33 Spring Asparagus Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the best way to cook and eat asparagus? ›

Asparagus is great quickly stir-fried or sautéed over high heat. You could sauté spears in butter or olive oil with delicious results, but throwing some chopped herbs or sliced chiles into the pan adds wonderful flavor. Both of these methods produce juicy asparagus that retains its crunch.

Some of our best asparagus recipes pair the spears with yolky eggs, salty cheese, or buttery sauces (asparagus covered in hollandaise, anyone?). But grassy-sweet asparagus also shines in the company of bitter lettuces and crunchy vegetables.

Simply preheat the oven to 220°C, gas mark 7, line a tray with foil or baking paper, lay the asparagus spears onto the tray, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. You can also try adding a couple of fresh cloves of garlic and a little grating of lemon zest. Roast for ten minutes.

Asparagus develops a rich flavor when roasted, making this one of the most popular ways to eat the vegetable.

The most common mistake people make when prepping raw asparagus is doing it too far in advance. They'll turn wilty and unpleasantly chewy if chopped or peeled ahead of time.

Asparagus contains potassium, an important nutrient for keeping your heart, bones, kidneys and nerves functioning and healthy, per the NIH. This stalky vegetable also consists of a compound called asparaptine, which may help improve blood flow, and in turn, may lower blood pressure.

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.

I trim the ends and then rinse the stalks and let them sit in cold water for five minutes. It hydrates the asparagus, and they cook more quickly, for they are already wet with some moisture within them. Do not soak them for thirty minutes, you are not trying to get them soggy.

How to eat asparagus for weight loss? ›

To maximize the calorie-burning potential of asparagus, combine asparagus with a hard-boiled egg: The combination of fiber-rich asparagus with egg protein will provide many health benefits.

What part of asparagus should you not eat? Most people trim off the tough, woody ends of asparagus spears before cooking or eating. Can you eat too much asparagus? There are no known side effects of eating too much asparagus, but in large quantities, the fiber in the vegetable may cause diarrhea, gas, or bloating.

These asparagus recipes pair well with nearly every main course, whether you're grilling out or cooking in: steaks and burgers, chicken of all kinds, salmon, scallops and shrimp, mushroom risotto, simple pasta with garlic and olive oil, omelets and frittatas.

Asparagus contains glutathione, a well-known antioxidant that promotes detoxification. It is also a good source of fiber, folate, iron, and vitamins A, C, E, and K, as well as being beneficial to those with high blood pressure. Asparagus is also known to promote kidney and bladder function.

To reap the greatest health benefits, consider incorporating both cooked and raw asparagus into your diet. That said, from a nutritional standpoint, you can't go wrong with either option.

The entire stalk of asparagus is edible, the experts say. But some people may not enjoy eating the thicker, tougher end because it has a woodier texture. You can try chopping the asparagus up when roasting it, Derocha says, and simply leave the thicker ends in the over longer to soften them.