What Does Asparagus Taste Like

Many people think of other vegetables as their go-to green vegetable to buy and prepare. But remember asparagus when you are planning meals and grocery shopping. Asparagus taste as a unique and somewhat bitter, yet definitely delicious. It is a great choice for anything from special occasions to everyday dinners.

Asparagus is readily available in many grocery stores, typically for much of the year, although it is in season during the spring months. Now let’s go into all sorts of interesting facts and features of asparagus that you might not know.

We’ll round things out by giving you some recipe ideas to spark your cooking creativity.

What Is Asparagus?

There are many different species of asparagus. This blog post focuses on garden asparagus, which is what people usually eat. In particular, I will focus on the green variety of garden asparagus.

Garden asparagus is a vegetable from the Asparagus genus. This veggie that is usually green is grown in many parts of the world.

A single piece of asparagus is called a spear. This makes sense, since each piece is skinny, like a spear. The top of a spear is called the head. 

What Is The Unique Taste Of Asparagus?

It is hard to describe the unique taste of this vegetable.

Some people think it tastes like mushrooms. Others compare it to broccoli or green beans. In any case, asparagus has a partly sweet and partly bitter flavor. It also tastes savory and satisfying.

What Does Asparagus Look Like?

Asparagus spears are pencil-shaped. The stem of a typical asparagus spear ranges in color from medium green to yellowish green. The head (or top) of an asparagus spear can be green, brown, or purple.

After the asparagus season ends, each spear grows large leaves and is called a fern.

Less common types of asparagus are purple or white.

What Texture Does Asparagus Have?

When raw, asparagus is crunchy and hard. But when it is fully cooked, asparagus has a soft texture.

Asparagus can be slightly hard to chew even if it is cooked. That’s because it has a lot of stringy material in it.

Types Of Asparagus

Purple asparagus is sweeter and softer than green asparagus. Its color comes from an antioxidant called anthocyanin. After cooking, it loses its purple color.

White asparagus is similar in texture and flavor to green asparagus.

Wild asparagus is skinnier than other types. It often grows near the sea.

Hopefully, this post will motivate you to try eating the many types of asparagus in the world.

Where Does Asparagus Come From?

Asparagus is grown around the globe. In 2017, China produced more asparagus than any other nation. Other top countries for growing asparagus include Peru, Mexico, and Germany.

Is Asparagus Healthy?

Asparagus is low in calories. This food is a good source of vitamins, including B vitamins such as folate, as well as potassium and fiber.

Asparagus is also a prebiotic. That means that asparagus promotes the well-being of healthy bacteria in your body.

There is much talk about how inflammation can contribute to disease. Asparagus contains anti-inflammatory substances called polyphenols.

Dangers Of Eating Asparagus

As I mentioned before, asparagus has a stringy texture. Therefore, it could be hard for small children to chew and swallow asparagus. Unfortunately, little kids could even choke when eating asparagus.

To keep kids safe, be sure to cut or tear asparagus into small, bite-size pieces.

Some people have medical issues with chewing or swallowing. If you are one of them, consider not eating asparagus or other stringy foods.

How Do You Eat Asparagus?

While asparagus can be eaten raw, it’s more common to eat it cooked. You can saute, boil, steam, bake, fry, or grill asparagus.

In recipes, asparagus often tastes better when it’s combined with oil, butter, salt, or spices. After all, asparagus is somewhat plain without fatty, salty, or spicy flavors.

This veggie goes well with meat or fish. It is a good addition to soups, salads, pasta, burritos, and tacos. In my opinion, asparagus and pizza sauce are a power duo!

To use asparagus in a salad, shred it into thin strips using a carrot peeler. Then add the strips to the salad.

How Can You Store Asparagus?

To store asparagus, wrap the bottom ends of the spears in a wet paper towel. Place the spears in a plastic bag or plastic wrap. Then store the asparagus in the fridge for a few days.

If you can’t cook the asparagus within a few days, insert the asparagus into a vase. Pour in some water, and store the vase in the fridge. This will hopefully keep the asparagus fresh for longer.

Can You Freeze Asparagus?

