Asparagus Recipes - Alphabet of Vegetables

For seasonal cooks, nothing announces spring's arrival quite like the return of fresh asparagus. When A Veggie Venture was a new blog, a reader complained about a flurry of asparagus recipes. "Do you eat nothing else?" she asked. Why yes, I thought. During asparagus season, doesn't everyone? I hope you love this collection of asparagus recipes!

In a Rush?
Skip Straight to the Asparagus Recipes
~ or ~
Switch to My Favorite Asparagus Recipes

Prefer Another Vegetable?
Switch to A-Z of Vegetables.

ASPARAGUS 101: THE BASICS

Pronounced [uh-SPARE-uh-gus or uh-SPAR-uh-gus]
Also called "Aspar Grass" and "Asper Grass".

When Does Asparagus Season Begin? Spring. The asparagus season is spring. Asparagus begins to appear in supermarkets about March 15 (or in mid September in the southern hemisphere). To my taste, supermarket asparagus is great and for several months, quite inexpensive, about $2 a pound. Here in the Midwest, homegrown asparagus is available about May 1 - June 15. Farmers market pricing can be $4 a pound or more. A season's first asparagus are especially sweet; later the stalks become drier and more fibrous.

Is asparagus always green? No. Most asparagus is green but white asparagus and purple asparagus can be found on occasion. White asparagus is particularly prized in Europe and is more delicate in aroma but is also more fibrous; it is grown and harvested beneath soil the soil, which blanches the color.

How to know that fresh asparagus is, well, fresh. Choose spears with tight tips. I also give the tips a quick sniff to see if they're fresh.

How long does fresh asparagus last? To keep asparagus fresh in the refrigerator, slice a bit off the bottom, stand upright in shallow water. Repeat every day or so and it'll last a good couple of weeks. Otherwise, wrap a bundle of asparagus in a damp paper towel and it'll keep for up to a week. All this said, from one asparagus lover to another, my best advice is to use asparagus as soon as you buy it! That way, you can get more, sooner! The season is short, don't let it pass you by!

Fat Asparagus vs Skinny Asparagus: Which is Better? Take a close look at the bundles of asparagus at the grocery store. Over time, you'll notice that some times the spears are quite thin, other times they're quite thick and fat, often somewhere in the middle. The thickness of the spears points you to how to best use them.
For quick steaming or sautéeing, thin spears do work although personally, I save those thin spears for a Gorgeous Raw Asparagus Salad.
For roasting, those thick spears of asparagus are just so meaty, they can stand up to (and even bloom in) high heat.
Medium spears are super flexible. Eat them raw? Sure. Cook them in the microwave or sauté in a skillet? For sure. Roast them? That too.

How Much Asparagus to Buy? Let's be honest. When you buy asparagus, you won't eat it all. That's because the bottom parts of the spears can be woody and fibrous: not nice, really not edible. Once you snap off the woody ends, up to half (yes, half) might remain. That's why when I need a pound of asparagus, say, I buy a pound and a half. Be aware that most recipes don't specify what they mean, a pound of asparagus before trimming or after trimming.

Cleaning Tips Homegrown asparagus can be gritty, be sure to wash the stalks well and rinse the tips under running water, preferably tip-side down so the grit washes out rather than deeper inside. Good news, supermarket asparagus usually needs little more than a quick rinse.

Trimming Tips What does it mean to "snap the woody ends" of asparagus? The tip of an asparagus spear is quite tender, the stalk is increasingly fibrous toward the end. To snap the woody end, bend the stalk near the end; if it bends easily, snap it in two pieces; if not, move on up the stalk until you find the natural break between the tender and tough portions. Huh, what, you ask? It's easy, there's a natural rhythm: Bend, Bend, Snap! Bend, Bend, Span! Here's a video to show you how to do this, check out Asparagus & Woody Ends (Step-by-Step Photos & Video).

Peeling Tips If the asparagus skin seems tough, use a vegetable peeler to peel the stalks, either the whole stalk, the lower half of the stalk or in "stripes" all the way around.

