Miso-Parmesan Asparagus

By Andy Baraghani

Published May 8, 2025

Miso-Parmesan Asparagus
Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne.
Total Time
20 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Rating
5(454)
Comments
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Asparagus can be a tricky vegetable to get just right, but this recipe cracks the code for tender, flavorful spears every time. The delicate tips cook much faster than the thicker stalks, often leading to an unfortunate contrast, with mushy tops and undercooked stems. This is where slicing on a steep diagonal helps: Not only does this make the spears look wonderfully dramatic on the plate, but it also ensures more even cooking and creates more surface area to soak up flavor. A quick sear in a hot pan brings out the natural sweetness of asparagus, while garlic, black pepper and a miso-butter glaze add richness and depth. A final sprinkle of Parmesan melts into the warm asparagus, making it just salty and savory enough.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 1pound thick asparagus spears
  • 1tablespoon white miso
  • 1tablespoon canola oil
  • 2garlic cloves, finely grated
  • Salt and coarsely ground black pepper 
  • 1tablespoon unsalted butter
  • ½cup finely grated Parmesan
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

164 calories; 11 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 7 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 10 grams protein; 381 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Snap off or trim the woody ends of each asparagus spear, usually about 2 inches from the bottom. Slice the asparagus on a steep diagonal into about 2-inch pieces.

  2. Step 2

    Using a fork, mix the miso with 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl to loosen the miso.

  3. Step 3

    Heat a large skillet over medium-high until the pan is very hot. Pour in the oil and add the asparagus, garlic and 1 teaspoon pepper. Cook, tossing and stirring often, until the asparagus is beginning to lightly brown around the edges, 2 to 3 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Add the butter and the miso mixture to the skillet and cook, still tossing, until the butter is melted and sauce has coated the asparagus, about 30 seconds. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt. (The miso and Parmesan will add another layer of salty flavor, so you may not need much.)

  5. Step 5

    Transfer to a plate and sprinkle the Parmesan over before serving.

Ratings

5 out of 5
454 user ratings
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Comments

Meg

Perfect. My asparagus were on the thin side so I adjusted the cooking time accordingly. I’d recommend adding the minced garlic just at the end of the sauté time for the asparagus so it doesn’t burn.

Leora

Loved this. Hubby brought home some fat asparagus from the farmers market so I turned lemons into lemonade. Made as written though with miso I definitely didn't need salt. Also used vegan parmesan. Will definitely make again.

BarBee

In a happy coincidence, this popped up before dinner, where my original plan was simple roasted asparagus. I’ve been doing a miso butter glaze lately with baby bok choy, minus the Parmesan. Now I see it can be expanded to include other veggies! This was delicious, served with pork chops.

Diane

I’m an asparagus fan after making this recipe a few times. Everybody I’ve fed it to loves it and some were very surprised that it had miso in it. Just be careful to wait to salt it as some miso is very salty (also some Parmesan). I agree that waiting to add the garlic is good especially if your asparagus is large/thick. It’s also very fast to make - we had it with fresh lemon and few blanched toasted almonds. So good!

InvisibleMe

So delicious I never want to share!

Connor

Been making NYT recipes for years and this is one of my all-time favourites. Since Ontario asparagus is in season, I've made it once a week. Easy to assemble and if you have leftovers, goes great the next day on a salad or with some scrambled eggs. Andy crushed this

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