Q&A for How to Steam Asparagus

The best way to prepare asparagus is to trim the end of the asparagus. There's two different techniques for that—you can do the "bend and snap" method, where you snap the asparagus at the point where it bends naturally. You can also chop off the bottom 2-3 inches (5.08 - 7.62 cm) of the asparagus and peel another 2-3 inches (5.08 - 7.62 cm) of the bottom with a vegetable peeler, which helps the asparagus be more flavorful and tender.

Either method works really well, but blanching is a bit faster. It takes only 1-4 minutes to blanch asparagus. Just make sure you shock the asparagus in ice water when you’re done to prevent it from getting overcooked after you take it out of the boiling water.

Steaming is a great option, since it preserves most of the nutrients in the asparagus and doesn’t involve adding any oils or fats. Blanching, roasting, and grilling are also healthy choices.

Your asparagus will be less chewy if you break off the bottom ends of the stalks, or peel some of the thicker skin off the ends. The upper part of the stalk tends to be more tender. Asparagus also softens up more the longer you cook it, but be careful—it will quickly become mushy if you cook it too long.