Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Browned Butter

I am a changed person.  Last week I ate fresh asparagus that was grown one mile from my front door and picked only hours before I roasted it.  The locavore movement suddenly seemed relevant.  I'll probably never be satisfied with grocery store asparagus again, unless its doused with plenty of balsamic browned butter.

Don't let the simplicity of this recipe fool you.  Browned butter makes pretty much anything taste amazing, but the combination of butter, soy sauce and balsamic vinegar is nothing short of astounding.  There was a little family scuffle towards the end of dinner as we all tried to clean the remaining sauce off the asparagus platter with our crusty bread.  Next time I might have to double the sauce.

Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Browned Butter
adapted from Cooking Light

2 pounds of asparagus
olive oil or cooking spray
kosher salt
black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Arrange asparagus on baking sheet.  Drizzle lightly with olive oil, or coat with cooking spray.  Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.  Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until tender to your liking.

While asparagus roasts, melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat; cook for about 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Shake the pan occasionally.  Remove from heat; stir in soy sauce and vinegar.  Drizzle over asparagus and serve immediately.

Share this post