What Are Those Tiny Red Berries? People who grow asparagus watch for tiny red berries appear on asparagus plants left to go to seed when the harvest season ends. They're just lovely! Vegetables 101: The Beauty of Asparagus Berries

About That Asparagus, Um, Pee Odor Don't worry, it's natural: even one small bite of asparagus adds a slight smell to urine.

ASPARAGUS NUTRITION INFORMATION

Per 1/4 pound raw asparagus: 23 Calories; 0g Tot Fat; 0g Sat Fat; 4g Carb; 2g Fiber; 2g Sugar; 2mg Sodium; 0mg Cholesterol; 2g Protein. WEIGHT WATCHERS Old Points 0 & PointsPlus 0 & SmartPoints 0 & Freestyle 0 & myWW green 0 & blue 0 & purple 0 More Vegetable Nutrition & Weight Watchers Points for Vegetables

What's your favorite asparagus recipe? or what asparagus recipe did you hope to find here? I'm always looking for new ones, especially healthy asparagus recipes. Leave me a quick note in the comments! ~Alanna

---

---

HEY, ASPARAGUS LOVERS!
WHAT SOUNDS GOOD?
~ A Few Highlights ~

BASIC METHODS to Cook Asparagus
How to microwave asparagus

How to cook asparagus in water or sauté in a skillet or my favorite way to steam asparagus, in an asparagus steamer

How to roast asparagus, barely or typical or slow-roasted

How to stir-fry asparagus with shrimp and other summer vegetables

How to blanch, prepare and serve chilled asparagus for a buffet or party

How to pickle asparagus

RECIPE COLLECTIONS for Asparagus
A Veggie Venture & Kitchen Parade Recipes
Six Years of Favorite Asparagus Recipes (with photos, all in one place)

CLASSIC RECIPES for Asparagus
Kitchen Parade recipes
Easy to Elegant Asparagus Soup ♥

A Veggie Venture recipes
Asparagus Risotto ♥
Asparagus with Blender Hollandaise ♥
Party Asparagus with Aioli ♥

NEW to Asparagus?
TRY THESE FIRST
(Reader Favorites)
Kitchen Parade recipes
Easy to Elegant Asparagus Soup ♥
Stir-Fried Shrimp with Asparagus or Other Summer Vegetables ♥

A Veggie Venture recipes
Easy Sautéed Asparagus ♥
Gorgeous Raw Asparagus Salad ♥
How to Microwave Asparagus ♥
Quick Pickled Asparagus ♥
Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Vinegar ♥

MY PERSONAL FAVORITES
Kitchen Parade recipes
Asparagus Custard Tart ♥
Asparagus Whole Wheat Bread Pudding ♥
Easy to Elegant Asparagus Soup ♥
Roasted Salmon & Asparagus ♥

A Veggie Venture recipes
Asparagus Tapenade ♥
Gorgeous Raw Asparagus Salad ♥
Greek Spinach-Asparagus-Potato Gratin (Spinaki me Sparaggia Orgraten) ♥
Party Asparagus with Aioli ♥
Spring Garden Vegetable Soup with Asparagus, Artichokes, Peas & Spinach ♥
Slow-Roasted Asparagus ♥

FAVORITE SAUCES for ASPARAGUS
Aioli ♥
Hollandaise ♥

Back to the Recipes

---

ASPARAGUS SPECIALTIES

What is the data that follows each recipe title? What it means

RAW Asparagus
A Veggie Venture recipes
Asparagus with Dip ♥
Gorgeous Raw Asparagus Salad 10min/10min–ww2–pp2–sp3–fs2–green2–blue2–purple2–carb2 ♥

PICKLED Asparagus
A Veggie Venture recipes
Quick Pickled Asparagus 30min/6hrs–ww0–pp1–sp1–fs0–green0–blue0–purple0–carb4 ♥

