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    Home » Pairings

    March 17, 2023 Pairings

    What Goes With Asparagus?

    This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure for more info.

    Wondering what goes with asparagus? Learn the best ingredient pairings, meal ideas, popular flavor combinations, and other helpful tips.

    A bundle of green asparagus spears up close.

    Knowing what goes well with asparagus gives you a starting point for putting meals together using the ingredients you already have on hand.

    Whether you want to reduce food waste, get more creative in the kitchen, or improve your cooking skills, it starts with understanding what flavors already pair well together.

    What is Asparagus?

    Asparagus, also known as garden asparagus, is a spring vegetable with long, pointy spears and a hard woody stem near the bottom. Unlike most vegetables that need to be planted each season, asparagus is a perennial. This means it grows back year after year, which is why people hunt for wild asparagus.

    Green asparagus is by far the most commonly found variety, but white and purple asparagus also exist. The taste varies depending on the season and variety, but it generally has an earthy flavor similar to broccoli, broccoletti, or green beans.

    Helpful Tips

    When to Buy

    Asparagus is in season from March through June. Look at the seasonal produce guide to see what's in season right now.

    What to Look For

    Look for asparagus that has compact heads and freshly cut ends. The color should be as bright as possible as this indicates tenderness.

    How to Store

    Asparagus tastes best the day you buy it. If that's not possible though, store it similarly to how you'd store flowers or fresh herbs. Trim about an inch off the bottoms and stand the spears up in a glass jar with an inch or two of water and cover with a plastic or reusable silicone bag.

    Change the water as needed if it gets cloudy to keep the spears fresh. It'll keep fresh in the fridge for about 4 days this way. To freeze, blanch it first then transfer to a freezer-safe container.

    Fresh green asparagus spears on parchment paper about to go in the oven.

    What Goes Well With Asparagus?

    Vegetables

    Artichokes, beets, carrots, fava beans, garlic, ginger, leeks, mushrooms, onions, peas, potatoes, ramps, scallions, shallots, spinach, and turnips.

    Fruit

    Lemons, limes, oranges, and tomatoes.

    Spices

    Bay leaf, black and white pepper, caraway seeds, cayenne, saffron, sesame seeds, kosher and sea salt.

    Herbs

    Basil, chives, dill, flat-leaf parsley, sage, tarragon, and thyme.

    Nuts & Seeds

    Almonds, hazelnuts, and pistachios.

    Non-dairy/dairy

    Butter: unsalted and brown, parmesan cheese, almond ricotta, cream: use coconut cream or cashew cream for dairy-free, hollandaise sauce, sour cream, and yogurt.

    Proteins

    Anchovies, crab, eggs, ham, lobster, oysters, pancetta, prosciutto, salmon, and shrimp.

    Pantry Items

    Breadcrumbs, capers, dijon mustard, mayonnaise, olive oil, pasta, rice, soy sauce, chicken and vegetable broth, vinaigrettes, vinegar (esp. champagne, red wine, sherry, white wine), and dry white wine.

    A bowl of warm roasted asparagus and potato salad.

    Popular Asparagus Pairings

    • shrimp + ham + capers
    • lime + cayenne
    • shallots + mushrooms + garlic + chives + parsley
    • crab + mushrooms + ramps
    • garlic + ginger + sesame
    • garlic + onions + potatoes + leeks
    • goat cheese + thyme
    • ham + mushrooms + parmesan cheese
    • lemon + olive oil + black pepper
    • eggs + parmesan cheese
    • pancetta + parmesan + vinaigrette

    What To Make With Asparagus

    Asparagus is a versatile vegetable that can be blanched, boiled, fried, grilled, roasted, steamed, simmered, or stir-fried.

    Add it to dishes such as vegetable frittatas, risotto, a savory tart or galette, a bowl of pasta, sushi burritos, or a warm roasted potato and asparagus salad (the roasted garlic vinaigrette is divine).

    You can also make quick-pickled asparagus, a creamy dairy-free asparagus soup using cashew cream, or grill it with butter, salt, pepper, a squeeze of lemon, and crushed crispy prosciutto sprinkled on top.

    More Ingredient Pairings

    • Leeks
    • Spinach
    • Artichokes

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    Hi, I'm Lindsey. My goal is to teach you how to become a better cook, rely less on recipes, and be more adaptable in the kitchen depending on what's in season, in your pantry, or to fit your dietary needs. All recipes are dairy-free but come with a "make it your way" substitution section to get you started.

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