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Pork Chops with Asparagus and a Lemon Sage Cream Sauce

April 15, 2024

Juicy browned pork chops and tender asparagus in the creamiest lemon sage sauce are what’s for dinner. There’s parmesan in the sauce, and we like to grate more on top when it’s time to eat!

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4 Pork Chops with Asparagus and a Lemon Sage Cream Sauce on a serving plate
Photography by Gayle McLeod

Favorite pork recipes to try.

Pork Chops And Asparagus

Can’t get Peter Brady out of our head when we think of this recipe for pork chops and asparagus. It’s a whole lot better than the basic pork chops and applesauce, though, with a creamy lemon sage sauce and tender asparagus. For more creamy asparagus recipes try our Pasta al Limone with Asparagus or Asparagus Gratin with Gruyère and Panko, and for more pork dinner ideas, check out our round up of the Best Pork Chop Recipes.

homemade Pork Chops with Asparagus and a Lemon Sage Cream Sauce in a skillet

Let’s Talk About Lemon Butter Sage Cream Sauce

This simple cream sauce starts with melted butter in a skillet, to which you’ll add diced shallot until they’re nice and soft. Then you’ll add the garlic and sage and cook, stirring until fragrant, about another minute. Then you’ll add the heavy cream, chicken stock, parmesan, lemon zest, lemon juice, and pepper. Stir until the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, a few minutes more. You’ll want to pair this dish with a light side salad, try our Simple Butter Lettuce Salad, Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette or our Butter Lettuce Salad with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette.

pork chops, asparagus, parmesan, cream, butter, shallot, sage, garlic, lemon juice & zest, salt, pepper & stock in prep bowls

Ingredients You’ll Need To Make Easy Baked Pork Chops With Asparagus

  • 4 boneless pork chops

  • Salted butter

  • Asparagus

  • Aromatics – shallot, garlic, and sage

  • For the sauce – heavy cream, chicken stock, parmesan, lemon zest, lemon juice

  • Salt + pepper

asparagus tossed with olive oil and salt in a glass bowl
pork chops seasoned with salt being seared in a skillet with olive oil
seared pork chops and asparagus in a skillet
butter and shallot cooking in a skillet

How to Make Baked Pork Chops With Asparagus

  1. Rest the pork chops for at least 30 minutes.

  2. Preheat oven to 425°F.

  3. Season pork chops with salt.

  4. Sear pork chops until golden brown.

  5. Season the asparagus and arrange it in the skillet with the pork chops.

  6. Roast until the asparagus is tender and the internal temperature of the pork reaches 145°F on an instant-read thermometer.

  7. Make the lemon sage cream sauce.

  8. Serve! Pour the sauce over the pork chops and asparagus and serve.

butter, shallot, garlic, sage, heavy cream, chicken stock, parmesan, lemon zest, lemon juice and pepper cooking in a skillet
lemon sage cream sauce in a skillet made with butter, shallot, garlic, sage, cream, stock, Parm, lemon zest & juice & pepper

How to Store Leftovers + Tips

  • Storage – Cream-based sauces don’t reheat well after they have been frozen. For this reason, we recommend eating leftovers within 3-4 days.

  • Don’t have asparagus? That’s okay, this is delicious without. We might suggest making a vegetable to accompany, like Perfectly Roasted Broccoli or Roast Mushrooms.

  • Letting pork chops rest before cooking will mean you have evenly cooked meat. And the pork chops will be nice and juicy, too. This is one way to ensure that your pork chops are tender, not tough!

homemade Pork Chops with Asparagus and a Lemon Sage Cream Sauce in a skillet
homemade Pork Chops with Asparagus and a Lemon Sage Cream Sauce in a skillet

More Great Pork Recipes From The Modern Proper

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Pork Chops with Asparagus and a Lemon Sage Cream Sauce

  • Serves:  4
  • Prep Time:  15 min
  • Cook Time:  35 min
  • Calories:  812

Ingredients

  • 4 (1½-inch thick) boneless pork chops (about 2½ pounds total)
  • 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons salted butter
  • ¾ pound asparagus, ends trimmed and cut in half
  • 1 large shallot, finely diced
  • 6 sage leaves, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup chicken stock
  • ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • Freshly cracked black pepper

Method

  1. Let the pork chops rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the center position.

  2. Season the pork chops all over with 1 teaspoon of the salt. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large, ovenproof skillet over medium-high. Once the oil is glistening, add the pork chops and sear until golden brown on both sides and edges, about 10 minutes.

  3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, toss the asparagus with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and remaining ½ teaspoon of salt. Arrange the asparagus around the pork and transfer the skillet to the oven. Roast until the asparagus is tender and the internal temperature of the pork reaches 145°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter.

  4. Add the butter to the same skillet over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the shallot and cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and sage and cook, stirring until fragrant, about another minute. Add the heavy cream, chicken stock, parmesan, lemon zest, lemon juice, and pepper. Cook, stirring until the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, 4-5 minutes more.

  5. Pour the sauce over the pork chops and asparagus and serve.

Nutrition Info

  • Per Serving
  • Amount
  • Calories 812
  • Protein 68 g
  • Carbohydrates 9 g
  • Total Fat 53 g
  • Dietary Fiber 3 g
  • Cholesterol 292 mg
  • sodium 864 mg
  • Total Sugars 4 g

Pork Chops with Asparagus and a Lemon Sage Cream Sauce

Questions & Reviews

Join the discussion below.

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  • Theress

    Also do you think rosemary would work well in place of the sage?

    Should work ok! Hope you enjoy!

  • Theress

    Would you recommend bone-in pork chops?

    We like boneless for this recipe but if you have bone-in it will work fine! Hope you enjoy Theress.

  • Allen

    The temperature for your pork chop recipes vary from 145 to 160° F. Is there a reason or is this simply a misprint?

    They need to be cooked to145 to be safe to eat but can go up to 165 for a more well done chop.

  • Stephanie

    Can you use chicken with this recipe?

    Sure!

  • Raquel

    OMG! This receipt is such a keeper! My husband and I were in Heaven eating this meal. We couldn’t could stop talking about how delicious and flavorful each bite was! I definitely will be making this for us and guests!!! Definitely would give this recipe over 5 Stars!!!

    Thanks Raquel, we are so happy you loved it!

  • Katie

    Amazing, really enjoyed this meal and highly recommend. I used red onion instead of shallot and added a few dashes of Tabasco to the cream sauce. Exceptional! Quick to make with minimal dishes.

    Thanks Katie, we are so happy you loved it!

  • Anna

    It was very tasty…am not a big pork fan but husband is and he really liked it. Will make again!

    Thanks Anna, we are so glad you enjoyed it!

  • Sarah

    This sauce was so delicious! Thanks for the great recipe!

    Thanks Sarah, we are so happy you enjoyed it!

  • Shirley

    This was excellent, perfect weeknight meal.

    Thanks Shirley, we are so happy you love it!