Asparagus
252 recipes found
Broiled Salmon and Asparagus With Herbs
Many people fear the broiler because they don’t know how to use it, or they’re worried they’ll overdo it and end up with a scorched dinner. But when used properly, it’s a useful tool ideal for crisping chicken skin, charring vegetables and melting cheese. Broiling is also a great method for perfectly cooking salmon: It yields a deeply browned crust and a tender center that isn’t overcooked. All broilers are different, and knowing the strength of yours and being aware of any uneven “hot spots” help maximize the efficiency of it. (As your dish cooks, look to see if it’s cooking evenly across the surface, which will tell you if you need to move things around.) In this recipe, soy-and-mustard-coated salmon and asparagus cook under the broiler, and are topped with an herb salad for a hit of brightness, freshness and acidity.
Creamy Asparagus Pasta
In this quick pasta dinner, umami-rich seaweed stars twice: first, in the form of dasima (dried kelp), which seasons the pasta water and sauce with seaside savor; second, as gim (roasted seaweed), which lends deep nuttiness and some salty crunch, too. The pasta finishes cooking in a blush of heavy cream and a splash of the dasima broth, transforming into a dreamy emulsion balanced by rice vinegar. In this recipe’s final moments, a rich glug of sesame oil glosses the chewy rigatoni and echoes the toasted flavor of the gim, which sings.
Grilled Asparagus With Caper Salsa
Caprino fresco is a soft, tangy Italian goat cheese, and here, it lends a deep creaminess to a caper salsa that is draped over grilled asparagus. The recipe, from the chef Yotam Ottolenghi, is quickly prepared. Bread may be needed to sop up the rest of the salsa. (If caprino fresco isn’t available, try another soft goat cheese, like chèvre.)
Spring Barley Soup
This soup is as cozy as mushroom-barley soup and as vibrant as spring. Chewy barley, crisp asparagus and peas lay in a broth bolstered by umami-rich soy sauce and miso. Hits of fresh ginger and vinegar enliven the mix. Feel free to swap in other vegetables that catch your eye: Add leeks and hearty greens with the barley, and quicker-cooking vegetables like sliced turnips or snap peas with the asparagus. Thinly slicing the asparagus makes it easier to eat with a spoon, but cut them larger if you prefer it. For more protein, add cubed soft or firm tofu to bowls, or stir a beaten egg into the pot as you would for hot and sour soup.
Lemony Asparagus Salad With Shaved Cheese and Nuts
Less is more when it comes to asparagus, especially those first tender stalks that show up in spring. Here they’re quickly steamed and turned into an elegant salad tossed with a lemony, shallot dressing, and enriched with plenty of grated Manchego or other cheese. Chopped pistachios add another shade of green to the plate along with their sweet crunch, but use any nuts you like, or skip them entirely. This tangy, bright salad doesn’t need them.
Butter-Braised Asparagus
For the first-of-the-season asparagus, keep it simple with butter, lemon and sweet herbs. For the best texture, peeling the stalks really makes a difference.
Narjissiya With Asparagus, Halloumi and Sumac
Narjissiya refers to any of several dishes found in medieval Arab cookery books made with sunny-side-up eggs. The word itself means “like narcissus,” a name likely chosen for the dish’s vibrant white and yellow colors, just like the narcissus (daffodil) flower. The ancient variations and ingredients were endless, from meat and broad beans to chickpeas and yogurt, but the choice of ingredients here — and bright flavors — are inspired by spring, and asparagus, which grows wild in the fields of the Levant. The citrusy sumac and olive oil complement asparagus and eggs, but their flavors do stand out, so use the best you can find.
Grilled Asparagus With Lemon Dressing
Although steamed asparagus has an unmatched purity of taste, I love the earthy, charred flavor added by the grill, a flavor that can also be achieved with stove-top pan grilling, which combines high heat and a dry, heavy skillet.
Pan-Roasted Asparagus Soup
This simple soup can be ready in under an hour and takes full advantage of the flavor of asparagus by pan-roasting it before puréeing. Fresh tarragon takes it up a notch.
White Bean and Asparagus Salad with Tarragon-Lemon Dressing
Spring Ramen Bowl With Snap Peas and Asparagus
This lighter take on ramen, with snap peas and shaved asparagus, comes from the vegetarian cookbook author Lukas Volger. The flavors are perked up with pounded or grated ginger and lemon zest. You can skip the frizzled scallion garnish, but it does add nice texture to the finished bowl.
Papadzules (Eggs and Asparagus in Tortillas With Pepita Sauce)
A dish from the Yucatán Peninsula in southeastern Mexico, papadzules are similar to enchiladas in that they feature tortillas that are dipped and coated in a sauce, then filled, rolled and topped with more sauce. Traditionally, papadzules are served with hard-boiled eggs and topped with a toasted pepita sauce and a spicy habanero-tomato salsa. In this late-spring version, jammy eggs and blanched asparagus serve as the filling, and an uncooked sauce of pepitas and jalapeños finishes everything off. Be sure to cook the eggs for the full 6½ minutes or the yolks will be too runny.
