How to Cook Asparagus - Saute and Blanch
There is so much asparagus in the stores right now, even when the other vegetables are looking sparse. If you haven’t been buying asparagus because you aren’t sure how to cook it, or it goes bad too fast, this post is for you.
Asparagus is one of those vegetables that I keep in the fridge at all times because it can make for a quick and easy dinner on the grill, or I can cut it up and do a quick saute’. The trick is to storing it so that it doesn’t go bad. When you are looking at the asparagus in the store, consider how you might be using it. The thinner pieces work better as a saute, and thicker spears are better for grilling or roasting.
Both methods for cooking are in easy, printable recipe cards below.
How to Store Asparagus So It Lasts
If you purchase some asparagus and are not using it right away, the best way to store it is to trim the ends off, and place the cut side down in a bowl of water. These can sit in the refrigerator for up to a week and will stay fresher than sitting in the vegetable drawer. I currently have a bunch in my fridge that has been sitting in a coffee cup with a little water and still looks great after 3 days!
trim the hard woody ends
place the cut asparagus in a high sided bowl or coffee cup, something that won’t tip over
add about an inch of water
place in the fridge- you cover your asparagus to help prevent drying out from the refrigerator fan, just lightly place the produce bag over the top
How to Cook Asparagus - 2 ways
Saute - great for a quick side dish, you only have to slice up the spears and saute in some olive oil and minced garlic, takes about 4 to 5 minutes
Blanch - the act of dipping the asparagus in boiling water which lightly cooks them. Use this method for snacks, along with your favorite salad dressing. This makes for a quick snack when I first come home from work ravenous and will tide me over until dinner. This is also a good way to cook when you want less oil, or want it for a snack, veggie platter, etc.
How to Saute’ Asparagus
1 bunch asparagus
olive oil
salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
Saute’ pan
1. Trim the Asparagus
Trim the bottom, woody ends off the asparagus, about 3 inches, and discard. Then slice on a bias, or diagonal, like the picture below, cutting each spear into about 4 pieces. Take your time. Slice one spear at a time if you need to until it feels easy, getting a nice diagonal cut.
2. Saute
Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat, and when hot, add a little olive oil, about 1 tablespoon. Add the asparagus to the hot pan and toss to coat with the oil. Stirring frequently for about 2 minutes. You want them to soften but still have crunch. Season with salt while you cook.
Then, push the asparagus to the edges of the pan, add a little olive oil to the middle and place the minced garlic into the oil. Let the garlic warm up and sizzle a little in the oil. Then, stir everything together, and sprinkle with a little more salt. Continue sauteing and stirring until vegetables are done to your liking.
Taste a piece, add a little more salt if needed. (you’ll need between ¼ tsp and ½ teaspoon total salt). Your asparagus should be done at about 4 to 5 minutes in the pan. You can stick one with a fork to see how tender they are or my favorite method is just to eat a piece since that is the real test of whether it is done or not. Yours could take a little longer depending on how thick the spears are and how big you cut your pieces. Just stir and continue sautéing until you are happy with how they taste.
How to Blanch Asparagus
1 bunch asparagus - medium size is best, don't use super thin spears
1 pot of boiling water
colander
bowl of water and ice (optional)
1. Set up
Bring a medium pot of water to boil. Set up ice bath by placing water and ice cubes in a bowl big enough to hold your asparagus.
2. Trim the Asparagus
If you haven’t done this already, trim the bottom, woody ends off the asparagus, about 3 inches, and discard. Leave your spears whole, like the picture below, or cut into 2 inch pieces.
3. Dip Asparagus in Boiling Water
Add the asparagus to your boiling water and leave in for about 30 seconds to 1 minute until they turn bright green and slightly softened (this depends on how thick your vegetable is). Stay close with a fork and test a spear after 20 to 30 seconds to see how they are doing. If the fork goes through semi easily, time to drain.
4. Drain and Shock in an Ice Bath
Drain your asparagus and then place in bowl of ice cubes and water.
One way to quickly cool down blanched vegetables is to submerge in an ice bath or "shock" them. This is done by filling a bowl slightly larger than your vegetables with water and some ice cubes. You don't want the vegetables to overcook, and this helps to cool them down very quickly. Set up the ice bath beforehand and have it sitting on the counter by the pot. As soon as your asparagus are done, pull them out with tongs and place them into the ice water.
5. Dry The Asparagus
The asparagus only needs to stay in the ice bath for a minute or so. Then take them out and place on a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture. Your lightly cooked asparagus can now store in a container in the fridge for about a week. Serve with your favorite sauce or salad dressing.
My favorite is this Sesame Ginger Dressing from Whole Foods.
Note: You can skip the ice bath step as well, which I often do. I sometimes just pour the pot into a colander and rinse the vegetables under cold water to help stop the cooking process. This won't cool the vegetables as fast, which means your asparagus will continue to get softer. Just be aware that you might want to drain them after being in the water for about 20 seconds.
I hope you try these out. If you do, let me know how it came out!
Printer-Friendly Recipe
How to Saute Asparagus
Asparagus is low in calories and boasts an impressive amount of nutrients. Its so easy to prepare with this technique.
Ingredients
- 1 bunch asparagus
- 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Saute’ pan
Instructions
- Trim the bottom, woody ends off the asparagus, about 3 inches, and discard. Then slice on a bias, or diagonal, cutting each spear into about 4 pieces.
- Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat, and when hot, add a little olive oil, about 1 tablespoon. Add the asparagus to the hot pan and toss to coat with the oil. Stirring frequently for about 2 minutes. You want them to soften but still have crunch. Season with a little salt while you cook.
- Push the asparagus to the edges of the pan, add a little olive oil to the middle and place the minced garlic into the oil. Let the garlic warm up and sizzle a little in the oil. Then, stir everything together, and sprinkle with a little more salt. Continue sauteing and stirring until vegetables are done to your liking, about 4 to 5 minutes total.
Notes
How to store raw asparagus
- trim the hard woody ends, about 2 inches up from the bottom
- place in a high sided bowl or coffee cup, something that won’t tip over
- add about an inch of water
- place in the fridge- you cover your asparagus to help prevent drying out from the refrigerator fan, just lightly place the produce bag over the top
How to Blanch Asparagus
Asparagus is low in calories and boasts an impressive amount of nutrients. Its so easy to prepare with this technique.
Ingredients
- 1 bunch asparagus
- 1 pot of boiling water
- colander
- bowl of water and ice
Instructions
- Bring a medium pot of water to boil.
- Set up ice bath: fill up a medium bowl (big enough to hold your asparagus) with half water and half ice cubes.
- Trim the bottom, woody ends off the asparagus, about 3 inches, and discard. Leave your spears whole or cut into 2 inch pieces.
- Add the asparagus to your boiling water and leave in for about 30 seconds to 1 minute until they turn bright green and slightly softened (this depends on how thick your vegetable is). Stay close with a fork and test a spear after 20 to 30 seconds to see how they are doing. If the fork goes through semi easily, time to drain.
- Drain asparagus and then place in bowl of ice cubes and water. (this quickly cools them and stops the cooking process)
- Take them out and place on a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture
Notes
How to store raw asparagus
- trim the hard woody ends, about 2 inches up from the bottom
- place in a high sided bowl or coffee cup, something that won’t tip over
- add about an inch of water
- place in the fridge- you cover your asparagus to help prevent drying out from the refrigerator fan, just lightly place the produce bag over the top
