How to Cook White Asparagus

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: October 5, 2020 Tested

White asparagus is actually standard asparagus that never grew above ground; the lack of sunlight prevents chlorophyll from developing. In general, it has a milder flavor and tougher skin than its green counterpart. Boiling and steaming are the most popular ways to cook white asparagus, but roasting and grilling are fairly common methods, too.

Ingredients

Boiling

Makes 2 to 4 servings

1 lb (450 g) white asparagus
4 qt (4 L) water
1/4 cup (60 ml) lemon juice
2 Tbsp (30 ml) butter
1 Tbsp (15 ml) salt

Steaming

Makes 2 to 4 servings

1 lb (450 g) white asparagus
1 to 2 qt (1 to 2 L) water
2 Tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice
1 Tbsp (15 ml) butter, melted

Roasting

Makes 2 to 4 servings

1 lb (450 g) white asparagus
2 Tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
1 tsp (5 ml) kosher salt
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) ground black pepper

Grilling

Makes 2 to 4 servings

1 lb (450 g) white asparagus
1 Tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
1 Tbsp (15 ml) balsamic vinegar

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:
Boiling^{[1]
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1
Simmer the water. Pour approximately 4 quarts (4 L) of water into a large pot. Set it on the stove over medium heat and allow the water to reach a steady simmer.
- Ideally, you should avoid using aluminum pots since minerals in the asparagus may chemically react to that metal and discolor the asparagus.
- Note that you should start preparing the asparagus while the water heats up.
2
Peel and trim the asparagus. Meanwhile, use a vegetable peeler to remove the tough outer skin from each spear of white asparagus, then use a knife to trim off 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) from the woody stem end of each spear.
- To peel the asparagus, lay each spear flat and run the peeler blade down the length of the spear starting 1-1/2 inches (3.75 cm) from the top.
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3
Bundle the asparagus. Separate the asparagus spears into two or four bundles, and loosely tie each bundle with clean kitchen twine.
- Arranging bundles based on the anticipated number of servings can make things convenient, but keep in mind that larger bundles may slightly increase the cooking time.
4
Add the lemon juice, butter, and salt to the water. Add all three ingredients to the simmering water. Wait for the butter to melt and the water to return to a simmer.
- The salt and butter add flavor to the white asparagus spears as they cook, which is especially important since the white variety has a somewhat bland flavor on its own.
- The lemon juice can help prevent white asparagus from discoloring.
5
Cook the asparagus until it becomes tender. Lower the bundles of asparagus into the simmering water. Cook at a steady simmer for 8 to 30 minutes, or until the asparagus is tender enough to pierce with the tines of a fork.
- The exact amount of cooking time will depend on the thickness of the spears. Spears thinner than 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) in diameter may only take 8 to 12 minutes, but spears thicker than 1 inch (2.5 cm) may take up to 20 or 30 minutes.
- Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a steady simmer and check for doneness frequently to avoid accidental overcooking.
6
Drain and serve. Using tongs, remove the bundles of asparagus from the water and lay them out onto a plate lined with paper towels. Cut the twine, then serve the asparagus as desired.
- Consider tossing the finished asparagus in melted butter or drizzling it with hollandaise sauce. Enjoy the white asparagus while it's still warm.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 4:
Steaming^{[2]
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1
Simmer the water and lemon juice. Pour 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.6) of water into the bottom half of a vegetable steamer. Add the lemon juice to the water, then bring the liquid to a boil over medium-high heat.
- You can use any large pot for this as long as you have a steamer basket that can sit inside without touching the bottom of the pot. Avoid using aluminum cookware, however, since aluminum can have a negative chemical reaction to minerals in the asparagus.
- Note that the lemon juice should get into the steam and help reduce discoloration as a result.
2
Meanwhile, peel and trim the asparagus. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the thick skin from the outside of each asparagus spear. Cut off roughly 1/4 to 1/2 inch (0.6 to 1.25 cm) from the woody stem end of each spear.
- The exact amount you should trim will vary depending on the thickness of the spear.
- Peel the spears from top to bottom, starting 1-1/2 inches (3.75 cm) from the tip. Lay the spears flat on their sides while peeling them since upright peeling may cause them to snap.
3
Steam the asparagus until tender. Place the steamer basket over the boiling water, then arrange the asparagus into an even layer inside the basket. Cover and cook for 20 to 30 minutes.
- The exact amount of time will vary depending on the thickness of the asparagus. Check after roughly 20 minutes by piercing the thickest spear with a fork. If you can easily pierce the spear all the way through, the asparagus should be ready.
4
Toss with butter and serve. Remove the finished white asparagus from the heat and lightly toss it with melted butter for flavor. Serve while it's still hot.
- Alternatively, you could serve steamed white asparagus with a traditional hollandaise sauce for something will a little more kick.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 4:
Roasting

