Must-Try Asparagus Recipes
3 tasty ways to showcase the glorious spring vegetable
I know I am not alone when I say I am ready for spring. The weather outside my window in NYC might not be showing signs of it, but the produce section of the market is, with gorgeous green stalks of fresh asparagus. Yes, you can get asparagus year round nowadays, but its best and brightest in the spring, and it reminds us that the gray outside will soon turn verdant too. Here are three recipes that each feature the vegetable in a different way, so you can make the most of it.
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Creamy Asparagus Soup
This creamy asparagus soup, seasoned with leeks and herbs, is deeply flavorful and satisfying, with no cream in it at all. Instead, just one potato added to the pot helps give it luxurious body. One thing I love about it is its versatility—you can serve it hot or chilled, which is perfect for this time of year since the weather can be so unpredictable.
Marinated Spring Vegetable Salad
Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Lisa Cherkasky for The Washington Post
In this vibrant spring salad, carrots and scallions are thinly sliced into ribbons and marinated in quick pickle-like fashion, so they are infused with a bright, herb-flecked pucker. Tossed with blanched asparagus and peas, the vegetables come together for a colorful, fresh side that really pops.
Fettuccine with Crab & Asparagus “Noodles”
Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Lisa Cherkasky for The Washington Post
Here, asparagus noodles — made by shaving the stalks with a vegetable peeler — are tossed with whole-grain pasta, fresh herbs and succulent crab in a lemony garlic-and-wine sauce, for a fast, fresh and satisfying meal in a bowl.