Pan-Seared Asparagus With Cashews

By Melissa Clark

Updated April 30, 2024

Pan-Seared Asparagus With Cashews — Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

Total Time: 25 minutes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Rating: 5(496)
Notes: Read community notes

In this speedy, springy dish, a crunchy mix of nuts, seeds and coconut flakes gives seared asparagus plenty of texture, while a squeeze of lime and handful of fresh herbs add brightness right at the end. This makes a hearty side dish for simple roasted fish or chicken, or it can be a light meal when served over rice or alongside a fried or soft-cooked egg, the yolk turning into a glossy sauce that coats the stalks.

Featured in: The Best Ways to Cook Asparagus

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Ingredients

Yield:3 to 4 servings

⅓cup roasted unsalted cashews, coarsely chopped
¼cup unsweetened coconut flakes
2tablespoons raw sunflower seeds or pepitas
1tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1tablespoon coconut oil (or use a neutral-flavored oil)
1garlic clove, finely chopped
1pound asparagus (about 1 bunch), trimmed and cut into 2- to 3-inch pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2tablespoons soy sauce, to taste
1tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
¼teaspoon red-pepper flakes, more to taste
Chopped cilantro and sesame seeds, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
In a large dry skillet over medium-low heat, toast the cashews, coconut flakes and sunflower seeds, stirring, until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour mixture into a bowl to cool.
Step 2
Return pan to the heat, and add sesame and coconut oils and garlic. Cook for 30 seconds, then stir in asparagus. Season lightly with salt and black pepper. Cook asparagus until crisp-tender, 3 to 7 minutes depending on how thick they are.
Step 3
Stir in the soy sauce, lime juice, nut mixture and red-pepper flakes. Taste and season with more salt and red pepper, if you like. Transfer asparagus mixture to a serving dish. Top with sesame seeds and cilantro, and serve with lime wedges for squeezing.

Ratings

5 out of 5

496 user ratings

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Cooking Notes

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Sarah1 day ago

Make this next time with ground pork and bok choy on the side—a little bowl

Speedy and bright6 days ago

First of all, recipe is great, it was in fact speedy and the flavor was in fact bright. But. Can someone please, please, please use their powers to help the fabulous writers of the Times Cooking recipes to stop overusing the following words: Bright; speedy; silky; richness [often used alongside “…and crunch”]; zesty; nap (instead of coat). There are others too. “Bright” or “brightness” alone has been used over 50 times in the last year or two. It’s too much.

Nancy L.1 week ago

I toasted the nuts and coconut flakes in the microwave, trying to minimize stove-time to keep the house cooler. Use a glass pie-plate or similar because the plate gets really hot! Coconut flakes brown beautifully after about 2 minutes. Cashews toast up after about 4 minutes - check after 2 minutes. Pepitas (pumpkin seeds) toast up after about 3 minutes.

KT1 week ago

Fantastic! I thoroughly toasted the cashews, seeds, and coconut and topped the dish with that mixture, rather than stirring it in. Also tripled the sauce and it made the dish slightly saucy without being overly drenched. Adding this to the simple weeknight meal rotation!!

Jane L.1 week ago

This was delicious. I used sweetened coconut because that is what I had and it did not make the whole sweet. Otherwise followed the recipe using 1 tablespoon of soy sauce. Everything balanced beautifully.

Mandie2 weeks ago

One of the best recipes I have made in awhile for really minimal effort! I would go a little lighter on the soy sauce next time but otherwise an excellent meatless meal that will become a regular in my rotation. Served it with rice and an egg.

SMCahill3 weeks ago

Excellent flavors and textures. Pan seared some marinated tofu to serve on top. Excellent meatless meal that I have now made 4 times.

Sally3 weeks ago

Good, not great. Good flavors, but it needed to be saucier. Egg was essential.

Eileen O'Leary4 weeks ago

Fabulous way to cook asparagus! I served it as the main course and it was delicious.

Vicki1 month ago

It’s so frustrating. So many recipes call for Unsweetened coconut but I can only find sweetened coconut in my area grocery stores! I guess I travel to an Asian market? Any suggestions?

Butterscotch3 weeks ago

Try the bulk bins at your local health food store or food coop, if you haven’t already. If that doesn’t work, there is always Amazon.

KT1 month ago

I didn't want to stop eating this, I had to force myself to put the leftovers in a tupperware! I didn't have cashews or sunflower seeds/pepitas, so I used slivered almonds and peanuts instead. I used a bit of crushed red pepper, and ate it with rice and a fried egg. Excited to add this to the regular rotation!

Anjali1 month ago

Holy smokes this is so good for so little effort. Definitely halve the soy sauce, and don't skip the cilantro (or parsley / mint for the soapy-gened folks). Don't fret if your cashews are raw, just toast for a little longer. We served this over farro and I think that was a great choice.

Lindsey1 month ago

Sooooo good. No notes!

carolyn1 month ago

Would halve the soy sauce next time. Loved the crunch of the pepitas, happily mixed with rice and chicken. Will make again.

Dave1 month ago

We skipped the egg, but next time...

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