1
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius). Prepare a rimmed baking sheet by covering it with parchment paper or a thin layer of nonstick cooking spray.
- Alternatively, you could use a shallow roasting dish instead of a baking sheet. Glass and nonstick cookware do not need to be covered.
- Avoid using aluminum foil. Minerals in the asparagus may react with aluminum and cause some unwanted discoloration.
- Continue with the next step while the oven preheats.
2
Trim and peel the asparagus. Cut roughly 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) from the stem end of each spear and peel away the tough outer layer of skin.
- For spears more than 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick, you may also wish to cut each spear lengthwise to reduce the overall cooking time.
- Peel the skin using a standard vegetable peeler. Hold each spear flat against the counter or table instead of holding it upright, and peel from top to bottom, starting about 1-1/2 inches (3.75 cm) from the tip.
3
Coat with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place the white asparagus on your prepared baking sheet and lightly brush the spears with olive oil. Evenly sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Arrange the spears into a single layer to promote even cooking.
- Lightly toss the spears using a fork or spatula after coating them to help spread out the oil and seasonings.
4
Roast until tender. Place the asparagus into the preheated oven and cook them for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they turn tender and slightly browned.
- The exact amount of cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the spears.
- Consider stirring the asparagus halfway through the cooking time to help the spears cook evenly.
- Note that the asparagus should be tender enough to pierce with a fork but firm enough to retain its shape.
5
Serve warm. Remove the finished white asparagus from the oven and let it cool slightly for several minutes before serving it.
- When prepared in this manner, you may not need to serve white asparagus with any accompaniments. Even so, hollandaise sauce or browned butter are popular garnishes worth considering.
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Method 4

Method 4 of 4:
Grilling^{[3]
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1
Preheat the grill for medium heat. Preheat a charcoal, gas, or electric grill for medium heat.
- To preheat a charcoal grill, arrange an even layer of coals in the bottom fo the grill, coat them with lighter fluid, and light them with fire. Allow the coals to turn white and ashy, then cover the grill with its lid for about 10 minutes.
- To preheat a gas or electric grill, turn the heat up as high as it will go and close the lid. Watch the temperature gauge closely. Once the temperature reaches the mid-range, open the grill and turn the temperature dial down to a medium setting.
2
Trim and peel the asparagus. Cut off 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) from the woody stem end of each white asparagus spear, then use a vegetable peeler to remove the tough skin from the entire length of the spear.
- When peeling the asparagus, hold the spear flat against your work surface and peel from top to bottom, starting roughly 1-1/2 inches (3.75 cm) from the tip. Do not peel the asparagus upright since doing so may cause more delicate spears to break.
3
Prepare the foil. Tear off four lengths of aluminum foil, making each one about 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm) long.
- Consider using parchment-lined foil, when available, to avoid directly exposing the asparagus to the aluminum.
- When using standard aluminum foil, some mild discoloration may occur. The taste and quality of the white asparagus should remain good, however.
4
Toss the asparagus with oil and vinegar. Evenly divide the asparagus among the four sheets of foil. Drizzle each portion with a little olive oil and a little balsamic vinegar.
- Use a fork to carefully toss the asparagus spears in the oil and vinegar to coat them evenly.
- When finished, rearrange the spears so that they form an even, single layer on the foil.
5
Wrap the foil. Wrap up the sides of each foil rectangle around the asparagus, forming packets.
- Fold the lengthwise ends over the asparagus first, then bring together the width ends. Fold the width ends together, overlapping them two or three times, to prevent the packet from coming undone.
6
Grill until tender. Place the foil packets on your preheated stove and grill them for 5 to 10 minutes.
- When using thin to moderate sized asparagus, 5 minutes should be enough. For thicker spears, however, you may need to cook the asparagus for the full 10 minutes.
7
Serve warm. Remove the packets from the grill using tongs. Allow the asparagus to rest for a minute or so, then carefully open the packets and serve the finished white asparagus while it's still warm.
- Ideally, the asparagus should be tender enough to pierce with a fork. If it's still too tough, consider returning the opened packets to the grill for another 1 or 2 minutes.
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