31 Asparagus Recipes We Can’t Wait to Make Every Spring
Roasted or sautéed, tossed in a salad or puréed in a soup, asparagus can do it all. Celebrate the arrival of these slender spears with our favorite asparagus recipes. Often lauded for its quick cook time, a bunch of asparagus makes a near-instant spring side dish—yes, spring. Though they’re typically available in grocery stores year-round, green asparagus spears are at their sweetest on the East Coast from April through June and out West from February through May. (Read more in our Guide to Cooking Asparagus.)
Some of our best asparagus recipes pair the spears with yolky eggs, salty cheese, or buttery sauces (asparagus covered in hollandaise, anyone?). But grassy-sweet asparagus also shines in the company of bitter lettuces and crunchy vegetables. This collection includes simple and satisfying sides, salads, and lots of other recipe ideas to help you get your spring veg on all season long.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell3/31Crispy Chicken Thighs With Spring Vegetables
Blanket roasted chicken thighs, asparagus, potatoes, and radishes with a zesty pan sauce, punched up with anchovies, butter, white wine, and lemon juice.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell4/31Lemon-Roasted Salmon With Escarole, Asparagus, and Potatoes
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell6/31One-Pot Spring Pasta With Smoked Salmon
This springtime primavera pairs creamy linguine with chopped asparagus spears, sweet peas, and basil. Drape strips of smoked salmon over the dish for a colorful finish.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Nathaniel James, Food Styling by Simon Andrews7/31Cream of Asparagus Soup
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Greg Lofts8/31Aspara Bacon
In a quintessential yakitori recipe, bacon-wrapped grilled asparagus spears are soft and tender on the inside, crunchy and salty on the outside.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks9/31White Pizza With Shaved Vegetables and Pesto
For the ultimate spring slice, top pesto-sauced pizza with gooey low-moisture mozzarella and a blend of leeks, asparagus, sweet peas, zucchini, and herbs. Shaving the asparagus and zucchini into ribbons creates a tender bite, but it’s also just plain gorgeous.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson10/31Swordfish Steaks With Asparagus and Frisée Salad
Cooking meaty swordfish steaks in the same skillet as fresh asparagus means minimal clean-up for this impressive weeknight-friendly recipe. You can use arugula in the asparagus salad if you can’t find frisée.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food styling by Anna Stockwell11/31Asparagus and Two-Cheese Quiche With Hash-Brown Crust
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell12/31Warm Chicken Salad With Asparagus and Creamy Dill Dressing
Transform cold, dry rotisserie chicken into a flavorful weeknight dinner by quick-steaming it with asparagus and buttery potatoes. Serve with a creamy, herby dressing.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell14/31Spring Risotto
This risotto gets its bright green hue from pesto. Make it monochrome with plenty of veg: Asparagus, peas, and fiddlehead ferns are all welcome here. If you want to make this for Easter dinner, you can prep the risotto ahead of time.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food styling by Rhoda Boone15/31Baked Mustard-Crusted Salmon With Asparagus and Tarragon
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, prop styling by Brian Heiser, food styling by Rhoda Boone16/31All Green Salad With Citrus Vinaigrette
Photo by Dennis Prescott17/31Eggs Benedict With Asparagus and Brie
Craving a fancy brunch? Coat poached eggs, Brie, and a bunch of lemony asparagus in a blanket of hollandaise. Look for medium-thick stalks for this recipe, where they add crunch to an otherwise creamy dish.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton18/31Fusilli in Creamy Vegan Asparagus Pesto
Snap off the woody ends, then blend fresh asparagus into this creamy, cashew-based pesto, which you can use to coat noodles or spread on sandwiches.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop and Food Styling by Ali Nardi19/31Braised Chicken With Asparagus, Peas, and Melted Leeks
Serve golden-brown chicken thighs over a medley of meltingly soft leeks, snappy asparagus, and sweet peas for a simple date night dinner.
Photo by Chris Gentile20/31Asparagus Green Onion Sauté
Toss green beans, scallions, and asparagus in a pan to make a simple spring side for any meal. Serve alongside a simple, herby roast chicken.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca21/31Cod With Asparagus Spoon Salad
Treat fresh asparagus like a condiment by chopping it fine and mixing with a warm vinaigrette featuring briny anchovies, Castelvetrano olives, and zippy herbs. Spoon over cod or any flaky fish you prefer.
Photo by Jennifer Causey22/31Asparagus and Goat Cheese Frittata
Your rice cooker can make much more than just rice. Case in point: this simple rice cooker frittata, which combines crisp-tender asparagus and custardy eggs.
Photo by Lisa Hubbard23/31Pasta With Peas, Asparagus, Butter Lettuce, and Prosciutto
Using campanelle or medium shell pasta is key here: The pasta catches all of the little ingredients, like the sweet green peas and the salty prosciutto.
Photo by David Loftus and Richard Clatworthy24/31One-Pan Sweet Tomato Gnocchi With Asparagus
Add this one-pot, 30-minute asparagus dish to your weeknight dinner rotation. Quick-cooking asparagus spears steam in the pan with crushed tomatoes and gnocchi; top with dollops of hazelnut pesto, briny black olives, and Parmesan cheese.
Photo by Rick Poon26/31Amazuzuke (Quick Vinegar Pickles)
Looking for a way to preserve your spring market haul? Pickle asparagus spears, then use them as a crispy garnish for ramen noodles or as a filling for vegan sushi.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, prop and food styling by Ali Nardi27/31Fettuccine With Asparagus, Beet Green Pesto, and Poached Egg
A tangle of noodles, vegetable ribbons, and plenty of Parmesan, this asparagus pasta recipe minimizes food waste by puréeing beet greens into the pesto.
Photo by Jennifer Davick28/31Crunchy Quinoa Salad
This hearty grain salad combines asparagus, snow peas, radishes, and kohlrabi plus plenty of fresh herbs and brightening lemon zest. Feel free crumble on some feta.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, prop and food styling by Ali Nardi30/31Frittata With Fennel-Spiced Pork and Asparagus
Got a few lone asparagus spears leftover from a recipe that didn’t require the whole bunch? Add them to this frittata with fennel seeds, sausage, and Parmesan cheese. Keep on the Italian theme with an Aperol Spritz.
Photo by Marina Delio31/31Lemony Asparagus
This simple asparagus recipe comes together in just five minutes. A quick sauté and a squeeze of lemon transform the bunch into a vibrant side dish. Want to make it the main event? Spoon the cooked spears over whipped ricotta and drizzle on some balsamic vinegar or add a poached egg.
