How to Cook Asparagus All The Ways

Asparagus is a delectable addition to your plate, and an excellent source of vitamin K. Both delicate and versatile, this springtime stalk takes well to many cooking methods. Read on for the professional ways to store, prepare, and cook mouthwatering asparagus. And my chef's tips for choosing and seasoning your spears.

Jump to:

• The Story
• Health Benefits
• Buying, Cleaning & Storing
• Trimming
• Peeling
• Cooking Methods
• Steaming
• Boiling
• Blanching
• How to Roast
• Pan-Roasting or Sautéing
• Grilling
• Air Frying
• Serving Ideas
• What to Serve with Asparagus
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Edible Epilogue
• 📖 Recipe
• More Vegetable Recipes
• Subscribe
• 💬 Reviews

The Story

When in season, asparagus is a fun, flavorful, and unique addition to any meal. Late winter to early summer is the best season to enjoy ripe shoots. However, you can find asparagus almost year-round in certain locales. Asparagus pairs well with any meat or fish and adds beautiful color to pasta and vegan dishes. And whether boiled, steamed, roasted, or grilled, asparagus has a unique sweet yet slightly bitter flavor.

Health Benefits

Asparagus spears are antioxidant rock stars. The lean, green, free-radical fighting machine is loaded with vitamins K and C. And for expectant mothers who need more folate than the rest of us, consuming asparagus can help pregnant women reach the daily recommended intake. With almost two grams of gut-friendly fiber for every cup, the spears are a perfect vegetable for a ketogenic or low-carb meal.

Buying, Cleaning & Storing

Look for asparagus bright green in color with tight-knit tips. Spears with firm, smooth stems and no signs of cracking will be the freshest. The integrity of asparagus is fleeting once harvested. But rotting can be slowed if the spears are carefully stored. Fresh asparagus bunches in the produce section of your market should be standing in a tray of shallow water. And this is also the best way to store asparagus at home.

To keep asparagus as fresh as possible, trim a half of an inch to an inch off of the bottoms. You can even leave the spears tied when you do this to make cutting easier. Then stand the asparagus upright in shallow water like flowers in a vase. A jar or cup takes up minimal real estate in the refrigerator. Aim for a water level that comes no more than a quarter of the way up the stems. You can also wrap asparagus in damp paper towels and seal them in a plastic bag or plastic wrap.

You can clean asparagus right when you bring it home, or right before you cook it. Simply rinse asparagus under cold, running water to remove any lingering soil and pat it dry.

Frozen asparagus spears are a great option in the winter months. Thaw and toss the tips in pasta dishes, or quiche batter. Or even mix them in with your scrambled eggs for an antioxidant-rich breakfast.

Varieties

Green. Green asparagus is the most common variety and comes in a range of sizes. The thinner the shoots, the younger the plant. Skinnier asparagus are perfect for pan-roasting and sautéing. Thicker ones take well to roasting or even grilling.

White. White asparagus are deprived of sunlight as they grow, preventing the formation of chlorophyll (the green pigment in plants). And while the stalks may be smoother than their cousins, the skin can be slightly tougher. So it's best to peel the bottom two-thirds of white asparagus before cooking. White asparagus is a favorite in France and is drizzled with herb, citrus, and cream-based sauces with enchanting French names.

Purple. This deeply-hued vegetable with Italian origins is significantly sweeter than its white or purple cousins. If you are able to find this exotic variety, take care in storing it properly and cooking it as soon as possible.

Trimming

Unless you are cooking asparagus spears as thin as pencils, trimming the woody ends is a good idea. Even with slimmer spears, I slice an inch or so off of the bottoms. It evens out the lengths of the collective bunch and removes the woody base of the stem. Because no matter what we're eating, we do so with our eyes first.

To trim a thicker bunch, I like the natural snap method. Hold one spear at the very bottom and slightly above the center. Then bend it in half until it snaps naturally. Last, line up the snapped asparagus next to the rest, and cut them all to the same length.