If you take the right steps, you can store asparagus in a freezer for many months.

Before freezing, discard or compost any less-than-fresh pieces of asparagus. Rinse the remaining spears, and snap off the tough ends.

It’s best to blanch your asparagus before freezing it. Simply boil the spears for 2 to 4 minutes, and then immediately plunge them into cold water.

Then cut your spears into small log-shaped bits. Place them on a baking dish or in a plastic bag. Make sure that no pieces overlap each other.

Insert the baking dish or bag into the freezer. Later, you can use the asparagus in soups and other dishes.

How To Tell Asparagus Is Bad?

Like many spoiled vegetables, rotten asparagus will look, smell, and feel different from fresh asparagus.

Spoiled asparagus will feel mushy to the touch. The tips will be black, and the overall color will be dull and lifeless. A rotten asparagus spear will be bendy. And the asparagus will smell foul or otherwise bad.

Of course, mold and slime are certain signs that your asparagus is unfit for consumption.

How Can You Pick Asparagus In A Grocery Store?

When shopping for asparagus, choose pieces that have tight-looking purple heads. The spears should be hard to the touch and not bendy. The spears’ bottoms should not look dried out.

Avoid buying asparagus that smells gross.

Asparagus season only lasts for a few months of the year. However, freezing asparagus can help you enjoy it long after the grocery stores stop selling it. (For instructions, see the section titled “Can You Freeze Asparagus?”)

Can You Grow Asparagus?

You can grow asparagus at home from seeds or from crowns. A crown is the underground part of the asparagus plant. The asparagus spears grow from the crown and poke out of the soil.

Make sure your soil has enough nutrients (like potassium and phosphorus) for your plants to thrive. If there is a shortage of nutrients, apply fertilizer.

Then dig a trench in the ground, and plant your asparagus crowns. There should be roughly a twelve-inch distance between the bud of each crown.

Harvest your asparagus in the spring. Remember to harvest it before the tops of the spears open.

Cut the spears off of the asparagus plant. A razor-sharp knife is useful, but wear gloves to protect your hands.

Don’t harvest too much asparagus when your plants are young. After harvest time ends, your plants should develop large leaves.

Your asparagus plants may develop berries after the asparagus season ends. Do not eat the berries because they are harmful and toxic!

If nurtured properly, your plants can produce asparagus for many years.

Asparagus Versus Green Beans

These two veggies are similar in some ways. They’re both skinny and green. In addition, some people think that asparagus and green beans taste similar.

They have many nutritional differences, however.

Asparagus contains more vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, and E than green beans. It’s also higher in iron, zinc, and copper.

In summary, both are nutritious vegetables, but asparagus seems to be more nutrient-dense overall. And of course they look different from each other.

How Do You Cook Asparagus?

Tragically, it appears that many people have bad memories of eating lifeless, slimy, squishy, almost alien vegetables.

However, it is possible to prepare vegetables without overcooking them. If cooked correctly, veggies can be not just tolerable, but actually delicious!

Remember that thin asparagus cooks faster than thick asparagus. You might want to sort your asparagus by size, and cook thin spears separately.

To properly prepare asparagus for cooking, rinse it under a running faucet or in a bowl of water. Bend each spear until it breaks, and set aside the bottom broken-off piece. The bottom part of the spear is tougher and less appealing.

If you’re boiling, steaming, or microwaving asparagus, cook it for only a few minutes. Otherwise, the asparagus will lose much of its flavor and develop a weird pudding-like texture.

Many people might prefer the rich flavor of baked or fried asparagus.

To fry your asparagus, add oil or butter to a pan or griddle and preheat. Cut the asparagus spears into two-inch pieces, add them to the pan, and cook for 3.5 minutes. Or cook until the asparagus has your desired level of tenderness.

Plain vegetables might seem boring to many people. After cooking asparagus, add Hollandaise sauce, salt, Cajun sauce, basil, or any spice or sauce that you desire.

Asparagus Recipes: Quick Table

1. Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Bundles

For a gourmet dish that doesn’t take a lot of time or effort, check out this recipe idea that combines fresh asparagus with bacon, plus salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, garlic, and butter. The finishing touch is parmesan cheese.

