30 Delicious Ways to Use Asparagus

By Food & Wine
Updated July 25, 2019
© John Kernick
This roundup celebrates asparagus in all of its forms. You can simply drizzle it with olive oil, season it, roast it, and leave it at that—but we also love it on grilled pizza, blended into a creamy vichyssoise soup, and shaved raw with Parmesan dressing. This springtime vegetable is a lot more versatile than you might think. Read on for some of our favorite ways to prepare it.
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Triple-Pea and Asparagus Salad with Feta-Mint Dressing

Credit: Caitlin Bensel
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This salad brings fresh flavors to the plate with confidence and swagger. Barely blanched peas mingle with pan-fried sugar snaps, snow peas, and another of Hetty McKinnon’s favorite spring ingredients, asparagus, which are cooked on high heat until just tender yet still crisp with the slightest hint of charring to add smokiness.

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Asparagus Carbonara

Credit: © Abby Hocking
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Cookbook author Melissa Clark riffs on classic carbonara, swapping out the pasta for thin asparagus spears. It has that same irresistible pancetta-cheese-egg flavor, but with bright green asparagus at the center.

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Pasta with Asparagus and Mushrooms

Credit: Jennifer Causey
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Allowing the pasta dough to rise (just like a bread dough) before rolling and shaping gives the cecamariti in this dish its characteristic texture and flavor. Fine Italian 00 flour can be found at specialty food shops and amazon.com.

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Asparagus Tempura

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This supercrispy tempura from chef Michael Schlow is one of his favorites. "I love anything fried, and it's the perfect cocktail party dish since no knife or fork is necessary," he says. Try serving the tempura with different sauces, like a high-quality soy sauce or curried mayonnaise.

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Grilled Asparagus Subs with Smoky French Dressing

Credit: © JOHNNY VALIANT
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Tyler Kord smokes the French dressing for his asparagus sandwiches over wood chips. This simplified version gets its smokiness from chipotles and smoked salt.

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Asparagus with Toasted Almonds and Garlic

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Pencil-thin asparagus and slivered almonds come together in this tasty side dish.

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White Asparagus Salad with Creamy Tomato Dressing

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Canned white asparagus from Navarra is so revered in Spain that it has its own D.O. "a protected denomination of origin." This simple, composed salad is a lovely way to showcase its buttery flavor.

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Morel-and-Asparagus Salad with Frisée and Butter Lettuce

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This light, simple salad highlights poached morels and asparagus with a combination of frisée and butter lettuces.

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Grilled Asparagus Salad

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Bobby Flay makes this delightful grilled asparagus salad with sweet grape tomatoes, briny kalamata olives and sharp white cheddar. Each bite brings out a different combination of ingredients.

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Chicken Stir-Fry with Asparagus and Cashews

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Cashews contain oleic acid, the same monounsaturated fat that makes olive oil so heart-healthy. This chicken-cashew stir-fry gets its Asian flavors from a bright mix of fish sauce, oyster sauce and basil—and just a little oil.

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Shaved Raw Asparagus with Parmesan Dressing

Credit: © John Kernick
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Asparagus often makes wine taste vegetal. To counter that, chef Mark Ladner mixes shaved spears with a supremely wine-friendly ingredient: parmesan.

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Asparagus and Bok-Choy Frittata

Credit: © KAREN MORDECHAI
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A South African chardonnay will make a marvelous partner for this Italian-inspired dish.

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Grilled Asparagus Salad with Fried Eggs

Credit: © Tina Rupp
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Chef Mark Broadbent upgrades the standard lemony arugula salad by topping it with grilled asparagus, butter-fried eggs—duck eggs, when available—and freshly shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano.

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Asparagus Soup with Parmesan Shortbread Coins

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"I adore savory cheese cookies with creamy asparagus soup," says Carla Hall. "Both are dead simple to make."

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Asparagus with Watercress and Brown Butter Potatoes

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In Austria, restaurants often devote entire menus to white and green asparagus (known as spargel) when spring finally arrives. Here, asparagus is fried until crisp.

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Asparagus with Scallops, Browned Butter and Prosciutto

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Asparagus serves as a bright contrast to the savory scallops and prosciutto.

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Penne with Asparagus, Sage and Peas

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For a simple spring dish, chef Cindy Pawlcyn folds penne with asparagus and sweet English peas, then adds a little cream for richness.

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Mustard-and-Mayonnaise Glazed Asparagus

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Chef Nate Appleman swears by coating vegetables with a mayonnaise-based marinade; it creates a beautifully blistered crust when grilled. Here he offers a marinade for asparagus that is also fabulous on broccoli and fennel.

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Spring Lettuce Salad with Roasted Asparagus

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Few wines pair well with asparagus, but Sauvignon Blanc is an exception—the variety's grassy, herbal notes complement asparagus's strong flavor (asparagus tends to make reds taste very bitter).

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Asparagus-and-Ricotta Toasts

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Gerard Craft likes using extremely fresh ricotta cheese for his toasts; his favorite kind is from Di Palo Selects in Manhattan. He tops the cheese with sautéed asparagus that he tosses with fresh lemon juice, which brightens the flavors considerably.

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Roasted Asparagus with Almonds and Asiago

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If you prefer to serve thicker asparagus spears, add about 10 minutes to the roasting time.

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Asparagus-Potato Salad with Riesling-Tarragon Vinaigrette

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David Bouley’s recipe calls for a flavorful vinaigrette with coriander seeds, tarragon, parsley, and chives, plus Riesling, white wine vinegar, and Dijon mustard—all blended with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper. If you don’t have Riesling on hand, use another off-dry white wine.

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Herbed Fazzoletti with Asparagus and Burrata

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Pairing suggestion: Steely Italian Pinot Grigio.

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Asparagus Vichyssoise

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This creamy soup is best the next day, after the flavors have blended; season it generously before serving.

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Grilled Tofu with Asparagus and Nori Vinaigrette

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Lee Anne Wong plays with an array of Asian ingredients to create a wonderful marinade for extra-firm tofu or high-fiber tempeh (cakes made from fermented whole soy beans). Tempeh's nutty flavor and grainy texture make it an acquired taste, but Wong loves it here.

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Lobster-and-Asparagus Salad with Miso-Mustard Vinaigrette

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Try my miso vinaigrette with and without the mustard; it works both ways.—Andrew Zimmern

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Roasted Asparagus and Mushrooms


Credit: Eva Kolenko
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Roasted asparagus and hen-of-the-woods mushrooms go with any Easter dish, from glazed ham to a spring quiche. The vegetables roast first in olive oil then finish in butter for an extra dimension of flavor and a nice sheen. A drizzle of syrupy aged balsamic balances the earthiness of the mushrooms and slight char on the asparagus.

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Seared Lamb Chops with Seared Endive, Asparagus, and Tahini Dressing

Credit: Antonis Achilleos
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This entire meal is quick to prepare, because you’re only briefly searing the vegetables.

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Grilled Asparagus Pizzas with Gremolata

Credit: © Ingalls Photography
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The heat of the grill can wilt the freshest toppings, so Daniele Uditi spoons something bright—a blend of fresh herbs, crushed red pepper and garlic—over the pizza once it comes off the grate.

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Asparagus-and-Zucchini Frittata

Credit: © John Kernick
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Chef Chris Behr’s versatile frittata with crisp spring vegetables can be eaten warm or at room temperature. Serve for brunch with an accompanying platter of crusty bread, fresh fruit, cheese and salumi, or for lunch with a green salad.

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