ROASTED Asparagus
Kitchen Parade recipes
Roasted Salmon & Asparagus ♥

A Veggie Venture recipes
Barely Roasted Asparagus 10min/20min–ww1–pp2–sp2–fs1–green1–blue1–purple1–carb4 ♥
Kalyn's Roasted Asparagus & Mushrooms 10min/40min–ww1–pp1–sp2–fs1–green1–blue1–purple1–carb2 ♥
Lemon Lovers’ Roasted Asparagus 10min/35min–ww1–pp1–sp2–fs1–green1–blue1–purple1–carb2 ♥
Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Vinegar 10min/25min–ww1–pp1–sp2–fs1–green1–blue1–purple1–carb3 ♥
Roasted Asparagus with Feta 5min/30min–ww1–pp2–sp2–fs2–green2–blue2–purple2–carb3 ♥
Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan 7min/25min–ww1–pp2–sp2–fs1–green1–blue1–purple1–carb2 ♥
Slow-Roasted Asparagus 20min/60min–ww2–pp2–sp3–fs3–green3–blue3–purple3–carb1 ♥

Back to the Recipes

---

ASPARAGUS in EVERY COURSE
~ Even Breakfast! Even Dessert! ~

(Um, kidding about dessert)

Asparagus for BREAKFAST
Kitchen Parade recipes
Never-the-Same-Twice Vegetable Frittata ♥

A Veggie Venture recipes
Asparagus Eggs Benedict 30min/30min–ww9–pp10–sp14–fs11–green13–blue11–purple11–carb10 ♥
Asparagus Omelet with Rémoulade Sauce 15min/15min ♥

Asparagus in APPETIZERS
A Veggie Venture recipes
Asparagus Tapenade 20min/3hrs–ww1–pp2–sp2–fs2–green2–blue2–purple2–carb1 ♥
Asparagus with Creamy Mustard Dip ♥
Asparagus with Dip ♥

Asparagus in SALADS
A Veggie Venture recipes
Asparagus Scallion Salad with Hard-Cooked Egg 25min/60min–ww1–pp2–sp3–fs1–green2–blue1–purple1–carb5 ♥
Asparagus & Edamame Salad 20min/50min–ww2–pp3–sp4–fs1–green1–blue1–purple1–carb6 ♥
Gorgeous Raw Asparagus Salad 10min/10min–ww2–pp2–sp3–fs2–green2–blue2–purple2–carb2 ♥
Party Asparagus with Aioli 35min/35min–ww0–pp0–sp0–fs0–green0–blue0–purple0–carb0 ♥

Asparagus in SIDE DISHES (HOT) Kitchen Parade recipes
Trio of Vegetables: Lemon Asparagus ♥

A Veggie Venture recipes
Asparagus Noodles 10min/15min–ww1–pp1–sp2–fs1–green1–blue1–purple1–carb2 ♥
Asparagus with Blender Hollandaise 15min/20min–ww2–pp2–sp4–fs4–green4–blue4–purple4–carb2 ♥
Barely Roasted Asparagus 10min/20min–ww1–pp2–sp2–fs1–green1–blue1–purple1–carb4 ♥
Easy Sautéed Asparagus 10min/25min–ww1–pp2–sp2–fs1–green1–blue1–purple1–carb3 ♥
Kalyn's Roasted Asparagus & Mushrooms 10min/40min–ww1–pp1–sp2–fs1–green1–blue1–purple1–carb2 ♥
Lemon Asparagus 5min/15min–ww1–pp1–sp2–fs1–green1–blue1–purple1–carb3 ♥
Lemon Lovers’ Roasted Asparagus 10min/35min–ww1–pp1–sp2–fs1–green1–blue1–purple1–carb2 ♥
Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Vinegar 10min/25min–ww1–pp1–sp2–fs1–green1–blue1–purple1–carb3 ♥
Roasted Asparagus with Feta 5min/30min–ww1–pp2–sp2–fs2–green2–blue2–purple2–carb3 ♥
Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan 7min/25min–ww1–pp2–sp2–fs1–green1–blue1–purple1–carb2 ♥
Sautéed Asparagus & Leeks 5min/15min–ww1–pp2–sp2–fs1–green1–blue1–purple1–carb5 ♥
Slow-Roasted Asparagus 20min/60min–ww2–pp2–sp3–fs3–green3–blue3–purple3–carb1 ♥

Asparagus in SOUPS
Kitchen Parade recipes
Easy to Elegant Asparagus Soup ♥
Finnish Summer Soup ♥

A Veggie Venture recipes
Spring Garden Vegetable Soup with Asparagus, Artichokes, Peas & Spinach 20min/24hrs–ww1–pp2–sp3–fs1–green1–blue1–purple1–carb9 ♥

Asparagus in SANDWICHES, WRAPS & MORE
No recipes yes, this is my reminder!

