12 Delicious Ways To Cook With Asparagus
Billy & Jack, Masterchef runner-ups & pop-up caterers
One of our most memorable meals was trying Tom Brown’s asparagus with whipped smoked cods roe at Cornerstone. A must-try for asparagus fans.
We like to use it raw, sliced very thinly with a peeler, and served with plenty of seasoning, good olive oil and lemon. This is great to eat on its own, as part of a salad or as a fresh side for grilled meats.
Eggs Benedict with Marmite Hollandaise (Serves 2)
INGREDIENTS
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 2 egg yolks
- 220g of clarified butter
- 1 tbsp of Marmite
- 1 poached egg
METHOD
1. Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Add the vinegar and continue whisking for around five minutes, or until light and fluffy.
2. Start adding the clarified butter very slowly while constantly whisking, until the mixture has a mayonnaise-like consistency. Whisk in the Marmite, and serve drizzled over the asparagus and poached egg.
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Ella Mills, Deliciously Ella
Keep it simple: cut the woody ends off and gentle pan-fry the asparagus with some great olive oil and sea salt. When it’s cooked, squeeze a little lemon and cracked black pepper over the top. It might not be fancy but sometimes it’s nice to really let the flavours shine through and not over complicate it.
Asparagus pasta is brilliant. I chop the asparagus into bite-sized pieces, which I pan-fry with thinly sliced courgettes and bite-sized bits of broccoli. I then toss all the veg through pasta with a little fresh pesto.
This potato, asparagus and avocado salad is one of my all time favourites, perfect for spring evenings and big lunches with friends. I’ll make it on its own with some homemade hummus if I’m cooking for the two of us at home, or as part of a whole spread with a big selection of salads if I’m cooking for lots of people.
Asparagus, Potato & Avocado Salad (Serves 1)
INGREDIENTS
- Half a dozen asparagus spears, woody stems removed
- 4 large new potatoes
- Large handful of rocket
- 6 cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters
- 1 ripe avocado
- Handful of pumpkin seeds
For the dressing
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp tahini
- Juice of 1 lime
- Pinch of sea salt
METHOD
1. Start by boiling the potatoes for 15–20 minutes until perfectly soft. While these cook, steam the asparagus for 5–10 minutes, until it's cooked but still has a slight bite. Once cooked, drain and leave both to cool down to room temperature.
2 .Once cool, cut the potatoes into bite-sized pieces and place into a large bowl with the rest of the salad ingredients. Pour over the dressing ingredients and give everything a really good mix before serving.
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Lily Simpson, Detox Kitchen
Pretty much any dish you add asparagus to is immediately catapulted into 'special occasion' status for me – even if it's just breakfast for one, it will feel like the queen of breakfasts. Asparagus doesn't lend itself to long, slow cooking methods as it becomes mushy and loses it flavour and brilliant colour. Instead it's best to steam, flash-fry, grill, griddle or just blanch it.
The less you mess around with asparagus the better: hands down the best way to cook it is on a griddle pan. I toss the spears in olive oil and lemon zest and then griddle them for a minute or two so that they are still firm to eat. Then sprinkle with Malden salt and enjoy them on their own. I also use white asparagus and cook in the same way. Heaven.
This super-green, super-tasty springtime soup is made using a few simple ingredients that would very likely grow next to each other in a garden. I add the spinach at the very end, whizzing it up with the asparagus in the hot soup to create a deep shade of green.
Asparagus & Spinach Soup (Serves 4)
INGREDIENTS
- Rapeseed oil for frying
- 2 spring onions, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 250g new potatoes
- 2 celery sticks, diced
- 500ml vegetable stock
- 8 asparagus spears, tough ends broken off
- 250g spinach
- Flaked sea salt and cracked black pepper
- Toasted sunflower seeds, to garnish
METHOD
1. Heat a little oil in a saucepan, add the spring onions and garlic and cook until soft. Add the potatoes, celery and vegetable stock. Bring to the boil, then simmer until the potatoes are softened.
2. Cut the asparagus tips from the stalks, then cut the tips lengthways in half. Chop the stalks. Add all the asparagus to the pan and cook it for 2–3 minutes until almost tender. Add the spinach and cook for 1 minute.
