Cooking Basics
How to cook asparagus
Springtime means asparagus time! Between April and June, locally-grown asparagus is finally available again in the supermarkets. Whether in a soup, salad or as a side dish – green asparagus tastes delicious in almost every dish. Alongside its sublime taste, asparagus has many health benefits. It’s rich in vitamins and minerals and supports your digestion and immune system.
In this article, we’ll show you the best ways to cook delicious green asparagus!
There are many different methods of cooking asparagus, and they all give it their own unique flavour. Now it’s up to you to find your favourite method!
We’ll also show you the right way to freeze asparagus so that you can enjoy it all year long. Like that you can make sure your asparagus doesn’t lose any of its important nutrients!
The wide range of asparagus recipes can sometimes be overwhelming, but don’t worry – we’ve got you covered! At the end of this article, you’ll find the best asparagus recipes. If you’re still not sure how to season asparagus, we’ve created a list of delicious spice blends that go well with any asparagus dish. With our spice blends, you can make everyday life easier – while cooking delicious asparagus recipes!
Table of contents
How to recognise fresh asparagus
As we’ve already mentioned, the best time to buy fresh asparagus is between April and June, since this is when it is grown locally. To pick the best, freshest asparagus in the supermarket, we have a few simple tips and tricks for you:
Take a look at the tips of the asparagus: a tightly closed tip shows you that the asparagus is still fresh!
The stems should be bright green and squeak when you rub them together.
The cut end of the asparagus also tells you a lot about the taste: if it doesn't look dry, but moist and juicy, you can buy it without any worries!
How to store asparagus
After buying your asparagus, you should eat it as soon as possible – so it doesn’t lose any of its flavour or becomes dry. However, there’s a special technique that allows you to store your asparagus for up to 5 days in the fridge:
First you have to cut off a little bit from the ends of the stems.
Then you take a damp paper towel and wrap the asparagus inside.
Put the stems in a plastic bag and store them in the bottom drawer of your fridge.
Alternatively, you can also fill up a glass with cold water, put your asparagus inside and cover it with a plastic bag or any other loose covering.
Can you freeze asparagus?
You want to buy regional asparagus during springtime, and then eat it out of season, then freezing is the way forward!
Both green and white asparagus spears can be easily frozen – without losing anything in terms of taste or texture. However, there are a few things you should bear in mind:
First, you should wash the asparagus and cut off the dry ends. You should always peel white asparagus first, but this step is not necessary for green asparagus.
To preserve the delicious, fresh flavour and the valuable nutrients, you should freeze your fresh asparagus raw, not cooked or blanched.
Then pack your asparagus in portions in small zip-lock bags or containers and seal them airtight.
Asparagus can be kept in the freezer for between six and eight months. Now you can eat asparagus all year long! You don't even need to defrost the asparagus stems before cooking, simply boil or roast them as usual.
How to prepare asparagus before cooking
Before we start cooking, there’s still some preparation required! Of course, you should always wash your asparagus before cooking. Remember to pat the stems dry afterwards if you want to roast your asparagus in a pan.
Make sure you also cut off any wooden ends from your green asparagus! The best way to find out where the inedible part is, is by bending the asparagus stems until they break off at their natural breaking point. You can also use a vegetable peeler or knife to trim off any thick or woody ends.
How to cook asparagus in a pan
Cooking asparagus in a pan is the best way to unlock delicious roast aromas! This is the best way to cook asparagus if you want to serve it as a side dish next to chicken and rice, with which it makes the perfect combination.
Here are the steps you need to follow:
Put some olive oil in the pan and then add your asparagus
Turn the hob on high heat and cook the stems for about 10 minutes
Stir the stems continuously to make sure that they don’t burn
After that time, the tips should be brown and stems still be slighty firm
Season it with your preferred spice blends and serve as a delicious side dish!
How to cook boiled asparagus
Don’t want to use a lot of oil to prepare your asparagus? Then boiling asparagus is the right method for you! This will ensure your asparagus tastes nice and fresh and keeps its bright green colour. A further advantage is that it also takes less time and doesn’t require you to stay stood next to the hob the whole time.
Here’s what you need to do:
Add boiling water, salt and the asparagus to a large pot.
Cook for about 5-8 minutes until the asparagus becomes bright green and tender. If you chop the stems into small pieces before cooking, the process will take even less time.
After the asparagus is ready, you can put it into a bowl of ice water to let it cool down.
This method is the one to use if you want to eat asparagus in salads or vegetable bowls! You can also add some Vegetable Stock and cook a tasty asparagus soup. Another idea is to make some pasta with asparagus!
How to cook roasted asparagus in the oven
This method is definitely the easiest one! It only takes about 8 minutes and makes your asparagus taste crispy with aromatic flavours.
Just follow these simple steps for perfect roasted asparagus:
First you need to preheat your oven to 200°C (convection oven)
Cut the woody and thick ends of the asparagus.
Spread the asparagus evenly on a baking sheet while leaving some space between them.
Brush the asparagus with a little olive oil, salt and pepper or other asparagus seasonings.
Bake for about 8 minutes until the stems become lightly crispy and browned.
Our tip: Squeeze some lemon before serving and enjoy!
Best asparagus recipes
Now that you've learned all the different methods, nothing can stop you from cooking mouthwatering asparagus! There are endless variations of asparagus recipes, but don't worry – we've picked out the tastiest asparagus recipes for you! With these recipes you can quickly and easily discover new dishes that will soon become your favourite ones! If you’re already feeling inspired, check out our recipe collection for other delicious ideas.
Pasta with Asparagus and Ham: A quick dish for the whole family with lots of flavour – thanks to our Carbonara Seasoning.
Rice Noodle Bowl: Get a healthy and delicious rice noodle bowl – topped with our spicy Bowl Topping – in just 15 minutes!
Rainbow Skewers: A delicious vegetarian meal and perfect recipe for BBQ season! Add some pinches of our Vegetable Allrounder for maximum taste.
Can’t wait for spring? In our spring recipe collection you’ll find even more recipes with seasonal vegetables and fruits. These recipes bring the spring feeling directly to your kitchen!
Best seasonings for asparagus
Still looking for the right asparagus seasonings? Spice up your asparagus in a few seconds with some of our specially-created spice blends! Whether you prefer Mediterranean flavour, some spice or love herbs – these spice mixes have all the flavours you need in just one can!
Try it out and discover your favourite spice blend:
Vegetable Allrounder – the perfect allrounder for all kinds of vegetables
Mediterranean Vegetable Allrounder – for an authentic Mediterranean taste
Bowl Topping – your crunchy topping for delicious rice or noodle bowls
Extra Spicy Seasoning – spice up your asparagus with only one pinch!
Balsamic Dressing Mix – the best spice for salads with lots of flavour
Vegetable Stock Without Added Sugar – 100% natural ingredients for your asparagus soup
Cooking basics with Just Spices
In this article, we’ve taught you all the facts about asparagus, how to cook asparagus in different ways and given you some inspiration for different asparagus recipes.
Want to become a real pro in the kitchen? To improve other skills in the kitchen, check out our Cooking Basics blog category. There you can find all kinds of tips and tricks about cooking! We’ll show you how to cook rice or the proper way to freeze chili con carne.
