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How to cook asparagus

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Serves 4

Easy

Prep: 5 mins

Cook: 12 mins

A star rating of 5 out of 5.3 ratingsRate

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Learn how to prepare and cook asparagus with this simple recipe – we've focused on cooking asparagus in the oven but also included other methods below.

Dairy-free

Egg-free

Gluten-free

Healthy

Nut-free

Vegan

Vegetarian

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Asparagus is my all-time favourite vegetable and I eagerly await the start of British asparagus season each year. When cooked right, asparagus spears should be almost tender enough to cut with a butter knife, but they’re often overcooked, causing them to become tough and stringy.

Alice Shields is our acting food editor and has spent the last decade developing hundreds of foolproof weeknight recipes. She loves to serve up fluffy brown rice with sticky soy-glazed fish and a handful of quick pickled cucumbers.

Front facing headshot of Alice Shields, Good Food's acting food editor

When is asparagus in season?

Asparagus is typically available for just two months of the year, from late April to June, so be sure to make the most of it while it lasts.

The earliest shoots are called ‘sprue’. They’re thinner and usually tender all the way through. The later and thicker shoots can have very woody ends that need to be removed. Simply bend each stalk with both hands, gently, until it snaps – the break will happen where the woody part meets the tender part. Sometimes what needs to be discarded can be quite substantial – you can use these ends to make a stock for soups and stews.

See our ideas for how to serve asparagus below, and also check out our collection of asparagus recipes.

Discover the best way to grow asparagus, at GardenersWorld.com.

How to prepare asparagus

Watch our video guide for how to prepare asparagus, and follow these simple steps:

What is the best way to cook asparagus?

Asparagus can be cooked in various ways, each bringing out different textures and flavours.

Ingredients

Nutrition

Units:

MetricUS

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Nutrition: per serving

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Method

Four more ways to cook asparagus

See our five ways to cook asparagus below.

Boiled asparagus recipe (blanch and refresh)

A method we’ve gleaned from restaurant cooking is called blanch and refresh. This is useful for lots of vegetables (particularly green veg), as it helps them to retain their bright colour and flavour after cooking.

  1. Fill a bowl with water and ice cubes and set aside.
  2. Plunge your asparagus spears into a pan of boiling water.
  3. Cook for 1-2 mins or until tender.
  4. Remove the asparagus with tongs or a slotted spoon and place directly in the bowl of ice water.

Store in the fridge until needed, then simply drain and reheat in a pan with a little butter when you want to serve.

Griddled asparagus recipe

Another way to cook asparagus is to char it, either on a griddle pan or on a barbecue – if the weather allows. Slightly scorching the asparagus brings out a nutty flavour while keeping its distinct texture and vibrancy.

  1. Coat the asparagus spears in a little olive oil.
  2. Put your griddle pan over a high heat. When it's heated through, add the asparagus spears and season with salt and black pepper.
  3. Cook for 1-2 mins, turning occasionally until tender.

Check if the asparagus is done by lifting a spear out of the griddle pan with a pair of tongs. If it bends slightly, it’s ready.

Pan-fried asparagus recipe

Sautéing asparagus is a quick and straightforward way to bring out its natural flavour. Just cook in a pan with a little oil or butter until tender.

  1. Heat a drizzle of olive oil or a little butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
  2. Snap any woody tips off the asparagus where they naturally break apart.
  3. Add to the pan in a single layer.
  4. Season with salt and pepper, then cook for 5-7 mins, depending on how tender you like them, tossing occasionally.

Steamed asparagus recipe

  1. Put the asparagus in a steamer basket and cover.
  2. Place over a high heat. Once steam forms, cook for 2-4 mins until the asparagus is bright green and tender.
  3. Put the asparagus into ice water to stop the cooking process, if not eating right away.

Peel raw ribbons

Asparagus can be eaten raw, too, as part of a salad. It works very well sliced into ribbons using a vegetable peeler.

  1. Start by removing the tougher outer skin and discarding it.
  2. Peel off long ribbons until you get to the middle, then turn over and repeat on the other side.

How to store asparagus

Wrap the asparagus in damp kitchen paper, put in a perforated paper bag or wrap and keep in the salad drawer of the fridge. This will keep for up to five days.
You can also store it in a glass or jug of cold water in the fridge, with a loose covering on top.

What to serve with asparagus

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