I think asparagus is one of those vegetables that you either really love or really dislike. Thankfully, I’m a huge asparagus fan. The moment I see those green little stalks pop up in the grocery store each spring, I become giddy with all the ways to enjoy it.

I love asparagus shaved raw into salads, in my favorite vegan eggs Benedict, pureed into a pea and asparagus soup, grilled in a pasta salad, or stirred into a creamy Thai curry sauce. 

In addition to being delicious, asparagus is also packed with a prebiotic fiber called inulin that may aid in the health of the gut and improve digestion. I’ve been focused a lot lately on gut health, and challenging myself to increase my both my overall intake of fiber and diversity of fiber. I shared on Instagram that I created a 28-day recipe plan for the book Fiber Fueled and I’ve been trying to practice what I preach. Also– that book recently became a NYT best-seller which is amazing! It makes my dietitian heart so happy to see so many people jumping on the fiber plan.

How to Cook Asparagus

Funny enough, whenever I bring up my love for asparagus, I get asked this question. Um, how do you cook it? When asparagus is cooked well, it’s fantastic and when it’s not, it’s mushy, smelly and disgusting. Consider this your prime lesson on how to cook asparagus every which way: in the oven, on the stove, in a pan and blanched.

How to Store Asparagus

Extend the life of your asparagus by placing the spears upright in a glass of 1-2 inches of water in the fridge. This helps keep the spears hydrated and will keep them fresh for up to 1 week in the fridge. 

When you’re ready to cook them, you need to remove the woody ends. To do this quickly, take one spear and gently bend to break towards the base of the spear. Then place this in line with the rest of the asparagus bunch and cut from this new end.

I use this shortcut of breaking one or two instead of having to break every single asparagus stalk. Cutting the ends helps to remove the less flavorful area of the asparagus. 

Best Way to Cook Asparagus 

I honestly don’t know if there is a best way to cook asparagus, but I’m partial to either sautéed or roasted. Long time readers will know I’m a sucker for any vegetable that’s roasted. In fact, I will double any roasted asparagus batch that I make knowing full well that I’ll end up eating half of it before I place it on the table. 

How to Cook Asparagus in the Oven

Heat oven to 425∞F and rinse and trim the asparagus. Add the asparagus to a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Using tongs or your hands coat the spears and then arrange into a single layer. Place the sheet into the oven and roast anywhere from 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Flip the asparagus halfway through to ensure even cooking.

My Flavor Tip: Sprinkle baked spears with shredded parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast.   

How to Cook Asparagus on the Stove 

Using a shallow pan, fill with about 1 inch of water and 1-2 teaspoons of salt. Place the steamer insert over the pan and bring the water to a boil. After rinsing and trimming the asparagus spears, place them in a single layer into the steamer. Allow the spears to cook for up to 5 minutes with thicker spears and up to 3 minutes for thinner spears.

My Flavor Tip: Season the steamed asparagus with your favorite herb seasoning and a drizzle of olive oil. 

How to Cook Asparagus in a Pan

After rinsing and trimming the asparagus, cut the spears into 2-inch sections. Take a large skillet and heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil. Once the olive oil slides like water in the pan add the asparagus and a pinch of salt. Cook until tender, typically 6-8 minutes for thick spears and 4-5 minutes for thin spears.

My Flavor Tip: Add fresh chopped basil towards the end of cooking the sauté and a squeeze lemon juice on top before serving.

How to Blanch Asparagus

If you’ve ever wondered how to keep that beautiful bright green color, the secret is blanching! Blanched asparagus is fantastic in salads, frittatas or any dish where you want to keep the vibrant green color.

Prepare the asparagus by rinsing, trimming, and cutting into pieces or whole sections. Next, prepare an ice bath by placing a bunch of ice cubes and water in a large bowl and set aside. Bring a large pot of water to boil then add asparagus to pot and cook for about 1 minute. Transfer the asparagus to the ice bath with a slotted spoon. Once cooled, remove the asparagus and pat dry with a towel.

My Flavor Tip: Blanching is a great way to preserve the green color and flavor of the asparagus. Serve chilled with your favorite dips, like this lemon feta dip, curry dipping sauce, or Instant Pot Hummus. 

How to Cook Asparagus

• Author: Alex Caspero
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: side dish
• Method: oven, stove, pan
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegan

Description

How to Cook Asparagus! Learn the best way to cook asparagus– how to cook asparagus in the oven, sautéed, grilled and steamed.

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Pin Recipe

• Author: Alex Caspero
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: side dish
• Method: oven, stove, pan
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegan

• Author: Alex Caspero
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: side dish
• Method: oven, stove, pan
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegan

Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 1 bunch asparagus, woody ends removed
• olive oil, depending on method used
• salt and pepper, depending on method used

Instructions

How to Cook Asparagus in the Oven

1. Heat oven to 425F and rinse and trim the asparagus. Add the asparagus to a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Using tongs or your hands coat the spears and then arrange into a single layer. Place the sheet into the oven and roast anywhere from 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Flip the asparagus halfway through to ensure even cooking.

How to Cook Asparagus in a Pan

1. Cut the spears into 2-inch sections. Take a large skillet and heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil. Once the olive oil slides like water in the pan, add the asparagus and a pinch of salt. Cook until tender, typically 6-8 minutes for thick spears and 4-5 minutes for thin spears.

How to Blanch Asparagus

1. Prepare the asparagus by rinsing, trimming, and cutting into pieces or whole sections. Next, prepare an ice bath by placing a bunch of ice cubes and water in a large bowl and set aside. Bring a large pot of water to boil then add asparagus to pot and cook for about 1 minute. Transfer the asparagus to the ice bath with a slotted spoon. Once cooled, remove the asparagus and pat dry with a towel.

How to Cook Asparagus on the Stove

1. Using a shallow pan, fill with about 1 inch of water and 1-2 teaspoons of salt. Place the steamer insert over the pan and bring the water to a boil. After rinsing and trimming the asparagus spears, place them in a single layer into the steamer. Allow the spears to cook for up to 5 minutes with thicker spears and up to 3 minutes for thinner spears.

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