How to Cook Asparagus

How to cook asparagus - showing you five easy ways to enjoy this refreshing and vibrant veggie! Plus how to store asparagus for meal prep, and recipe ideas that you can use asparagus in!

Just like broccoli and zucchini noodles - asparagus is an easy and nutrient-dense veggie that is so simple to prepare!

Fresh asparagus during the spring and early summer is absolutely DELICIOUS and so easy to cook. Now only that, it's a healthy low carb vegetable that is packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants (1).

Best of all, it's the perfect veggie to cook up when you need something last minute. You can have asparagus cooked and on your table in under 10 minutes - faster and simpler than mixing up a whole salad!

Equipment + Tools

For the recipes in this post, we recommend the following tools:

• A quality Chef's Knife
• Sturdy sheet pans
• Non stick skillet
• Quality pot (mine is similar to this one)
• Non stick pan
• A vegetable grilling basket
• This herb keeper

How to prepare asparagus before cooking

The important thing to know about asparagus is that is has a tough lower stalk that should be removed before serving. You can either chop the bottom 2 inches off the woody ends, or simply snap them as pictured above.

1. Wash or rinse asparagus under cold water and shake off excess.
2. Snap off tough stem, usually the bottom 2 or so inches. You can also use a knife.

Roasted asparagus

It is so easy to cook asparagus in the oven, and it takes very little time! For roasting asparagus in the oven, we use high heat, either 425°F or a broiler, which only takes 3-5 minutes.

Here's how to cook asparagus in the oven

1. Heat broiler
2. Toss asparagus in olive oil, arrange on a baking sheet, and season with salt & pepper.
3. Broil for 3 or so minutes 4-6 inches under the broiler. Keep an eye on it because it can overcook quickly!

Stovetop asparagus

You can cook asparagus on the stove in a few ways: sauteed, blanched, or steamed! All of these options are great, but they have different purposes.

• Sauteed asparagus has more flavor. It is versatile and can be dressed up with simple ingredients like lemon juice, garlic, and parmesan.
• Blanched asparagus retains its bright green color because it is quickly boiled and then dumped in an ice bath to stop the cooking process. It is often used for salads.
• Steamed asparagus can really be used

Here's how to cook asparagus on the stove:

1. Sautéed asparagus:
   • Melt butter in a nonstick pan over medium heat
   • Add the asparagus, cooking for 3-5 minutes, turning over with tongs halfway
2. Blanched asparagus:
   • Bring a pot of water to boil
   • Add asparagus to the pot, and cook for 2 minutes
   • Remove asparagus from the water and run under cool water (or plunge into a bowl of ice water)
   • Season with salt & pepper and enjoy
3. Steamed asparagus:
   • Bring a pot of water to a boil fitted with a steam basket.
   • Add the asparagus and steamer basket, cover, and steam for 5-10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the asparagus spears.

Regardless of which method you use for cooking asparagus on the stove, it is quick and simple and goes well with many different main courses!

Grilled asparagus

When the weather warms up, we like to grill asparagus outside on the barbecue. But for these photos, I used my old george foreman grill.

Either method works, but if you are using an outdoor grill, make sure you use a vegetable grilling basket (This is the one we own and love!) to prevent your asparagus from falling between the grates.

How to cook asparagus on the grill:

1. Heat grill over medium-high heat
2. Drizzle the asparagus in olive oil and season with salt & pepper
3. Grill in a single layer in a  vegetable grilling basket for 3 minutes (indoor or outdoor grill), or until asparagus is bright green and cooked through

How to enjoy asparagus raw

The easiest way to enjoy asparagus is raw, tossed in a tangy vinaigrette. Use a vegetable peeler and peel the stalks into thin ribbons.

1. Enjoy your raw asparagus in this white wine vinaigrette or this balsamic vinaigrette.
2. Add some protein, such as chicken or tuna. Or dress it up with strawberries, spinach, sliced almonds, feta, or parmesan cheese!

Storage + meal prep

Asparagus is a great ingredient to use in meal prep when you do it correctly! Here are the do's and don'ts for storing asparagus for meal prep:

1. Don't - leave it in a bag in the produce drawer; the tips will get soggy quickly!
2. Do - store it in the fridge in a loosely covered jar or herb keeper filled with 1-2 inches of water
3. Do - cook it and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Err on the side of undercooked for meal prep recipes since when you re-heat it will cook again.
4. Do - cook it and store in the freezer- again, you will want to undercook it as it will soften as it thaws. We recommend a very quick blanche (60 seconds) for freezing.
5. Don't - freeze it raw- asparagus must be steamed or blanched before freezing