• 

• 

• 

Peeling

Many chefs consider not peeling the bottoms of asparagus spears culinary sacrilege. So in fine dining, this is an imperative step. It removes the fibrous skin which if left intact can lead to excessive chewing. Not what the people are paying for!

With really thick shoots, I take a few moments to peel away the skin from at least the bottom third or half. For clients, I peel two-thirds of the way up from the bottom regardless of thickness. In your home kitchen, I say you decide.

The exception is white asparagus. White asparagus is grown differently from green or purple, and peeling is a must. Not only can the lower stems be downright sinewy, but the skin is much thicker. Not edible times. Peel away my friends, if you happen to snag the exotic pale variety.

Cooking Methods

Asparagus takes well to many different cooking methods and plays nicely with a variety of dishes. The higher the heat and the longer the asparagus is cooked, the sweeter and more tender the final dish. Roasting and grilling at hotter temperatures will caramelize the sugars in the asparagus (yes, vegetables contain small amounts of sugar). This chemical process is called the Maillard reaction. And it's what makes golden brown foods so delicious!

• Steaming
• Boiling & Blanching
• Roasting or Baking
• Pan-Roasting or Sautéing
• Grilling
• Air frying (convection heating)

One cooking method I don't recommend for asparagus is broiling. Many home oven broilers heat unevenly and are unreliable. The space between the coils or gas heat source can lead to uneven results unless you continuously move and stir the vegetables.

If you want to enjoy asparagus as close to its natural state as possible, choose steaming or a quick sautè in a splash of vegetable stock or water. Steaming is perhaps the best way to cook any vegetable when you want to maximize its nutritional value. With boiling, water-soluble vitamins will dissolve into the cooking liquid. And roasting at high temperatures will degrade heat-sensitive nutrients. But it sure does create sweet, rich flavors!

Steaming

With any cooking venture, I hesitate to give exact times and question anyone who claims to know them. Every appliance is different. And no one vegetable is an exact clone of another. How long a thinner bunch of asparagus cooks in my steamer, will be different from the cooking time of your thicker, more fibrous stalks. When steaming asparagus, begin checking the smallest stalk around the four-minute mark. Then check every few minutes after that by removing and tasting one. This is the safest way to prevent a mushy side dish.

1. Bring three to four inches of water to a simmer over medium-high heat in a large pot (or the pot that works with your steaming tool or basket).
2. Spread the trimmed and/or peeled asparagus out as much as possible in the basket or even a colander that fits inside the pot (but stays above the water).
3. Cover, if possible, and steam the asparagus until they are fork-tender. Begin checking thinner asparagus after four or five minutes for doneness. Thicker stalks can take up to ten minutes.
4. Remove steamed asparagus once tender and serve.

• 

• 

Boiling

Boiling is not the sexiest cooking method. But it gets the job done with minimal time and effort. However, with asparagus or any vegetable, boiling will leach out water-soluble vitamins like vitamins C, B6, and B12. Stay close to the pot when boiling, especially with delicate vegetables like asparagus. Young, tender spears can turn to mush in a matter of moments.

1. To boil asparagus, bring a medium or large pot of water to boil.
2. Then add several pinches of salt, and your prepared asparagus.
3. Boil until the spears are fork-tender. For super skinny stalks, begin checking after two to three minutes. For thicker spears, begin checking after four minutes.
4. To check if boiled asparagus is cooked, remove one, run it under cold water, and bite into it. If the bite makes you happy, drain the asparagus using a colander or mesh strainer. You can also remove the whole asparagus from the pot with tongs a few at a time.

• 

• 

Blanching

One technique young chefs learn at the beginning is how to blanch vegetables. Blanching is simply adding a step after a brief boil, where you drop the vegetables in a bowl filled with ice water. This cools the asparagus quickly and prevents residual heat from cooking the spears more. Submerging freshly-boiled vegetables in ice water will also preserve their bright color.

Aim for an ice bath that is about equal parts water and ice.

