Asparagus: Season, Buying, Peeling and Storing

Asparagus is a classic of spring cooking. There are two main types: white and green. White asparagus grows underground, while green asparagus is exposed to sunlight, which is exactly why it turns green. It has a noticeably stronger, more robust flavour.

Asparagus season

Asparagus season runs from April to June. Traditionally, harvesting wraps up around Midsummer's Day (24 June). Since asparagus is a perennial plant, this break allows it to regenerate over the second half of the year and send up fresh spears the following spring.

How to spot fresh asparagus

The cut end is the best indicator of freshness. It should look smooth and moist, and ideally release a little juice when you press it gently with your finger. Fresh asparagus is also firm and crisp rather than bendy, and the tips should be tightly closed.

Do you need to peel asparagus?

Green asparagus doesn't need peeling. Simply snap off the woody end or trim away the last 2–3 cm. If you like, you can also peel the bottom third for extra tenderness.

White asparagus, on the other hand, should be peeled. A vegetable peeler or a dedicated asparagus peeler works best, always working from top to bottom. Never peel the tip. Try to peel as evenly as possible, then trim off the very end of the stalk (about 1–2 cm).

If you'd rather skip the peeling altogether, look for ready-peeled asparagus, which many farms and greengrocers offer at the point of sale. This way you can still be confident it's genuinely fresh.

Storing and freezing

Wrap unpeeled asparagus in a damp tea towel, leaving the tips exposed, and it will keep in the fridge for 2–3 days. Asparagus also freezes well and will keep for 6–8 months, so you can enjoy this seasonal vegetable well into the colder months too. To freeze it, wash and peel the spears and trim off the woody ends first. When you're ready to cook, simply drop the frozen asparagus straight into boiling water for the best results.

Nutritional value of asparagus

Asparagus is over 90% water. As a rough guide, 100g of asparagus contains around 20 kcal, making it a very low-calorie vegetable with barely any carbohydrates (roughly 1.9g of sugar). It also provides potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and vitamin C.

Recipes with asparagus

Our recipe collection has plenty of ways to enjoy asparagus, from an asparagus salad with egg, avocado, orange and feta, to creamy asparagus soup, to a vibrant red asparagus curry. There's really no limit to how you can prepare it, so give it a go and make the most of this spring favourite while it lasts.