Recipes With Asparagus | Taste of Home (2024)

FAQs

Why you shouldn't cut the ends off asparagus? ›

It is not necessary to trim asparagus. On some spears, especially fresh, pencil-thin stalks, the woody ends may tenderize once cooked. But on larger stalks, the ends of the asparagus are often woody and dense—Which makes them difficult to chew, no matter how soft the asparagus is after cooking.

You can add asparagus to any zesty Italian pasta salad recipe, or if you're feeling bold, make your very own pasta salad. Toss some orzo in a bowl with arugula, leftover cooked green asparagus, olive oil, salt, black pepper, garlic, Italian seasoning, feta cheese, and lots and lots of lemon juice.

Asparagus is great quickly stir-fried or sautéed over high heat. You could sauté spears in butter or olive oil with delicious results, but throwing some chopped herbs or sliced chiles into the pan adds wonderful flavor. Both of these methods produce juicy asparagus that retains its crunch.

Asparagus contains potassium, an important nutrient for keeping your heart, bones, kidneys and nerves functioning and healthy. You may be surprised to learn that this stalky vegetable also consists of a compound called asparaptine, which may help improve blood flow, in turn lowering blood pressure.

By the time the tips turn black, you'll notice they're completely mushy and probably smell a little funky, too. If your asparagus is slimy or sticky, feels mushy and soft, smells foul or has visible signs of mold, it's time to toss it.

However, eating asparagus can also have some side effects: Because of its high fiber content, asparagus can cause flatulence, stomach cramps, and gastric upset in some people. Asparagus contains asparagusic acid that may break down to sulfurous compounds and lend a funny smell to your urine.

Asparagus contains glutathione, a well-known antioxidant that promotes detoxification. It is also a good source of fiber, folate, iron, and vitamins A, C, E, and K, as well as being beneficial to those with high blood pressure. Asparagus is also known to promote kidney and bladder function.

Fresh asparagus usually has a shelf life of three to five days in the refrigerator. However, if you refrigerate asparagus in a glass jar with a little bit of water, it can stay fresh for up to ten days. When the ends of your asparagus spears become dark green and mushy, it's time to throw them away.

Asparagus is excellent served with any type of dairy product, such as cheese (particularly Grana Padano or Parmigiano), butter and any sauces containing dairy produce or cream. - Asparagus and eggs. A great classic? Green asparagus, eggs and truffle.

Does asparagus get softer the longer you cook it? Yes, it does. But you don't want to cook it too long or it will be soggy. That's fine when using in a soup, but not so much as a roasted side.

Why do you snap off the end of asparagus? ›

For many people, the easiest way to eliminate these woody stems is to break them off by bending them until they snap in two. The conventional wisdom is that this natural snap-off point is where the unpalatable toughness ends, and the tender asparagus begins.

The many colors of asparagus contribute to the antioxidants that help your body fight free radicals, but you cannot overcook the asparagus. Overcooking not only gives you a mushy or watery product, it can remove some nutritional benefits by letting vitamins leech out into the water.

You can eat all parts of asparagus. I usually break off the bottom. You don't have to but that part is a little woody. If you want, you can use the bottoms in soup where you can cook them longer and/or cut it up very small.

If the tips are dried or yellow in color, it's a sign that the asparagus is old. Mushy tips should be avoided as well, as that's a sign the asparagus is on its way to spoiling.