Asparagus in MAIN DISHES
Kitchen Parade recipes
Asparagus Whole Wheat Bread Pudding ♥
Asparagus Custard Tart ♥
Lemon & Asparagus Pasta ♥
Roasted Salmon & Asparagus ♥
Stir-Fried Shrimp with Asparagus or Other Summer Vegetables ♥

A Veggie Venture recipes
Asparagus Risotto 60min/60min–ww5–pp7–sp9–fs8–green8–blue8–purple8–carb43 ♥
Farro with Asparagus & Green Onion Sauce 25min/30min–ww5–pp6–sp8–fs6–green6–blue6–purple2–carb35 ♥
Pasta with Shrimp, Asparagus & Sun-dried Tomato 30min/40min–ww8–pp10–sp11–fs9–green10–blue9–purple9–carb52

Asparagus in SWEETS & BAKING
No recipes yet, this is my reminder. But don't hold your breath. :-)

Back to the Recipes

---

MOVING BEYOND
THE STOVE & OVEN

Asparagus on the GRILL
No recipes yet, this is my reminder!

Asparagus in the MICROWAVE
A Veggie Venture recipes
How to Microwave Asparagus 5min/10min–ww0–pp1–sp1–fs1–green1–blue1–purple1–carb2 ♥

Asparagus in the SLOW COOKER
No recipes yet, this is my reminder!

Back to the Recipes

---

What's All That Information?
Each recipe on A Veggie Venture includes timing information plus both nutrition information and Weight Watchers points. On pages like this, I also include summary information so that it's easy for readers to quickly assess a recipe without clicking through.

Let's look at this recipe as an example, How to Microwave Asparagus 5min/10min–ww0–pp1–sp1–fs1–green1–blue1–purple1–carb2 ♥.

TIMING A recipe that says 5min/10min means that it takes about 5 minutes hands-on time to get that recipe to the table in 10 minutes.

WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS Point information is mostly relevant to those who use Weight Watchers but may be useful for others as well. Points offer a assessment of healthy recipes: the lower the points, the lower the calories, fat, sugar and carbs.
FYI A Veggie Venture and my food column Kitchen Parade are both famous in Weight Watchers circles. On these pages, Weight Watchers vegetable recipes and Weight Watchers recipes, my recipes are even sorted by WW points, making it easy to find coveted low-point recipes.

HEARTS A ♥ means that I love a recipe. During A Veggie Venture's first year, I cooked and shared a new vegetable recipe every day for an entire year. That year produced dozens and dozens of wonderful recipes and even 15 Favorite Vegetable Recipes, Still Useful After 15 Years. But there were some definite duds, too. Over time, I'm either improving the duds to warrant a ♥ or retiring the recipe. But in the mean time, the hearts mean that I'm happy to recommend the recipe, it's worth your time.

Back to the Recipes

---

BOOKMARK! PIN! SHARE!
How do you save and share favorite recipes? recipes that fit your personal cooking style? a particular recipe your mom or daughter or best friend would just love? If this recipe hits the mark, go ahead, save and share! I'd be honored ...

THE A-Z COLLECTION Asparagus Recipes (you're here)
JUST THE FAVORITES Six Years of Favorite Asparagus Recipes

But Wait!
There's an Entire
A-Z of Vegetables!

---

A Veggie Venture is home of asparagus lover and veggie evangelist Alanna Kellogg and the famous asparagus-to-zucchini Alphabet of Vegetables.

© Copyright Kitchen Parade
2005 – 2022