Learn how to store asparagus properly so they keep fresh for longer without drying out. Whether you buy them in season or during the winter months, we’ll show you the best way to keep asparagus fresh! Plus, learn how to store cooked asparagus and freeze asparagus the right way!
How To Store Fresh Asparagus
The best way to store asparagus so they stay fresh and last longer is to treat them just as you treat fresh flowers. Instead of keeping them in a bag inside the refrigerator’s crisper drawer, keep them in water. Here is how:
- Rinse the asparagus under cold running water. Trim the woody ends about one-inch from the bottom of each stalk. Pat the asparagus dry with a clean dishcloth or paper towel. Fill a jar or cup with about one-inch of water (cold tap water is fine).
- Place the asparagus in the jar, stalks standing straight up with cut ends at the bottom of the container (just like flowers!)
- Loosely cover the stalks with a plastic bag (sometimes I use a resealable bag). Loosely covering them prevents the water from quickly evaporating.
- Place the jar in the fridge.
How To Store Cooked Asparagus?
Store cooked asparagus in a shallow airtight storage container or resealable plastic bag in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
How To Choose Fresh Asparagus
When buying fresh asparagus at the supermarket or farmer’s markets, pick asparagus spears that are firm and smooth with tightly closed bright green or violet tips. The size and thickness of the asparagus does not determine its freshness, flavor or quality.
How Long Do Asparagus Last?
Asparagus typically keep in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Properly stored (standing straight in a jar filled with water and loosely covered with a plastic bag), asparagus can last up to a week. When the bottom of the spears become dark green or mushy, they are ready to be thrown away.
How Can You Tell If Raw Asparagus Are Bad?
Asparagus that are going bad are usually slimy, mushy and their color turns a dark green.
How to Freeze Asparagus
To preserve asparagus longer than a week, it is best to freeze them. Follow these simple steps for freezing asparagus.
- Trim: Rinse the asparagus under cold running water, then trim the woody ends about one-inch from the bottom of each stalk.
- Blanch Asparagus: In a stockpot or Dutch oven, bring water to a boil over medium-high heat. Have a bowl filled with iced water close by. Drop the asparagus into the boiling water and cook for about 2-4 minutes depending on their thickness. Remove stalks from the hot water and immediately dunk them into the iced water to stop the cooking process. Blanching helps in preserving the texture and color of the vegetable,
- Flash Freeze: After removing the asparagus from the iced water, gently pat them dry (they don’t need to be perfectly dried). Place each spear on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper or paper towels. Lay the asparagus in a single layer, leaving about an inch between each spear. Place the sheet pan in the freezer for about 2 hours or until the asparagus are frozen solid.
- Store: Transfer the frozen asparagus spears to a freezer safe storage bag or airtight container. Label it. Store in the freezer for up to a year.
Take A Look At These Asparagus Recipes
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How To Store Asparagus
Learn how to store asparagus properly so they keep fresh for longer without drying out. Whether you buy them in season or during the winter months, we’ll show you the best way to keep asparagus fresh!
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 0 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Ingredients
Instructions
-
Rinse the asparagus under cold running water. Trim the woody ends about one-inch from the bottom of each stalk. Pat the asparagus dry with a clean dishcloth or paper towels.
-
Fill a jar or cup with about one-inch of water (cold tap water is fine).
-
Place the asparagus in the jar, stalks standing straight up with cut ends at the bottom of the container (just like flowers!).
-
Loosely cover the stalks with a plastic bag (sometimes I use a resealable bag). Loosely covering them prevents the water from quickly evaporating.
-
Place the jar in the fridge.
Nutrition
Calories: 23kcal (1%)Carbohydrates: 4g (1%)Protein: 2g (4%)Fat: 1g (2%)Saturated Fat: 1g (6%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 2mgPotassium: 229mg (7%)Fiber: 2g (8%)Sugar: 2g (2%)Vitamin A: 857IU (17%)Vitamin C: 6mg (7%)Calcium: 27mg (3%)Iron: 2mg (11%)
* Please note that all nutrition information are just estimates. Values will vary among brands, so we encourage you to calculate these on your own for most accurate results.