1. Prepare an ice bath in a medium to large bowl, depending on if you cut your asparagus or left the spears whole.
2. After boiling, immediately transfer the hot spears to the ice bath using tongs (or drain with a colander then drop them in). You can also set a strainer inside the ice bath so you don't have to go fishing out every last asparagus. The cold water will still surround the stalks, but you can lift them all out at once.
3. A brief stint in the ice bath is all that's needed. Too long of a swim and you risk a water-logged side dish.
4. Reheat blanched asparagus briefly in a sauté pan over medium heat with a bit of butter or healthy oil, then season and serve.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

How to Roast

While the oven is the place for both roasting and baking any food, the difference is in the temperature. Roasting is done at higher temperatures where the goal is to caramelize (brown) the sugars in the food. Baking is typically carried out at temperatures of 350° F (177° C) or lower. And usually refers to a homogenous mixture like cake batter or dough. In classical cooking, roasting temperatures are between 375° F and 475° F.

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F (although you can go up to 425° F for quicker cooking). Line a large baking pan with parchment or greased foil for easy clean-up.
2. Toss your trimmed asparagus in a high-heat oil like avocado and season with salt, and any dried herbs and/or spices.
3. Spread the seasoned asparagus evenly on the baking pan and place it on a rack in the middle of the oven, if possible.
4. Shake the pan or toss the asparagus with tongs occasionally to encourage even cooking. Cover the pan with foil if the spears threaten to over-brown before the thickest part of the stems is tender.
5. After about 10 minutes, sneak a spear out and taste it. Roast until they are tender enough to pierce easily with a fork, and a deep golden brown all around. Continue checking for doneness every few minutes. For average-size asparagus, cooking times in the oven will fall anywhere from 12 to 20 minutes.
6. Remove the pan from the oven and garnish the asparagus with fresh, chopped herbs and a drizzle more olive oil, melted butter, or a vinaigrette of choice.

• 

• 

• 

If you don't like your asparagus too crispy or caramelized, bake oiled and seasoned asparagus in a 325° F - 350° F (about 160° C) oven until fork tender. The cooking time in the oven at 350° F will be longer than roasting at higher temperatures. And the asparagus will still brown, just not as much.

Pan-Roasting or Sautéing

Pan-roasting and sautéing are essentially the same cooking technique. To sauté or pan-roast any food is to cook and brown it in a shallow pan with a small amount of oil or butter (fat). For a crispier, fresher side dish, I love sautéing smaller pieces of peeled asparagus in brown butter until they're crispy and tender. Choose spears on the thinner side for this technique. With thicker stems, you risk burning the outside before the center of the stems is tender.

1. Peel, trim and slice skinnier asparagus cross-wise into one- or two-inch pieces. Begin slicing from the tops down to preserve the delicate tips. I like to visualize the entire length in thirds or fourths, then slice accordingly. For smaller pieces fit for a pasta dish or casserole, trim the whole spear into fourths.
2. Preheat oil or ghee (clarified butter) in a large sauté pan over medium heat.
3. Add the sliced asparagus and spread the pieces out evenly. Don't touch the asparagus for the first several minutes of cooking.
4. After the pieces begin to brown on the bottoms, shake the pan or use tongs to flip and move the asparagus around. This will help them cook and crisp evenly. After you stir, let the pieces cook undisturbed again for a few minutes. Repeat this process until the thickest pieces are tender (taste throughout the process to know!).
5. If the spears are browning but the insides are still tough to the bit, splash a little bit of water or stock in the pan. This will force steam through the asparagus and accelerate the cooking process.
6. If you like, add a couple of tablespoons of minced shallots or garlic right at the end of cooking. Then sauté just until the aromatics begin to turn brown.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Grilling

Grilling is a great way to caramelize the sugars in asparagus and get a crispy, sweet tender bite. Not to mention the beautiful char the grill grates imprint on the spears. Marinated, grilled asparagus is a showstopper for a backyard barbecue if there ever was one.

