This post contains helpful tips and tricks! If you’re in a rush, please use the “Jump to Recipe” above!
💭 Why you’ll love this recipe
Literally takes 5 minutes or so: Not going to lie, there are few recipes that are easier than this one. Minimal prep, minimal stress! Asparagus is awesome: It’s low in calories, great tasting, and packed full of nutrients!
📋 Ingredients and notes
You’ll need asparagus, water, and a microwave safe bowl or container with lid for this recipe. I like to use salt, pepper, olive oil, garlic powder and fresh lemon juice to season.
Quick note on asparagus: it’s usually in season in spring, and that’s the only time I buy it fresh. A lot of asparagus is flown in to the US from Latin America when it’s not in season, so the environmental cost is high, and the taste isn’t great. If you love asparagus, and want to eat it out of season, canned asparagus might not be a bad idea!
Oh, and if you’re wondering where you can find out about what’s in season, don’t forget to check out my seasonal produce guides (I update them the first Sunday of each month!)
📖 Step-by-step instructions
Prepare the asparagus
Start by washing the asparagus thoroughly to get rid of any dirt. Then, slowly bend the asparagus close to the white, woody part and it’ll naturally break off. If you’re in a rush, you can line them all up and cut them where the woody parts end. Pro tip: When you wash asparagus, loosely shake them to drop excess water but don’t dry them. The water typically helps with cooking them in the microwave!
Cook the asparagus in the microwave
Find a microwaveable container or bowl. Your asparagus might not fit in, so if that’s the case, I recommend chopping them in halves. Then, add the asparagus to the bowl with a tablespoon of water. Make sure to lay all of the asparagus flat so the stalks cook evenly, and avoid crowding or placing them on top of each other. Cover with a lid or a larger plate, and microwave for 3 minutes. Make sure to use oven mitts to remove the asparagus since it’ll be super hot. And be careful as you slide off the plate or the lid, since there will be tons of steam inside!
Season and serve!
Once the asparagus is cooked, I like tossing it with a teaspoon of olive oil and seasoning with salt, pepper and garlic powder. I finish up with a quick squeeze of fresh lemon juice! Just toss all of them and you’re basically armed with the easiest side dish ever!
🍴 Serving and storage suggestions
Cooked asparagus tends to stay great in an airtight container in the fridge for at least 3 to 4 days. Better yet, if you have a long glass container with a lid, just steam the asparagus in that so you can avoid washing yet another dish!
If you like this recipe, don’t forget to try out my other fresh spring recipes:
If you tried this recipe, don’t forget to comment and rate! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
📖 Recipe
