asparagus recipes
Here's a collection of asparagus recipes from our weekly newsletters, and some lovely ones you've sent in. If you'd like more please have a look at our recipe index!
Guide To Great Asparagus
Cheese Scrambled Eggs On Asparagus
Stir-Fried Asparagus
Asparagus Risotto
Lemon Caper Salmon and Asparagus
Picnic Tart
Asparagus Soup with Dorset Ham
Lemony Asparagus Soup
Balsamic Steak and Spears
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Gorgeous, creamy flavoured, much beloved asparagus.
It's good for us and so easy to cook. Don’t be intimidated if you've never cooked it before - this veg needs minimal preparation
and quickly serves up a treat of a side dish. Simply slice off the woody ends and discard; then cut the stalks into 2.5cm lengths.
Keeping the tips to the side for a bit, drop the other pieces into a pan of boiling salted water and cook 5 minutes. Add the tips and cook 3-5 minutes or until
they're tender. Now drizzle with butter or oil and add some pepper and Parmesan on top. Perfection!
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Serve with fried or roasted potatoes and country bread for an impressive brunch or dinner. Serves 4
- 450 g asparagus spears
- 50 g creamy cheese, such as Boursin or goat cheese
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh basil or thyme
- 10 eggs
- 2 tablespoons of butter
Trim the ends of the asparagus. Cook in a medium frying pan of boiling water until just tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and return to the pan. Mix the cheese and basil in a small bowl. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Melt 1½ tablespoons of butter in a heavy large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the eggs and stir for about 1 minute. Add the cheese mixture and stir until the cheese melts and eggs are softly set, about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, add the remaining butter to the asparagus in the pan and stir over a medium heat to warm. Divide the asparagus among 4 plates, spoon the eggs over the top and serve.
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Serves 2 as a side dish
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 400 g asparagus, ends trimmed, cut into diagonal 5cm-long pieces
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
Stir the soy sauce and sugar in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves. Heat the oil in a medium frying pan or wok. Add the garlic and stir for 10 seconds, then add the asparagus and stir-fry until tender - this should take about 4 minutes. Add the soy sauce mixture and stir everything until the asparagus is coated. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl, sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.
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A simple and delicious recipe that complements roasted chicken - or serve over thin slices of cured ham. Serves 4.
- 225g English asparagus, trimmed, cut into 5 cm lengths
- 1.1 L chicken or vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 325 g Arborio or other risotto rice
- 120 ml dry white wine
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 75 g Parmesan cheese, grated
- Pepper to taste
Blanch the asparagus in a large pot of boiling, salted water for 2 minutes, then drain it and rinse it under cold water. Bring your stock to a simmer in a small saucepan and keep it simmering on a low heat. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir for 3 minutes. Add the wine and cook until the liquid evaporates. Add a ladle of stock and cook, stirring, until the liquid evaporates. Continue cooking, adding a ladle of stock at a time, until the rice is tender but still slightly firm in the centre and the mixture is creamy. The process will take 20-30 minutes. Add the blanched asparagus pieces and stir until they are heated through. Remove from the heat, stir in the butter and Parmesan, and season to taste with pepper.
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A meal on its own, or serve with rice pilaf or potatoes. Serves 4.
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons minced red onion
- 1 tablespoon olive oil plus extra for drizzling
- 1 tablespoon drained capers, chopped
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, or 1 pinch dried
- 4 skinless salmon fillets, about 800 g total
- 450 g asparagus, trimmed
- Salt and pepper to taste
Whisk the first 5 ingredients together in a small bowl to make the drizzling sauce and season to taste with salt and pepper. Preheat your oven to 230°C, 450°F, gas mark 8. Arrange the asparagus in an even layer on a rimmed baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil and turn them over so that they are coated. Place the salmon fillets on top of the asparagus, sprinkling with salt and pepper. Roast for about 10-15 minutes until the salmon is just cooked in the centre. Portion onto 4 plates, drizzle with sauce, and serve.
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You can sprinkle or slap just about anything in this tart - broad beans, leeks, courgettes, your backlog of onions...
