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Vegetables · Stalks & shoots

Asparagus

Tender green (or white) spears with tightly closed tips, steamed, grilled or roasted in spring.

Also called: asparagus spears, kuşkonmaz

1 recipe with it

What it is

Asparagus spears are the young shoots of a perennial plant, with pointed, scaly tips and woody bases that are snapped or trimmed off. Green asparagus is grassy; white asparagus is grown under soil, milder and needs peeling; thin wild asparagus is more intense.

Asparagus officinalis

How it’s used

  • Grilled or roasted with olive oil
  • Steamed with butter or hollandaise
  • In risotto, pasta and tarts
  • Shaved raw into salads

Characteristics

Taste
Grassy, sweet and slightly nutty.
Texture
Crisp-tender when lightly cooked.
When cooked
Cooks in minutes; overcooked it goes limp and dull.
Sold as
fresh, canned, frozen
Cooking uses
Commonly cooked, Suitable for grilling, Suitable for boiling, Usually eaten raw

Storage

Refrigerated. Stand the bunch upright in a little water in the fridge, or wrap the bases in damp paper; use within a few days.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
20 kcal
Protein
2.2 g
Carbohydrate
3.88 g
Fat
0.12 g
Fibre
2.1 g
Sugars
1.88 g

USDA FoodData Central: Asparagus, raw.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Green beans — In sides and salads; less distinctive.
  • Broccoli — Tenderstem broccoli grills similarly.

Related ingredients

Recipes with asparagus

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