If you don’t eat dairy, it is easy enough to swap out for a different oil or dairy-free butter known as ghee. You can omit the parmesan cheese or find dairy-free cheese.

The crispiness of the bacon provides a nice texture contrast with the softness of the asparagus. The flavor combination is just delightful, and better yet, you can easily find most or all of the ingredients at most grocery stores.

Asparagus isn’t just for grownups anymore either. This recipe will be a winner with kids, who will find it reminds them of a pigs in a blanket.

Calories: 135

Total Time: 45 minutes

2. Asparagus Stuffed Chicken Breast

Here is a way to create an entire meal using asparagus. The combination of ingredients includes chicken breasts, garlic powder, sun-dried tomatoes (or fresh tomatoes), Italian seasoning, paprika, pepper, and sea salt.

Other ingredients include butter and mozzarella cheese, but if you do not eat dairy, you can use ghee (dairy-free butter) or another substitute such as olive oil or coconut oil. And you can try dairy-free mozzarella cheese.

And of course this recipe includes asparagus spears!

You might love this recipe so much that you decide to make it part of your weekly or monthly meal plans. It is nourishing, tasty, and simple enough to combine with a variety of side dishes or just a simple green salad.

Calories: 337

Total Time: 30 minutes

3. Asparagus Soup

Who doesn’t love soup to warm up on a cool day, for lunch or dinner? Asparagus in soup tastes truly different from your run-of-the-mill  Better yet, you won’t have to spend all day in the kitchen making this yummy soup.

Flavorful onions along with olive oil provide a great foundation for this soup. You also combine classic ingredients like garlic, salt, and pepper. Beans of various varieties are great additions.

Those can be either cannellini or navy beans or other types. The beans add some protein and give the soup a creamy type of consistency.

As is true for many soups, broth or even just water is a liquid ingredient to include. Just remember not to overcook the asparagus, or the flavor and texture won’t be quite as great.

You can also garnish the soup with a stalk or two of cooked asparagus.

Calories: 177

Total Time: 30 minutes

Frequently Asked Questions

How Does Asparagus Make Urine Smell Unusual?

Perhaps the most interesting thing about asparagus is not its taste, but what it does to urine. Asparagus contains a substance that contains sulfur.

After your body digests the sulfur, it goes into your urine and alters the smell into a unique odor. Not all people can smell the substance, however.

Why Can’t I Harvest All My Asparagus?

Any asparagus spears that you don’t harvest will grow big leaves. These leaves produce energy from the sun. Without this energy, your plants would not be able to thrive.

So if you chopped down all your asparagus spears in one season, your plants wouldn’t grow leaves, and they wouldn’t be able to create energy.

Why Can’t I Harvest All My Asparagus?

Any asparagus spears that you don’t harvest will grow big leaves. These leaves produce energy from the sun. Without this energy, your plants would not be able to thrive.

So if you chopped down all your asparagus spears in one season, your plants wouldn’t grow leaves, and they wouldn’t be able to create energy.

Delicious Asparagus Dishes To Have

Recipes For Asparagus Lovers! Includes Dishes From Around The World With Asparagus As The Star Ingredient.

Ingredients

• Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Bundles

• Asparagus Stuffed Chicken Breast

• Asparagus Soup

Directions

• Pick a recipe from the list above
• Click the recipe name and visit the website
• Collect the ingredients and cook the food
• Enjoy – don’t forget to leave a review

Recipe Video

• Author
• Recent Posts

Jess Smith

Hi, my name is Jess Smith, and I love cooking in my spare time. Around three years ago, I decided to give up my day job as a teacher to pursue my passion for food. While I have enjoyed sharing tips and tricks on Social Media, I have decided to expand my horizons through this blog.

Through this blog I hope to help others learn the basics and more intricate details of cooking. I know from personal experience how frustrating it can be to cook a meal, only to realize you are missing one ingredient from your list. This is why I love to write articles chatting readers through some great substitutes that can be used in an emergency.

I hope you will find this blog useful, and that it will help you to develop your culinary skills, to help you cook up a storm!

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