6 Easy Ways to Cook Asparagus

Fresh asparagus is quick and easy to cook, and makes any meal feel just a little more special. No wonder we love it, especially when asparagus season hits and the price drops so we can eat all the asparagus we can hold. We'll show you six of the best and fastest ways to cook asparagus, complete with top tips and recipes to try.

1. How to steam asparagus

For this method, asparagus is held in a basket to cook gently over steaming water. You can use an upright steam basket (like the one shown below) or a collapsible steam basket with feet that hold the basket above the water in a pot or large saucepan. Steaming requires little or no fat.

This video for Simply Steamed Asparagus shows you how to steam whole asparagus using a collapsible steam basket:

Recipes to Try:

• John's Raspberry Asparagus
• Farfalle with Asparagus and Smoked Salmon
• Lemon Asparagus Risotto

2. How to boil asparagus

Asparagus is cooked very quickly in boiling water until it's fully or partially cooked. If you're not serving the asparagus immediately, plunge it into a pan of ice water to halt the cooking. This will also preserve the bright green color. Some recipes call for partially cooking — or blanching – the asparagus, icing it, then finishing the cooking later.

Read more: How to Blanch and Shock Vegetables

Blanch: Place trimmed asparagus in a skillet large enough to hold it without too much crowding and add enough salted water to cover by about 1/2 inch. Cover and bring to a boil. Cook until just tender, testing frequently.

Shock: Drain the cooked asparagus and place it in a large bowl or pan of ice water.

Recipes to Try:

• Chef John's Asparagus Tart
• Asparagus with Tomatoes
• Cold Asparagus with Curry Dip

3. How to microwave asparagus

Place asparagus in a microwave-safe dish with 2 tablespoons of water. Cover and microwave on high for about 3 minutes. Stir, and microwave for another 2 to 3 minutes until the spears are firm but tender. Drain and cool.

Recipes to Try:

• Microwave Asparagus Salad
• Asparagus Avocado Medley Evonne Style
• Asparagus Soup

4. How to roast asparagus

It's very easy to cook asparagus in the oven, and the blast of oven heat caramelizes the natural sugars in the asparagus and deepens the flavor.

Note that roasting could brown the spears, and they won't be as plump as when they're steamed or blanched. But the enhanced flavor is worth it.

For roasting, place the asparagus in a single layer on a shallow pan and cook in a very hot oven. This video for Oven-Roasted Asparagus shows you how it's done.

Pictured: Roasted Asparagus, Prosciutto, and Egg

Recipes to Try:

• Roasted Asparagus and Mushrooms
• Lemon Asparagus
• Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan

5. How to cook asparagus in a pan or skillet

Pan-searing asparagus is fast and won't heat up your kitchen the way steaming or roasting can. It's also an excellent way to ensure that your spears are cooked through but still crisp, not soggy.

Asparagus is cooked in oil or butter in a skillet, as in this video for Sautéed Garlic Asparagus.

Recipes to Try:

• Pan-Fried Asparagus
• Asparagus with Sliced Almonds and Parmesan Cheese
• Stir-Fried Sesame Asparagus

6. How to grill asparagus

Cooking asparagus on the grill is quick and easy, and adds a delicious smoky flavor to the finished dish. You can lay trimmed and seasoned asparagus spears directly across the grill grates, corral the spears in a grill basket, or grill them in a stovetop grill pan. Don't walk away, because they're ready in a flash.

The video for Grilled Asian Asparagus is all cued up for you:

Recipes to Try:

• Grilled Parmesan Asparagus
• Grilled Soy-Sesame Asparagus
• Bacon-Wrapped Sriracha Asparagus

How to prepare asparagus for cooking

Before you try any of the methods for cooking asparagus, you'll want to trim up the asparagus stalks. Trimming asparagus is a "snap." To remove and discard the tough woody ends of the stalks before cooking, you can just cut them off with a knife. But what's more fun is to use your hands to snap the stalks in two. They naturally snap at about the point where the woody part begins. Once you've snapped your asparagus, you can line them up and give the bottom ends one last neat trim, if you'd like.

How to peel asparagus

Some people like to peel asparagus before cooking, and some don't. Asparagus spears range in size from thicker than your thumb to thinner than a pencil; if your asparagus is on the thicker side, you might want to peel the woody stalks with a vegetable peeler. Some cooks also like to trim off the tiny leaves on the stems. But unless they're very spiky, you can leave them on.

How long to cook asparagus

One of the most frequently asked questions is how long to cook asparagus. The answer depends on the size of your spears and your cooking method. Thin ("pencil") asparagus could take just a couple of minutes, especially if you're using a high-heat method of cooking, such as grilling, roasting, or pan-frying. Thicker spears will take longer to cook. Here's how to avoid overcooking your asparagus.

• Allow plenty of extra spears for testing as you cook.
• No matter which cooking method you choose, the residual heat will continue cooking the asparagus. Remove it from the stove/grill/oven when it's almost done to your taste.
• If you're blanching and reheating asparagus, remove it from the boiling water when it's still a bit more crisp than you like. The reheating will finish cooking the spears.

Try this recipe: Grilled Lemon Parmesan Asparagus

Get our entire collection of Asparagus Recipes.