Spanish Asparagus Revuelto
In Spain, wild asparagus is very popular, and it’s a sure sign of spring. Because the variety of wild asparagus there can be a slightly bitter, cooks blanch it in boiling water before sautéing in olive oil. (In North America, both wild and cultivated asparagus are sweet, so this step is unnecessary here.) This dish features typical Spanish ingredients — garlic, chorizo and bread crumbs — incorporated into soft scrambled eggs, for a hearty breakfast, or a simple lunch or first course.
Polenta With Asparagus, Peas and Mint
Buttery polenta serves as a soft, savory bed for asparagus and peas in this verdant, vegetable-rich main course. Sautéed shallots add sweetness, while fresh mint lends brightness to a satisfying yet light meal. You can substitute any soft herbs for the mint or use a combination for the most complex flavor. And, if you’re short on time, instant polenta will work in place of regular, too. Just follow the directions on the package to cook it.
Pan-Seared Asparagus With Crispy Garlic
Before asparagus got moved to its own botanical family, Asparagaceae, in the early 2000s, it was part of the lily family along with onions, chives, shallots and garlic. It makes sense then, that asparagus and garlic make such a good duo. When cooked with care, both can be mild and sweet (or pungent and bitter when cooked carelessly). To highlight the best of both ingredients, gently fry garlic into chips for a crispy topping, then use the lightly infused oil to sauté the asparagus. Both thin and chubby spears work, as would nearly any other vegetable you like with garlic: broccoli, kale, snap peas, fennel and more.
Pasta With Asparagus, Arugula and Ricotta
This recipe works best if you use thin asparagus and peppery wild arugula, available at some farmers’ markets.
Wok-Fried Asparagus With Walnuts
Not all asparagus dishes are delicate and subtle. Try this stir-fry to see how well the sweetness of asparagus and spicy bold flavors go together.
Egg-in-a-Hole With Asparagus
What would you get if you crossed savory Parmesan French toast with egg-in-a-hole and served it beneath a pile of roasted asparagus? An easy, vegetable-focused brunch or light dinner that you can make on a single sheet pan. The key here is to use wide slices of bread large enough to hold two eggs each: Choose slices from the middle of the loaf. (If your bread slices are smaller, just use one egg in each.) Feel free to substitute other quick-roasting vegetables for the asparagus. Broccoli florets, halved cherry tomatoes or brussels sprouts, or sliced mushrooms will all work equally well. And if you want to double the recipe, use two sheet pans, arranging the bread on one and the asparagus on the other.
Caramelized Corn and Asparagus Pasta With Ricotta
This summery pasta features caramelized corn, crisp-tender asparagus and earthy turmeric, which provides the dish’s sunny hue. It’s not easy to cook corn to the point of browning without losing all its moisture, but a pinch of sugar helps speed up the caramelization process. Vermouth lends acidity to the light, glossy garlicky sauce, but you could use wine, or even a tablespoon of lemon juice or champagne vinegar for lift. Fresh ricotta provides richness.
Linguine With Asparagus Pesto
Asparagus dresses this spring pasta in pastel green. Use the stems to make a finely ground pestolike mixture with garlic, olive oil and cheese; reserve the tips for quickly cooking and then tossing into the skillet with the linguine and sauce just before serving.
Roasted Salmon With Asparagus, Lemon and Brown Butter
Ready in just 15 minutes, this fast dinner combines silky salmon with a vibrant green medley of asparagus and peas. While the fish roasts, the vegetables and sauce come together in one pan on the stovetop. Thinly slicing the asparagus is the trick to maintaining a crisp texture that complements the tender salmon, while bright lemon juice and zingy capers balance the nutty brown butter sauce. Parsley is used here to finish, but dill or tarragon would also be lovely. Leftover vegetables make a fantastic omelet filling the next day.
Pan-Seared Asparagus Salad With Frisée and Fried Egg
Here is a fine variation on the old combination of egg and asparagus. It is a twist on the bistro staple, frisée aux lardons, with pan-fried asparagus standing in for the bacon lardons. It’s mixed with the frisée and a pungent garlic vinaigrette laced with a little anchovy. Then, in place of the usual poached egg nestled in curling frisée leaves, fry an egg until the edges are crisp and brown. This adds a vaguely baconlike nuance to the salad, without the meat.
Asparagus and Chicken Salad With Ginger Dressing
Asparagus takes easily to many kinds of seasonings, so after you’ve tired of having it plain with butter or homemade mayonnaise, try this spicy dressing laced with ginger and chiles. Adding smoked chicken is a nice way to make a more substantial first course or light lunch. You can purchase smoked chicken at better butcher shops or online, but equally good is grilled chicken at room temperature, or cold poached chicken. I sometimes substitute lightly smoked ham or smoked slab bacon, simmered until tender.
Stir-Fried Spicy Asparagus
Holding out for regional produce may seem absurdly romantic, or a little stubborn, but there’s no denying the thrill when, after months of apples, potatoes and sturdy greens, suddenly asparagus appears in full force at the market. Finally, spring has arrived.