By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 14, 2026
Serves 4
48 cal · 15 min
Blanched Asparagus
Recipe GLPR91a1208cc6a4f0
Fresh asparagus spears gently blanched in salted water until tender-crisp, a simple Nordic-inspired vegetable side that highlights the delicate flavor of spring asparagus.
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Ingredients
1½ pounds medium-thick asparagus
8 cups water
2 tablespoons coarse salt
Directions
Rinse the asparagus under cold running water. Trim about 1–2 inches from the woody bottom end of each spear by snapping or cutting off the tough portion where the stalk becomes tender.
Bring the water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add the coarse salt and stir until dissolved.
Carefully add the asparagus spears to the boiling salted water, standing them upright if possible to cook evenly, or laying them flat. Return the water to a boil.
Cook for 4–5 minutes, or until the asparagus is tender-crisp when pierced with a fork but still maintains a bright green color and slight firmness.
Using a slotted spoon, carefully remove the asparagus from the water and transfer to a serving plate. Serve warm as a simple vegetable side dish.
Comments
Asparagus is reliably stocked at Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Kroger, and Walmart year-round in Charlotte, though spring and early summer bring better prices and thinner, more tender spears. At $3 to $4 per pound, a pound serves four as a side dish for roughly $1 per serving, making it genuinely cheap. The stated 15 minutes is honest—blanching takes five minutes once water boils, plus prep—but this is a strict same-night dish; blanched asparagus softens and discolors when refrigerated, so leftovers are not an option. It's a side vegetable best paired with a main protein rather than eaten alone, and works well for weeknight families who want something quick and straightforward.
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