Sautéed Oregano Asparagus

Sautéed Oregano Asparagus is a mouthwatering, straightforward vegetable side dish that is ready in just a matter of minutes! Cook in either olive or coconut oil, sprinkle with sea salt and oregano, and call it good! This low-cost recipe’s amazing flavor belies its simplicity! {Vegan and Paleo}

Okay, friends, where are you at on the Love It/Immensely Dislike It asparagus scale? My own childhood was filled with precooked, prepackaged asparagus, putting me firmly in the Immensely Dislike It category. Did it maybe even come in a can? Those years are a bit hazy. All I do know is that from about kindergarten through third grade, precooked asparagus was where my mother’s patience went to die. “Morgan, just eat three nibbles of one asparagus stalk. Then you can go back to the mac ’n cheese.” How about just the mac ’n cheese? “Three nibbles, Morgan.” Finally, Mom switched to green beans and no one bothered to tell her those beans were more legume than vegetable.

Getting the memo is super-overrated, especially if you discover a green, earthy food your picky child will eat.

But times have changed. Aldi came to my neighborhood and brought with it fresh asparagus. And FRESH asparagus? Well, now, that’s something my adult self can more than nibble. First of all, fresh asparagus is pretty. Because maybe looks don’t matter but they sure are helpful when picking a vegetable side dish. Or a college sports team when you’re watching a game and don’t know either school. Who has the best-looking jersey? That’s my team. #priorities #thoughtprocessesmatter 

Second, when sautéed, asparagus is downright mouthwatering. None of this mushy, gushy business from spending the better part of its life in a tin can. Because I just know that childhood asparagus came from a can. Unless Mom was feeling fancy, in which case she bought the frozen kind that had been doused in cheese prior to its freezing.

Lastly, sautéed asparagus takes only minutes to prepare, especially if, like me, you enjoy your vegetables al dente. And I DO. In my estimation, the best asparagus is bright green, soft on the outside, and crunchy on the inside. Also doused, not in cheese, but in oil and oregano. So deceptively good. It also smells just like a pizza joint, thanks to the oregano, even though you’re straight-up eating a healthy vegetable. Take the wins wherever you can get them, friends. 

That is everything good and well and wonderful with Sautéed Oregano Asparagus. And it’s cheap, too. Especially if like my mom was, you’re feeding hungry, finicky bellies on a tight budget. God love all the parents and caregivers finding all the ways to make ends meet.

So, if you are looking for a way to add more fresh vegetables to your diet while also not busting the budget, then a serving or two of this Sautéed Oregano Asparagus is worth a shot! So let’s make some, shall we?

SAUTÉED OREGANO ASPARAGUS INGREDIENTS:

You only need four whopping ingredients to make this recipe!

• Fresh asparagus. Trim the coarse ends of the stalks.
• Cooking oil. I have used both coconut and olive oil in this recipe, and successfully, too. Either will work just fine.
• Dried oregano. If you choose to add a little more to this recipe, your tastebuds probably won’t mind!
• Sea salt. A little bit goes a long way, but it’s a great addition to this recipe!

HOW TO MAKE SAUTÉED OREGANO ASPARAGUS :

Below are the instructions to make your own Sautéed Oregano Asparagus. Keep in mind, cooking times are short in this recipe.

1. In a large sauté pan, melt the coconut oil.
2. Then stir in the dried oregano and sea salt.
3. Finally, add the asparagus stalks, as many as possible without overlapping. If necessary, hold remaining stalks back, and then add them to the next round, adding a little more coconut oil, if necessary.

QUICK TIP: If you are working with a smaller sauté pan and you know you won’t be able to fit all the asparagus stalks at once without overlapping, then add about half the coconut oil, oregano, and sea salt to the first batch, reserving the remaining quantities for a second batch. 

RECIPE BEST PRACTICES:

• I have used coconut oil and olive oil in various batches of Sautéed Oregano Asparagus, and loved both. You can’t go wrong. Pick an oil of choice and go to town!
• As for eating these for leftovers, I suggest eating them just after making them or at least consuming them within 24 hours.
• Err on the side of shorter cooking times. While I initially preferred this because I like crunchier veggies, it turns out there may be health benefits to shorter sauté times when preparing fresh asparagus. My source is The World’s Healthiest Foods. 

If veggie side dishes are you thing, then you might also like:

• Roasted Cauliflower Steaks
• Easy Paleo Quick-Steamed Vegetables
• Garlic Mashed Cauliflower Potatoes

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