’s just heated through. Enjoy!

  • I’ve made this amazing dish half a dozen times now, I have a bunch of little grandkids who turn their noses up at too much “green stuff”—big surprise! From the very first taste, they were hooked! Was it the butter, the honey, the combo of flavors, I’ll never know. But, it’s a requested regular on my dinner table. Too bad asparagus season is almost over.
    Thank you, Jenn. You hit the right notes with me in the kitchen. My family loves it!

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