3 .Transfer half of the mixture to a blender or food processor and blitz until smooth. Pour this back into the pan. Add a good pinch each of salt and pepper. Reheat, if necessary, before serving hot, sprinkled with sunflower seeds.
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Lizzie King, Lizzie Loves Healthy
My absolute highlight of spring is when British asparagus first shows itself. I try and eat it every day until its short season comes to an end. It just tastes a thousand times better than the shipped-in varieties from Peru! More delicate and less woody, they take little coaxing to taste sensational. I keep my recipes super simple for sunny days and quick-to-table plates I make again and again.
Roasted asparagus is impossible to ruin and far surpasses the water-logged boiled spears that are often the staple. Creating a more intense flavour, and making them less susceptible to over-cooking, if you cover them in parmesan and butter the crispy tips (from taking your eye off the ball) all will be forgiven.
This frittata from my book is a great way to have asparagus for breakfast.
Roasted Asparagus & Prosciutto Frittata
This frittata from my book is a great way to have asparagus for breakfast.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 large bunch asparagus
- 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 6 eggs
- 5 slices prosciutto, torn into strips
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tbsp parmesan – optional
- Fresh parsley
- Pea shoots or green leaves to serve
- 1 tbsp sunflower seeds to scatter over salad
METHOD
1. Heat the oven to 220ºC. Snap the ends off the asparagus (they break where they’re meant to) and toss in some olive oil in a bowl. Transfer to a lined baking tray and roast in the oven for 5 minutes.
2. Slice the red onion thinly and sweat in the remaining olive oil in a medium-sized, oven-proof frying pan for five minutes until translucent but not browned.
3. Whisk the egg in a bowl with salt and pepper. Remove the asparagus from the oven and place in a pan – arrange evenly, then pour the eggs over. Heat gently for a couple of minutes, laying the slices of ham, if using, over the top, and finally the parmesan, then place in the oven for approximately 5 minutes, until it looks firm but still glossy. It will continue cooking after you take it out of the oven. I like it with a bit of give, but if you want a very firm tart keep in a little longer.
4. Serve immediately, sprinkled with chopped parsley, or slice up and have as a cold lunchbox option. Delicious with a fresh, green salad made with the pea shoots for brunch, topped with seeds.
Chilled Asparagus & Leek Soup with Lemon
This chilled soup is nice to have stored away in your freezer for the taste of asparagus when they’re no longer in season.
INGREDIENTS
- 400g of asparagus
- 3 leeks
- 700ml chicken or veg stock
- Olive oil
- Sea salt
- 1 lemon zest and juice of half
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper – optional
METHOD
1. Heat the oven to 200ºC. Snap the woody ends off the asparagus and toss in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Lay on a baking tray and sprinkle over the salt. 2. Slice leeks lengthways and place on a baking tray. Drizzle with oil and sea salt. Roast in the oven for around 10-12 mins.
3. Remove the asparagus when it’s still green and not too soft. The leeks should be very soft but not browned.
4. Warm the stock in a pan. Combine and blend, adding more stock if needed for required thickness. Add the cayenne, if using, and season to taste.
5. I recommend making double and serving warm the first time. With the leftovers, add lemon juice and zest and serve chilled as a really refreshing soup for sunny days. Also really good with a dollop of crème fraîche stirred through to serve.
Roasted Asparagus with Brown Balsamic Butter
Asparagus with brown butter sauce is what I really dream of, the perfect pairing with a cold aperitif at the beginning of an evening.
INGREDIENTS
- 400g asparagus
- Olive oil
- Sea salt
- 50g unsalted butter
- 4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 210ºC. Snap the tough ends off the stalks. Place on a lined roasting tray and toss thoroughly in olive oil so all parts are glistening. Sprinkle with sea salt.
2. Roast in the oven for 7-10 minutes depending on thickness – check as you go.
3. Melt the butter gently in a small pan, whisking in the balsamic at the end until a glossy emulsion forms. Either serve in an egg cup to dip spears in, or plate up on a big serving dish and drizzle over evenly.
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