1. Trim the woody stems off of the bottom of your asparagus. Coat the stalks with avocado or canola oil, and season generously, but not excessively, with salt.
2. Preheat your gas grill on high, or prepare your coals to be as hot as possible (but no longer flaming excessively).
3. Scrape the grill grates clean with a grill brush, and rub on a high-heat oil like avocado with a dish rag.
4. Grill the asparagus until evenly charred and tender to the bite (taste one to know!). Flip the spears over once halfway through cooking, once the first side is deeply charred. Medium-thick stalks take about ten minutes to cook on a blazing hot grill.
5. Serve drizzled with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon, or drizzled with a balsamic vinaigrette.

• 

• 

Air Frying

When it comes to vegetables, an air fryer is a quicker way to create a roasted dish. The convection (air circulation) of air fryers moves the heat around cooking the food faster. Contrary to their name, air fryers are not actually frying the food and don't require oil. They are smaller, countertop versions of commercial-grade convection ovens found in restaurants.

1. Preheat your air fryer to 400° F. Grease the fryer basket with a high-heat cooking spray oil.
2. Trim, peel and coat the asparagus in oil. It can be helpful to trim the asparagus to slightly shorter than the width of the fryer basket. Season with salt and any ground spices.
3. Place the spears in the fryer basket, leaving at least a tiny space between the spears (you may need to fry in batches). Begin checking thinner spears after ten or twelve minutes for doneness. Thick ones will take up to 15 minutes to become nice and fork-tender.

Especially for bacon-wrapped asparagus, an air fryer gets the bacon crispy and the asparagus tender in about half the time as an oven.

Serving Ideas

Parsley, thyme, and oregano are easy-to-find herbs that pair well with asparagus. But truly, a squeeze of fresh lemon and a drizzle of olive oil is all an in-season bunch needs before serving. I also love grilled asparagus with a simple, fresh orange vinaigrette.

Bacon. For boiled or steamed asparagus, crisp small pieces of bacon or pancetta in a pan over medium heat, then toss together. If roasting, sprinkle small pieces of bacon among the spears on the pan before roasting. Bacon-wrapped asparagus is very popular, and simple to execute.

Hollandaise. If you're in the mood for a little challenge, whip up a batch of hollandaise sauce. If you've never made it before, I explain how to make and fix broken hollandaise sauce here. Rich yet lemony, silky and luxurious, classic hollandaise complements many dishes including those with salmon, beef, and of course, asparagus. Roasted asparagus drizzled with hollandaise is a ketogenic dieter's delight!

Quiche or frittata. Asparagus lend a lovely, earthy element to baked egg dishes. The spears should be par-cooked and blanched prior to joining the quiche or frittata batter. For the standard egg custard ratio and my favorite quiche with tomatoes and asparagus, check this out.

What to Serve with Asparagus

Asparagus is a quick and easy side dish. Or it can be the star of the show in a vegan pasta ditty. Roasted chicken, pork, and grilled fish all pair well with the spring shoots. And so does a nice glass of dry Reisling or a buttery chardonnay, if the mood and night are right.

• Thomas Keller's Roast Chicken
• Herbed Sockeye Salmon
• Grilled Arctic Char
• Stuffed Pork Loin
• Cast Iron Roast Beef

---

Frequently Asked Questions

---

Edible Epilogue

If I'm going to cook asparagus, there will most likely be bacon. Or pancetta. Or even salty, crisped Prosciutto. The rich salty pork fat and earthy, pungent asparagus are a match made in culinary heaven.

I love roasting earthier vegetables like asparagus because it brings out an intense, sweet nuance. And is seriously a minimal-mess dish. Because along with eating more in-season vegetables, we all need fewer dishes to clean.

---

Print

📖 Recipe

---

More Vegetable Recipes

---

Subscribe

Join the community here and receive my free email series, Just Cook. In the five-part series, I share professional techniques, formulas, and tips for successful home cooking. And reliable, approachable, classic recipes to add to your repertoire.