Serves 4‐6
Pastry
- 125g plain white flour
- 125g wholemeal flour
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 125g butter, cold and diced
Filling
- 12 asparagus spears
- 4 egg yolks or 2 whole eggs
- 200ml créme fraîche, or plain yogurt
- Zest from 1 lemon, plus 1 tbsp juice
- 1 garlic clove
- a nugget of Parmesan cheese, grated
- a good pinch of fresh mint, chopped
- Sea salt and black pepper
Preheat oven to 180C. Mix flours and salt. Rub butter into the flour until the dough is like damp sand. Form into dough ball. If it's too dry, add a splash of water. If it's too wet, add a bit more flour. Shape into a flat circle, dust with flour and roll to ½ cm thickness. Transfer to a 21cm tart tin. If it cracks or tears, don't stress. Just patch it up with excess pastry. No one will know. Blind bake for 15 minutes. Remove and let it cool.
Whisk eggs, crème fraîche and garlic. Season with black pepper. Snap the woody ends off the asparagus (use them in a risotto, soup or stock). Trim the tips so they're short enough to fan out from the centre of your tart - they should be about 4-5cm long. Slice the remaining stalk very thinly and add to the egg mix, along with the parmesan and herbs. Pour into the tart pan. Arrange asparagus spears, fanning them out from the centre. Grind a bit more pepper over the tart and bake for 30-40 minutes, until the filling is set.
Remove from oven and serve warm, at room temperature or cold.
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Serves 4
- 500g asparagus, woody ends removed
- olive oil
- 2 medium white onions or leeks, peeled and chopped
- 4 mugs chicken or vegetable stock
- A good dollop of créme fraîche
- A slice or two of Dorset ham, shredded
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chop the tips off your asparagus and put these to one side for later. Roughly chop the asparagus stalks. Place large saucepan on the heat and add a good glug of olive oil. Gently fry the onions or leeks for around 10 minutes, until soft and sweet, without colouring. Add the chopped asparagus stalks and stock and simmer for 20 minutes with a lid on. Remove from the heat and blitz with a hand-held blender or in a food processor. Season. Put the soup back on the heat, stir in the asparagus tips, bring back to the boil and simmer for a few more minutes until the tips have softened. Swirl in a bit of créme fraiche and finish with shreds of ham in the centre. Delicious with a spongy wedge of Long Crichel's or homemade Long Fermentation bread.
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Serves 4
- 750g asparagus, woody ends removed
- olive oil
- 2 medium white onions or leeks, peeled and chopped
- 4 mugs chicken or vegetable stock
- ½ lemon
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chop the tips off your asparagus and put these to one side for later. Roughly chop the asparagus stalks. Place large saucepan on the heat and add a good glug of olive oil. Gently fry the onions or leeks for around 10 minutes, until soft and sweet, without colouring. Add the chopped asparagus stalks and stock and simmer for 20 minutes with a lid on. Remove from the heat and blitz with a hand-held blender or in a food processor. Season. Put the soup back on the heat, stir in the asparagus tips, bring back to the boil and simmer for a few more minutes until the tips have softened. Add lemon juice and bit of zest, if you're up for grate. Delicious with a spongy wedge of Long Crichel's or homemade Long Fermentation bread.
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Move over chips... the spears are sparring their way into the picture.
Serves 2
- 2 minute steaks, at room temperature if possible
- As many asparagus spears as your wallet or tummy will allow
- A good splash of balsamic
- A hearty nugget of butter
- Salt and pepper
Place a frying pan over high heat. Add the butter. Let it froth and foam for a second. Flash your steaks in the pan. Season. Splash in some balsamic. Flip. Take off the heat when cooked to your liking. The timing is pretty much in the name - i.e. they should only take a minute to cook on each side.
Once cooked, drop a bit more butter or olive oil to the pan. Add the asparagus. Season. Pop a lid on, turn the heat down, and let them steam in the steaky, balsamic, buttery juices until cooked through.
Pair this heavenly duet on a plate. If you’re heart is feeling strong, drizzle a bit of hollandaise over the top. If not, serve with boiled Jersey Royals and a salad.
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