15 Best Ways to Enjoy Fresh Asparagus

Roasted Asparagus and Mushrooms

Here's an easy way to cook asparagus, with the added bonus of mushrooms. If your asparagus spears are very thin, add them to the baking sheet after the mushrooms have been roasting for 5 minutes. "These are fantastic!" says naturelover. "My asparagus was thin so I did 400 degrees for ten minutes. Perfect! Will be making again and again. Thank you!"

Asparagus, Lemon, and Mint Soup

Serve this springtime soup as a lovely first course or a light lunch. It calls for chicken stock, but you could easily substitute a good vegetable broth to make it vegetarian. "This soup is easy to make," says fromgardentosoupbowl. "Asparagus has a strong flavor by itself, so I chose to add a few mint leaves and lemon zest to give it a wonderfully fresh aroma!"

Lemon Asparagus Risotto

"Lower in fat than most risotto recipes but no one will know!" says stefychefy. "I like to serve this as a main dish under some steamed halibut or other white fish." j2white adds, "Do yourself a favor - don't change a thing the first time you make this recipe. Follow the instructions exactly, give it the time and attention it deserves, and you will have a winning dish."

Roasted Asparagus Prosciutto and Egg

When asparagus is plentiful, you can indulge yourself with restaurant-quality dishes like this classic combo of crispy prosciutto and poached eggs over fresh asparagus. The runny yolk makes its own rich sauce and the minced prosciutto adds crunchy, salty pops of flavor.

Simply Steamed Asparagus

This is about as easy as it gets: Trimmed asparagus spears are steamed over water until tender. After that, you can serve them with a squeeze of lemon or lime if you'd like. Note that the recipe says to add a bit of butter and salt to the water before steaming; some reviewers did and some didn't. You do you.

Ms Jean took hers one step further, saying, "I steamed asparagus for about 6 minutes (plain water works fine) then transferred to a fry pan with olive oil. Sauteed for about a minute or so, adding sea salt, cracked black pepper and a little garlic powder. Simple and delicious!"

Penne with Chicken and Asparagus

One of our most popular recipes, this pasta/chicken/asparagus dish comes together in a speedy 35 minutes from start to finish. Some reviewers added mushrooms or artichoke hearts to the mix and loved it even more.

Chef John's Bacon and Asparagus Dutch Baby

Watch out: Once you make this savory skillet brunch dish, you'll probably be asked to make it again and again. "OMG. Soooo good," raves Redcaddy97. "Chef John never disappoints and this is no exception. I followed the recipe to a T and there is no need to make any adjustments." Watch the video for tips and techniques.

Grilled Asparagus

Looking for a quick side dish that goes with anything you throw on the grill? Here you go. Seasoned with olive oil, salt, and pepper, these fresh spears are grilled for just a couple of minutes to get a smoky flavor with a slight char. So easy! Note: If you use a grill pan instead of a grill basket, your cooking time could increase depending on how thin your asparagus is.

Jumbo Shrimp and Asparagus

Fresh asparagus and shrimp are cooked with soy sauce, ginger, and sherry for an Asian-inspired dish you could serve over rice. Some reviewers bumped up the flavor by adding garlic to the mix. "Very good!" says Tracy R. "I added 2 cloves of chopped garlic with the shrimp and everyone loved it. Will make this again and again."

Asparagus Mushroom Bacon Crustless Quiche

Call this a crustless quiche or a frittata. Doesn't matter. It's easy to make and you can substitute ingredients to suit your taste. Jane Edwards says, "Unbelievably good! The combination of crimini mushrooms, Swiss, bacon and asparagus was perfect."

Fried Asparagus Sticks

Try these crispy snacks on your most adamant asparagus-haters and see if it makes a believer out them. "This recipe is awesome!" says Kathy Nowak. "I followed the instructions to the letter and it came out amazing! Whole family gobbled them up! Definitely planning on doing this again."

Fresh Asparagus Patties

Here's one you might not have seen coming: crispy asparagus patties. (Chef John likes to serve them with his tarragon aioli sauce.) Nancy says, "I made this just to try something different! I was bored with my standard roasted asparagus...let me tell you it is different and absolutely wonderful! You won't regret trying it!"

Greek Omelet with Asparagus and Feta Cheese

Asparagus, red bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, and spinach are rolled up in an omelet with oregano, basil, and feta cheese for a bright and sunny breakfast or brunch dish. Freddy says, "Made it to the exact recipe, and the whole family enjoyed all the flavors this meal had to offer."

Roasted Asparagus Salad with Feta Cheese

Salty, creamy feta cheese give this simple asparagus salad such a punch of flavor that you can get away with just a splash of olive oil for the dressing. "Great timing as it is asparagus season here in Texas," says Val. "Love how easy this is and no dressing required."

Asparagus, Ham, and Lemon

Got 15 minutes and a load of asparagus? Try this easy side dish. Oh, you'll need a little thinly sliced ham or prosciutto, too. "This was absolutely scrumptious," says foodie41. "The lemon really brought out the flavor of the asparagus. The texture was perfect, crisp, but cooked."