Learning how to freeze asparagus is a great way to preserve this short season vegetable. A freezer stash of frozen asparagus opens the door to amazing and speedy meals.
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time3 minutesmins
Freezing2 hourshrs
Total Time2 hourshrs13 minutesmins
Course: How To
Cuisine: American
Keyword: can you freeze asparagus, can you freeze fresh asparagus, freezing asparagus
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or a silpat.
Set up a bowl full of ice water. Place a clean kitchen towel unfolded and flat on the counter.
Grasp one stalk of asparagus and put one hand under the tip and one hand at the bottom. Snap it in one motion. Where it breaks indicates the most tender part of the stalk. You can cut the rest of the bunch at about the same level.
asparagus
Clean and rinse asparagus well.
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil.
Add asparagus to boiling water and cook for:*1-2 minutes for thin stalks*2 minutes for medium stalks*3 minutes for thicker stalks
Once the time is up, use tongs to remove the asparagus from the boiling water, and immediately add to the ice water for 5 minutes.
Remove the chilled asparagus from the ice water and lay it flat on clean kitchen towels. Blot dry.
Place the chilled and dry asparagus on the baking sheet without crowding the tray and place the tray in the freezer.
Freeze for 2-3 hours (thicker stalks may need an additional hour).
Break apart any stalks that have stuck together and transfer to freezer-proof storage.
Notes
If you plan on using frozen asparagus for dishes where it should be chopped (stir fry, casseroles, etc.,) cut the asparagus to your desired size before blanching.
There is no need to thaw frozen asparagus before adding it to dishes or roasting.
When using frozen asparagus in recipes, you do not need to adjust the cooking time.