How to Cook Asparagus Tips

Asparagus is a tasty and healthy vegetable that goes with almost any meal. You’re probably used to seeing whole stalks, but can you eat the tips? You sure can! In fact, asparagus tips are the tastiest and most tender parts of the whole plant. Better yet, cooking the tips is basically the same as cooking the stalks. Simply cut off the tips and try out one of these recipes for a delicious and nutritious side dish.

[Edit]Steps

[Edit]Prepping the Asparagus

1. Buy asparagus with closed tips. The main thing to look for when buying asparagus is firm, compact, closed tips.^[1] This means the asparagus is fresh and tasty.
   
   • Also look for plump, straight stems for the healthiest asparagus.^[2]
   • If you have to get asparagus with an opened tip, you can try to revive it by soaking it in cold water.
2. Rinse the stalks in a colander. Prepping asparagus for cooking is very easy and only requires a quick rinse. Put the stalks in a colander and rinse them off under the faucet. Shake the colander to dry the vegetables off.^[3] This should get rid of any dirt or debris stuck in the tips.
   
   • If you’re not using the asparagus right away, don’t wash them! Moisture can make them spoil in storage. Wait until you’re about to cook the asparagus to clean it.
3. Line up the stalks on a cutting board. Cutting the asparagus is also easy. Arrange them in a row on a cutting board. This way, you can cut them all in one pass.^[4]
   
4. Cut the asparagus just below the tip. Take a sharp knife and line it up just below the flowery tips of the asparagus. Press down to slice cleanly through all the stalks, then gather up the tips for cooking.^[5]
   
   • Make sure you use a sharp knife to avoid tearing or crushing the asparagus.
   • The rest of the stalk is also edible, except for the very end, which is very tough and woody. You can use all of these cooking tips for the rest of the stalk too.

[Edit]Seasoning the Tips

1. Add salt and pepper for the most common seasonings. No matter how you cook the asparagus, salt and pepper are always a good addition. Sprinkle some onto the tips before serving for some extra flavor.^[6]
   
   • If you roast or grill the asparagus, it’s best to season them beforehand so the flavors cook into the tips.
2. Drizzle some olive oil for extra flavor. The earthy taste of olive oil goes great with asparagus. Try drizzling some on before serving, or tossing the asparagus and other veggies with some oil to add flavor.^[7]
   
   • You could also use a different vegetable oil like canola instead.^[8] It depends on your preference.
3. Add some lemon juice for a citrusy flavor. Citrus and asparagus go great together. Try squeezing some fresh lemon juice over the tips before serving.^[9]
   
   • You could also zest some lemon over the asparagus for a stronger flavor.
4. Sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on for some extra zest. You might not think of cheese when you think of asparagus, but it's a very popular flavoring that can really give the vegetable a kick. Try sprinkling some on before roasting or grilling, or adding it afterward before serving.^[10]
   
5. Give the asparagus some crunch with breadcrumbs. This is especially good if you're roasting, barbecuing, or frying the tips. Simply coat the asparagus with breadcrumbs, and any other seasons, before cooking to give them a nice, crunchy exterior.^[11]
   
   • For extra flavor, you can use seasoned breadcrumbs.

[Edit]Cooking Options

1. Boil the asparagus tips for a simple recipe. This is one of the most common and easy ways to cook asparagus. Boil a pot of water, then put the asparagus tips in. Asparagus is usually ready in 5-8 minutes, depending on how tender you want them.^[12] However, since you're only cooking the tips, you can shorten this time. Check on the asparagus after about 3 minutes.
   
   • Blanching is similar to boiling, but it keeps the asparagus crunchier. To blanch, bring a few inches of water to a rapid boil, then throw the asparagus in for about 30-60 seconds. After that, take them out and plunge them into ice water to stop the cooking process.^[13]
2. Steam the asparagus in on the stove or in the microwave. This is another simple and popular way to prep asparagus tips. Fill the bottom of a double boiler or steamer with about of water. Boil the water, then throw in the asparagus tips and cover the pot. Asparagus stalks usually cook in 5-8 minutes, but shorten that time since you're only cooking the tips.^[14]
   
   • You could also steam the asparagus in your microwave with a wet paper towel.
3. Roast the tips in the oven. If you prefer your asparagus a little crispy, then roasting the tips is a good choice. Preheat your oven to and arrange the asparagus on a baking sheet. Drizzle some oil over the tips and season with salt and pepper. The roasting time for asparagus stalks is 18-20 minutes.^[15] Keep an eye on the asparagus, because the tips should cook faster than this.
   
   • Don’t overlap any of the asparagus or they won’t all cook correctly.
4. Add the tips to a stir-fry dish. Heat 1-2 tbsp (5-10 ml) of oil in a skillet, then throw the asparagus tips in.^[16] Keep the heat medium-high and stir the tips continuously for 3-5 minutes to cook the tips.^[17]
   
   • For more flavor, use butter instead of oil.
   • It’s also easy to use the rest of the asparagus stalk in a stir-fry. Just cut them into small pieces about the same size as the tips and throw them in.
   • You could stir-fry the asparagus alone, or throw them in to a whole stir-fry dish and cook everything together.
5. Grill the tips for a crispier exterior. Grilled asparagus tips are a great side dish for a cookout. Simply put them on a pan and place it directly over a high heat. For whole stalks, cover the grill and wait about 5 minutes for the asparagus to get brown on one side. Then flip them over and cook for another 2-3 minutes.^[18] Shorten this time since you're only cooking tips.
   
   • You might want to pre-season the tips with salt, pepper, olive oil, or any other seasonings you might want.

[Edit]References

1. ↑ https://www.frontierdistrict.k-state.edu/health-nutrition/docs/asparagus-tips.pdf
2. ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-asparagus-the-complete-guide-from-kitchn-242640
3. ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-asparagus-the-complete-guide-from-kitchn-242640
4. ↑ https://www.southernliving.com/veggies/asparagus/how-to-trim-asparagus
5. ↑ https://www.southernliving.com/veggies/asparagus/how-to-trim-asparagus
6. ↑ https://cooking.nytimes.com/guides/22-how-to-cook-asparagus
7. ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-asparagus-the-complete-guide-from-kitchn-242640
8. ↑ https://www.frontierdistrict.k-state.edu/health-nutrition/docs/asparagus-tips.pdf
9. ↑ https://www.frontierdistrict.k-state.edu/health-nutrition/docs/asparagus-tips.pdf
10. ↑ https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/231984/seasoned-asparagus/
11. ↑ https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/231984/seasoned-asparagus/
12. ↑ https://www.michiganasparagus.org/cookingtips
13. ↑ https://cooking.nytimes.com/guides/22-how-to-cook-asparagus
14. ↑ https://www.michiganasparagus.org/cookingtips
15. ↑ https://www.michiganasparagus.org/cookingtips
16. ↑ https://www.frontierdistrict.k-state.edu/health-nutrition/docs/asparagus-tips.pdf
17. ↑ https://www.michiganasparagus.org/cookingtips
18. ↑ https://www.michiganasparagus.org/cookingtips