Martha Stewart Boiled Asparagus

Martha Stewart boiled asparagus is a tender, bright green side dish with medium or jumbo spears, a pat of butter and coarse salt that comes together in 10 minutes. Try this quick spring side dish for Easter dinner or weeknight suppers, since it's easy, needs few ingredients and fits any main.

Salt the cooking water until it tastes like seawater before the spears go in, because that is where the seasoning and the bright green color come from. Skip it and you get bland, dull asparagus that no pat of butter can rescue.

Martha boils the spears in just one inch of water in a wide skillet instead of a big pot, so they lie in a single even layer. The water comes to a boil far faster that way, and every spear cooks at the same pace.

Martha Stewart Boiled Asparagus

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Course: Side DishCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking time

5

minutes

Calories

60

kcal

Tender spears cook in a shallow skillet of well-salted water, then get finished with butter, salt and pepper. Medium to jumbo asparagus gives you a meaty bite that stays tender without turning mushy.

Ingredients

• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
  

• 1 pound medium or jumbo asparagus, trimmed
  

• Unsalted butter
  

Directions

• Boil the salted water: Bring 1 inch of salted water to a boil in a large skillet or braiser. Taste it first, since it should be quite salty, like seawater.
• Cook the asparagus: Add 1 pound trimmed asparagus in one layer and cook for about 5 minutes for medium to large spears. Extra-large or jumbo spears need closer to 7 minutes, so test the thickest one before you pull them.
• Drain and plate: Drain the asparagus and move it to a serving platter. Do this right away, so the spears stop cooking and keep their snap.
• Season and serve: Sprinkle with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, then top with a pat of unsalted butter. Martha also suggests a drizzle of olive oil or a squeeze of lemon juice if you want something brighter.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 10.25-inch cast iron skillet, OXO swivel vegetable peeler, OXO 5-quart stainless steel colander. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

How do I know when boiled asparagus is done?

Slide a fork or the tip of a paring knife through the very bottom of a spear. It should go in with almost no resistance, while the tips stay tender but not mushy.

Can I use thin asparagus for this recipe?

Pencil-thin spears cook much faster, so they turn limp in the time medium ones need. Save them for the broiler, the grill or eating raw, and use medium to jumbo spears for boiling.

Do I need to peel the asparagus?

Thin and medium spears don't need it. For large or jumbo spears, peel the bottom 2 inches with a vegetable peeler, which helps them cook evenly and makes them nicer to eat.

Should I shock the asparagus in an ice bath?

Not if you're serving it warm right away. If you want to prep ahead or serve it at room temperature or chilled, plunge the spears into ice water right after boiling. That keeps the color and stops the cooking.

How do I store and reheat leftover boiled asparagus?

Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To warm it up, cover it and heat it in a 400°F oven, or toss it in a hot skillet with a splash of olive oil, or even slide it under the broiler.