15 Amazing Asparagus Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Why you shouldn't cut the ends off asparagus? ›

It is not necessary to trim asparagus. On some spears, especially fresh, pencil-thin stalks, the woody ends may tenderize once cooked. But on larger stalks, the ends of the asparagus are often woody and dense—Which makes them difficult to chew, no matter how soft the asparagus is after cooking.

Shock the boiled asparagus in an ice bath.

The ice bath method stops the vegetables from cooking more, and keeps the beautiful, vibrant green color. Drain the blanched asparagus.

Does asparagus get softer the longer you cook it? Yes, it does. But you don't want to cook it too long or it will be soggy. That's fine when using in a soup, but not so much as a roasted side.

Before cooking canned asparagus, it's essential to drain and rinse it thoroughly. This step removes any excess liquid or brine, resulting in a better taste and texture. Simply open the can, pour the contents into a colander, and rinse the asparagus under cold water.

For many people, the easiest way to eliminate these woody stems is to break them off by bending them until they snap in two. The conventional wisdom is that this natural snap-off point is where the unpalatable toughness ends, and the tender asparagus begins.

However, eating asparagus can also have some side effects: Because of its high fiber content, asparagus can cause flatulence, stomach cramps, and gastric upset in some people. Asparagus contains asparagusic acid that may break down to sulfurous compounds and lend a funny smell to your urine.

Add olive oil or butter to pan; when hot, add asparagus, season generously with salt and pepper and cook about 3 to 4 minutes, until bright green, shaking or stirring the pan frequently. The key is to cook the asparagus just enough so that the exterior browns a bit, but the interior remains crunchy.

Asparagus contains potassium, an important nutrient for keeping your heart, bones, kidneys and nerves functioning and healthy. You may be surprised to learn that this stalky vegetable also consists of a compound called asparaptine, which may help improve blood flow, in turn lowering blood pressure.

While both types tasted equally sweet, nutty, and grassy, we expected the delicate-looking thin spears to be more tender. To our surprise, the thicker spears actually had the better texture (if only by a hair). The reason? The vegetable's fiber is slightly more concentrated in thinner spears.

Ferretti says there is little taste difference between thin and thick asparagus spears, but the thinner vegetables can be tougher to chew.

What is the pink stuff on canned asparagus? ›

These flakes are called rutin and occur naturally in canned asparagus. The asparagus is perfectly safe to eat as long as it was prepared and processed correctly. Why is my brine pink?

Frozen asparagus retains both color and flavor better than canned asparagus. Select young, tender stalks with compact tips. Wash thoroughly and sort according to thickness of stalk. Cut off and discard any tough portions of stalks.

* Note: when asparagus is raw, it takes up more volume. The frozen and canned versions are denser, which explains why they're significantly higher in some nutrients.

If the tips are dried or yellow in color, it's a sign that the asparagus is old. Mushy tips should be avoided as well, as that's a sign the asparagus is on its way to spoiling.

Asparagus stalks are famously tender at the tips and hard and woody at the ends, so nearly every recipe you'll find online starts with trimming those tough bases before cooking.