Boiled asparagus is so easy to make. Bright green, tender, juicy, and healthy. We boiled them whole in a large pan with water and a little salt for best looking and best tasting boiled asparagus ever.
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While boiled asparagus is easy to make, there are a few tips we want to share with you to make sure your asparagus turns out the best. And with the best, we mean:
- tasty – with plenty of asparagus flavor straight out of the boiling water.
- tender – not chewy or fibrous; they should be velvety and melt in your mouth.
- al dente – cooked through but not flabby or mushy.
Also, we want to reassure you that boiled asparagus is far from boring. While it might not be as exciting as grilled asparagus or air-fried asparagus, if seasoned correctly, they are surely a delicious side dish that you can put together in less than 10 minutes.
Ingredients
Asparagus: you can boil fresh asparagus and frozen asparagus. If in season, we strongly recommend fresh ones. Wild asparagus and white asparagus are also suitable for boiling.
Salt: to season the water. Adding salt to the boiling water increases the flavor of the asparagus a lot. It’s like cooking pasta. You should always add a little salt to the boiling water for the best taste. We recommend sea salt or kosher salt, but any other salt would do.
Ingredients for condiment
These are just suggestions for ingredients that go very well with asparagus:
Olive oil: a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil adds a fruity, aromatic taste that is a perfect match with boiled asparagus. It also adds a velvety texture to them. You just need a few drops.
Lemon juice: acidity is a flavor enhancer and will make the asparagus flavor pop. Lemon juice or balsamic vinegar are perfect flavor enhancers for boiled asparagus.
Salt & Black Pepper: a pinch of salt and a few twists of freshly ground black pepper go a long way in making sure your boiled asparagus is tasty.
Butter: we generally opt for vegan butter to reduce dairy. It adds that velvety texture that makes boiled asparagus a more luxurious side dish.
Mustard dressing: mustard and asparagus rocks together. Try making a simple mustard vinaigrette with mustard, maple syrup, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and garlic. Recipe below.
Herbs: flat-leaf parsley is our favorite fresh herb to pair with asparagus. Other good ones are basil, dill, chives, and mint. Finely chop them and sprinkle them on top.
Nuts: Finally, pine nuts, walnuts, almonds, and hazelnuts complement the boiled asparagus flavor. Toast and chop the nuts before sprinkling them on top.
Instructions
You have two options for boiling asparagus. Either boil them whole in a large pan or chopped up in a pot or saucepan. We like to boil them whole; they look pretty this way.
To a large pan, add 5 cups of water and bring to a boil. In the meantime, rinse and trim the woody ends of the asparagus.
With a vegetable peeler, peel two to three inches of the asparagus, the final part of the stalk.
It can get fibrous and chewy when boiled, especially if the asparagus spears are not fresh. It takes a minute, so we recommend peeling them. Your asparagus will cook more evenly and be more tender and buttery.
When the water boil, add 1 teaspoon of salt and the asparagus. If you put less water, you’ll need less salt. Boil on medium heat for about 6 to 10 minutes, depending on how thick the stalks are. Ours in the picture took exactly 10 minutes, and they were perfectly tender-crisp.
To check for doneness, poke it with a fork. it should be soft but with texture and a little bite to it.
Take out of the water and either serve immediately or pass them under cold running water for 10 seconds to prevent them from overcooking.
Serving suggestions
OLIVE OIL
The simplest way to serve boiled asparagus is with a sprinkle of salt, freshly ground black pepper, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and a squeeze of fresh lemon or balsamic vinegar. They are super healthy, fresh, and packed with flavor.
BUTTER
Another way is adding a teaspoon or two of butter. We love to use vegan butter and sprinkle with salt, pepper, freshly chopped parsley, and a squeeze of lemon.
VINAIGRETTE
You can also try them with our quick and easy mustard vinaigrette. Make it with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of maple syrup, 1 teaspoon of mustard, ½ teaspoon of salt, a few twists of black pepper, and some grated garlic (or garlic powder). Whisk well and serve alongside the boiled asparagus for people to drizzle on top. This vinaigrette adds a lot of flavor to this simple recipe. It’s tangy, zesty, a little sweet, and sour. It’s delicious with boiled asparagus.
Tips
- Salt the water: salt the cooking water to get the best-tasting boiled asparagus ever. If you don’t salt the water, the asparagus will be bland.
- Peel the stalk: peel the bottom 2 to 3 inches of the stalk to get asparagus that is tender and buttery.
- Cool them down: cooling them down under running cold water as soon as they are cooked for just 10 seconds prevents them from overcooking. Best tasting asparagus is cooked through but still “al-dente.”
More asparagus recipes
If you like asparagus, check out our other recipes:
- air fryer asparagus – one of our favorite ways to eat asparagus
- tofu soup with asparagus – incredibly simple and satisfying
- steamed asparagus – healthy, tender-crisp, and incredibly juicy
- grilled asparagus – smokey, crisp, lemony, and lightly charred
Storage
Store leftover boiled asparagus in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave. We do not recommend freezing boiled asparagus, although you can certainly do so.
For many more side dish ideas, check out our sides category page.
Boiled Asparagus
Equipment
- large pan that can fit them whole
Ingredients
- 16 ounces (1 lb) asparagus
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 5 cups water
Instructions
- You have two options for boiling asparagus. Either boil them whole in a large pan or chopped up in a pot or saucepan. We like to boil them whole; they look pretty this way.To a large pan, add 5 cups of water and bring to a boil. In the meantime, rinse and trim the woody ends of the asparagus.
- With a vegetable peeler, peel two to three inches of the asparagus, the final part of the stalk. It can get fibrous and chewy when boiled, especially if the asparagus spears are not fresh. It takes a minute, so we recommend peeling them. Your asparagus will cook more evenly and be more tender and buttery.
- When the water boil, add 1 teaspoon of salt and the asparagus. If you put less water, you'll need less salt. Boil on medium heat for about 6 to 10 minutes, depending on how thick the stalks are. Ours in the picture took exactly 10 minutes, and they were perfectly tender-crisp. To check for doneness, poke it with a fork. it should be soft but with texture and a little bite to it.
- Take out of the water and either serve immediately or pass them under cold running water for 10 seconds to prevent them from overcooking. Serving suggestions are below.
Notes
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
OLIVE OIL The simplest way to serve boiled asparagus is with a sprinkle of salt, freshly ground black pepper, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and a squeeze of fresh lemon or balsamic vinegar. They are super healthy, fresh, and packed with flavor. BUTTER Another way is adding a teaspoon or two of butter. We love to use vegan butter and sprinkle with salt, pepper, freshly chopped parsley, and a squeeze of lemon. VINAIGRETTE You can also try them with our quick and easy mustard vinaigrette. Make it with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of maple syrup, 1 teaspoon of mustard, ½ teaspoon of salt, a few twists of black pepper, and some grated garlic (or garlic powder). Whisk well and serve alongside the boiled asparagus for people to drizzle on top. This vinaigrette adds a lot of flavor to this simple recipe. It’s tangy, zesty, a little sweet, and sour. It’s delicious with boiled asparagus.Nutrition
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Have yet to try this , will do so tomorrow. No social media -yay!
Hi Lora,
I’m happy to hear you feel like trying. Happy cooking!
Kindest,
Louise