Everything you need to know about asparagus! How to choose and cook with asparagus, seasonality, nutrition information, varieties, how to store, and how to prep. Plus, our favorite asparagus recipes!
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Hi, Rhubarbarians! We are taking a deep dive into one of our favorite spring vegetables: asparagus!
Every year, right around the turn of winter to spring, we start to see asparagus pop up at all the grocery stores! The short season makes us eat as much of these green stalks as we can before they're season is over.
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What is asparagus
Asparagus, or asparagus officinalis, is a flowering perennial that is closely related to the lily family. Asparagus can grow as tall as 60 inches tall with feathery foliage. The young shoots, or "spears" of the plant are harvested as a vegetable and is what is recognizable as the vegetable that we see in the grocery stores.
Asparagus is know for it's thin, spear like shape and pointed tip. They can be green, purple, or white in color.
What does asparagus taste like? Fresh asparagus cooked simply on it's own tastes a bit like an herbaceous mix between broccoli and green beans! But also, very different than both of those. It has a slightly earthy taste that is very distinctly asparagus. Give it a taste and see if you like it!
Seasonality
Look for locally grown asparagus in the United States from March to June, with April being the peak month.
Health benefits
According to Healthline, "Asparagus is a nutritious and tasty addition to any diet. It’s low in calories and a great source of nutrients, including fiber, folate and vitamins A, C and K.
Additionally, eating asparagus has a number of potential health benefits, including weight loss, improved digestion, healthy pregnancy outcomes and lower blood pressure."
Asparagus nutrition information
Ingredients
- 8 oz fresh asparagus
Nutrition
Varieties and colors
There are many, many different varieties of asparagus! Asparagus can be green, purple, or white and there are many varieties of each color.
- Green: The most common variety of asparagus sold here in the United States. The spears are about 8" tall on average and can range from very thin like a pencil to quite thick. Green asparagus is quite herbaceous in flavor.
- White: White asparagus is grown by being deprived of light and therefore does not produce any color. It tends to be a bit thicker than green asparagus and has a milder flavor.
- Purple: The sweetest of the three! Purple asparagus stalks are actually green underneath the purple skin and will turn green when they are cooked.
How to choose
You'll most likely see fresh asparagus for purchase in one pound bundles held together with a rubber band.
When selecting fresh asparagus, look for spears that are firm, smooth, and make sure that the bundle can stand upright on it's own. Avoid floppy or soft spears.
Take a look at the tips and make sure they are dry and don't have any soggy parts to them.
Some asparagus spears are thicker than others, which is just an indication of how late they were harvested in the season. Thicker stems are indicative of early season growth as the stems stretch out and get thinner as the season progresses. Both thick and thin spears are delicious!
When purchasing asparagus, plan on feeding 2-4 people with one pound.
How to store
Fresh asparagus doesn't last long, so use it as soon as you can after purchase! It will stay fresh for 3-4 days using either of the methods below:
- Upright in water: Place about 1" of water in a small bowl with a flat bottom. Place the asparagus stalks standing upright with the rubber band holding them together. Store in the refrigerator. (see photo above)
- In a damp paper towel: Wet a paper towel and wrap it around just the bottom of the stalks of your asparagus bundle. Store in a loose fitting plastic bag in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.
- Freezing: Trim your asparagus and cut into 2" pieces. Blanch the asparagus by boiling or steaming for a few minutes then transfer to an ice bath. Pat dry and then spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Freeze until frozen, and then transfer to a freezer safe air tight container. Keep in the freezer for up to one year.
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How to trim and prep
Before cooking your asparagus, you'll want to trim the ends of the spear. The ends can be quite woody, and asparagus has a natural point where the more tender spear will snap off of the woody end.
To snap the woody end off, hold the bottom half of the asparagus spear between your thumb and pointer finger and bend it until it snaps. That's it!
The easier and quicker way to trim asparagus is to line all of your stalks up on a cutting board and cut them right where the green starts to become a lighter color.
You can either compost the woody ends, or keep them and make asparagus soup with them!
Do I need to peel asparagus? NOPE! Peeling the bottom part of the stalk after trimming will ensure that your stalks are beautifully green and tender, but is an extra step that doesn't seem necessary.
How to cook
- Roasted: Toss your asparagus spears in a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast in a single layer on a sheet pan for 10-15 minutes depending on how thick the stalks are.
- Steamed: Bring water to boil and add the asparagus to the steamer basket. Steam for 4-5 minutes, until tender.
- Boiled: Bring water to boil in a shallow pan. Make sure it is enough water to cover the asparagus. When boiling, add the asparagus in a single layer and boil for 4-6 minutes, until tender.
- Grilled: Toss your asparagus spears in a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Grill them on a grill pan over high heat for about 3-5 minutes, until tender.
We love simple olive oil, salt, and pepper as a seasoning for asparagus!
Can I eat asparagus raw? YEP! You can eat asparagus raw or cooked. It can be very tough when raw, however, so it's usually thinly sliced when eaten raw.
Will it make my pee smell?
According to Web MD, "Depending on which study you read, between 22% and 50% of the population report having pungent pee after eating asparagus. But that doesn't mean only some people's bodies generate that smell. Researchers believe that, during digestion, the vegetable's sulfurous amino acids break down into smelly chemical components in all people. And because those components are "volatile," meaning airborne, the odor wafts upward as the urine leaves the body and can be detected as soon as 15 minutes after you eat this spring delicacy.
But only about one-quarter of the population appears to have the special gene that allows them to smell those compounds. So the issue isn't whether or not your pee is smelly; it's whether you're able to smell it. If you smell a funny fragrance in your urine after you eat asparagus, you're not only normal, you have a good nose."
FAQs
Canned asparagus is simply asparagus that has been preserved in water (or brine) in a sealed jar or can.
Pickled asparagus is asparagus that has been preserved in a pickle brine (flavors vary) in a sealed jar or can.
Some asparagus spears are thicker than others, which is just an indication of how late they were harvested in the season. Thicker stems are indicative of early season growth as the stems stretch out and get thinner as the season progresses. Both thick and thin spears are delicious!
Yep, it probably will! See the section above titled "will it make my pee smell?"
Asparagus recipes
If you make this recipe, please let us know on social media or in the comments below! Leave a star rating in your comment or tag us on Instagram with #Rhubarbarians
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