How to Boil Asparagus

Do you want to cook asparagus? That’s how long it takes to cook perfectly! All you need is a pan with just 1 inch of water.

Do you want to cook asparagus? You’re in luck: this cooking method is quick and easy… and healthy too. Sometimes cooked vegetables lack flavor or turn mushy: but not here! You will cook the asparagus in just 1 inch of water until tender and crispy. This method will help get the most out of this bright green spring vegetable. Season with a little butter, lemon, and salt, and it’s a deliciously quick side dish.

Before we begin, a few similar methods…

Before we begin, let’s make sure you’re in the right method.

• You wanted blanched asparagus? It’s boiled in a large pot and then tossed in ice water: perfect for freezing or using in salads. Opt for blanched asparagus.
• Do you mind using your oven? Fried asparagus or grilled asparagus are even tastier… and don’t take too long to prepare. We like you even better.

Do you still want to cook it? Let’s go! Continue reading.

How to cook asparagus

When cooking asparagus, there is no need to fill a large pot with water. No, you just boil it in 1 inch of water in a pan. It’s an extremely quick method. Here is the most important part: Don’t be tempted to overcook it! Overcooked asparagus becomes stringy and yellow-green. Make sure to taste test frequently throughout the process. Here’s what to do:

• Cut off the woody ends of the asparagus. See below for more!
• Boil 1 inch of water in a large pan.
• How long to cook asparagus? Depending on the thickness of the tops, cook until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Very thin bars take about 3 minutes and very thick bars about 5 minutes. Test the flavor with a fork so you can pull it out once it’s done!
• Drain and season. Plain butter and lemon are perfect. More ideas are below!

Cut off the ends before cooking

Here’s a tip for every time you cook asparagus: It doesn’t matter what recipe you use. Cut off the woody, hard ends! The method we’re using is much easier than snapping off the ends, which can be time consuming. Here’s what to do:

• Align the asparagus tips so they are all on the same side.
• Cut off the ends where the green part of the stem begins to turn white (or light purple).

How to season cooked asparagus

One more thing to know about cooking asparagus: you need a good amount of seasoning to make it taste good. Here’s what we use as the basic way to make a healthy side dish, and then some ideas for making it even more sophisticated:

• Butter, Lemon and Salt: All you need to add seasoning is a little butter and lemon and just enough salt to make it pop. See the recipe below! You can also add…
• Grated or Grated Parmesan: Parmesan is a fantastic flavor pairing with asparagus.
• Crumbled Feta Cheese: Feta is also a great garnish.
• Chopped Chives or Fresh Thyme: Both go well with the earthy taste of asparagus.

This side dish goes perfectly with so many different dishes: salmon, shrimp, pasta, risotto and more. How do you season your asparagus? Let us know in the comments below.

storage information

If you cook the asparagus, how long will it last? It will keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge, stored in an airtight container. Or you can freeze it right away and keep it for 3 months or more! We usually like to blanch it before freezing it, but this cooking method is very similar.

Other ways to cook asparagus

There are many ways to prepare this delicious vegetable! Our preferred method is not this: it is Goal! Yes, pop it in your grill and it’ll cook in just 5 minutes, with charred and tender edges. Here are a few other ways we love to cook these bright green stalks:

This recipe for cooked asparagus is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.