How to Cook Asparagus: The Complete Guide

The Complete Guide to Cooking Asparagus

It doesn’t take a master chef at a fine restaurant to produce a delicious side of asparagus. Don’t be fooled by the fancy appearance of this luxury vegetable; it can be prepared with minimal effort in the comfort of your own kitchen. Even if you don’t spend a lot of time in the kitchen, you can learn how to cook asparagus in no time.
Asparagus is considered a super-food, high in antioxidants and loaded with folate, vitamin C and vitamin B6. In addition to the well known green variety, asparagus is available in shades of white and purple, with either thick or thin spears. All offer the same nutritional benefits and share the same taste.

How to Choose Asparagus

Fresh asparagus is at the height of it’s flavor during the months of April and May, but will begin to pop up in produce aisles by late February.
When choosing asparagus, keep in mind that the different size and color varieties are not indicative of quality. If you want to decrease preparation time, opt for the thin spears to avoid having to trim down off the tough ends on the thicker spears.
Regardless of the size you choose, be sure to select spears that are firm and straight with unopened tips.

How to Store Asparagus Prior to Cooking

Asparagus deteriorates quickly, so to preserve freshness and maintain high antioxidant levels it is important to keep spears refrigerated and use within 2 days. By placing the spears in a bowl filled with cold water in an upright position, you will help to keep the stems hydrated and prevent drying.

How to Cook Asparagus

Always begin by washing the spears in cool water. Asparagus is versatile and can be cooked in a variety of ways.
Steaming Asparagus.  Steaming is a popular choice for traditionalists that enjoy their spears with a simple drizzle of olive oil. Start with a piece of kitchen string to tie the asparagus spears together at both the bottom and just below the tip. Add the bunch to 2 inches of boiling water in a large pot. Cover the pot and steam for 4-8 minutes. The bottoms of the asparagus will boil while the tips are steamed, resulting in crispy green spears.
Boiling Asparagus.  For more tender spears, asparagus can be placed lengthwise in a large skillet and boiled for 5 minutes in an inch of water.
Blanching Asparagus.  For dishes that call for cold asparagus, you can blanch the spears by placing them in iced water immediately after removing from hot water to halt the cooking process.
Cooking Asparagus in a Microwave.  If you are wondering how to cook asparagus in a microwave, you should know that it will take the same amount of time as steaming or boiling.

• Place asparagus lengthwise in a microwave-safe baking dish.
• Angle the spears so that the tips face the center of the dish and cover with ¼ cup of water.
• Cover the dish and microwave on medium for 4-5 minutes.

Baking Asparagus. For crispy, baked asparagus, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place asparagus lengthwise on a nonstick baking sheet and drizzle one tablespoon of olive oil across the spears. Roast in center of oven for 8-10 minutes.
Sautéeing Asparagus. Asparagus works well in sautéed and stir-fried dishes.  Cut spears into 2 inch diagonal pieces and add to skillet or wok with one teaspoon of olive oil. Saute for 3 minutes.
Barbecuing Asparagus.  Asparagus can be an addition to any backyard barbeque. Preheat your grill and spray with olive oil spray. Add spears to center rack and grill for 5-8 minutes or until tender. For best results, turn spears every 2 minutes.