If you want a quick and healthy way to cook asparagus, just use a microwave. There are several recipes you can try for cooking asparagus this way. Read on to get to know them.
Ingrediants
Crunchy Asparagus Cooked in Microwave
For 4 servings
- 60 ml of water
- 450 g of fresh or thawed asparagus
- Half a teaspoon of salt (optional)
Tender Asparagus Cooked in Microwave
For 4 servings
- 60 ml of water, orange juice or white wine
- 450 g of fresh or thawed asparagus
- Half a teaspoon of salt (optional)
Optional Dressing with Garlic and Butter
For 60 ml of sauce
- A quarter cup of softened unsalted butter
- Half a teaspoon of chopped fresh garlic
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Before You Begin - Prepare the Asparagus
Step 1. Choose some fresh asparagus
If you are using fresh, non-frozen asparagus, make sure it is firm and very green. The tip should be compact.
You can use thick or thin asparagus. The thicker ones take longer to cook, but they are both flavorful and nutritious. Regardless of the size, choose asparagus that are similar to each other
Step 2. Rinse the asparagus with cold water
Clean the asparagus by rinsing them well under cold running water, gently rubbing the tips to remove sand, earth and dirt.
- Asparagus is grown in sandy soil and is usually dirty on the tips. This is why rinsing them is important.
- Dry them with paper towels after washing them.
Step 3. Break off the base of each asparagus
Use your hands or a knife to break off the lower third.
- Usually, you will need to remove about 2.5 - 4 cm.
- The final part of the asparagus is particularly woody and not very tasty.
- You should be able to roughly estimate where the right breaking point is by folding the asparagus near the end a few times. The point where the stem becomes soft is the natural breaking point, and you will usually be able to complete this using only your hands.
Step 4. Peel the flakes at the end of each asparagus
Use a peeler to remove the rough flakes on the outside of each stem.
- This operation is not necessary, but it is used to give the asparagus a cleaner appearance. This is very useful if you are using thick asparagus.
- You will only need to peel the 5 cm at the base of the asparagus.
Method 2 of 4: Crunchy Microwave Asparagus
Step 1. Dip four sheets of paper towels into the water
Spray or pour 60ml of water on the sheets. Squeeze them gently to remove excess liquid.
The sheets should be moist, but not wet enough to drip
Step 2. Spread the sheets in a single layer
Place them on the kitchen counter so that the end of one overlaps the beginning of the next, to form a strip.
Ideally, if you tore the sheets off a single roll, they should still be stuck together. If you are using separate paper towels or paper towels, you should try to overlap them by about 2.5cm. Otherwise, you won't be able to roll them well later
Step 3. Arrange the asparagus on the sheets of paper
Place them at one end of the row of sheets, placing them close together. Season with salt if desired.
The asparagus should be parallel to the shorter side of the paper. Try to arrange them in the center of the first sheet and do not let them protrude above or below the paper
Step 4. Roll the paper around the asparagus
Keep rolling until you have used all the paper.
- You should get a tight package when done, and the asparagus should be well contained inside.
- If you have any loose paper left after rolling it, fold it to the open side to close the flaps. If there is no free card, however, don't worry about this step.
Step 5. Cook the asparagus in the microwave for 3 to 4 minutes
Cook the asparagus wrapped in paper on maximum power until just soft, but still crunchy.
- Place the roll in the microwave with the open side facing down. In this way the opening will remain stationary and the sheets of paper will not be able to unroll during cooking.
- This process basically allows you to steam asparagus in the microwave. The damp sheets of paper heat up, emitting steam inside towards the asparagus. Steamed, the asparagus will remain more crunchy and nutritious.
Step 6. Unroll carefully and serve the asparagus
Unroll the paper and remove it with pliers. Serve the asparagus immediately.
- Be careful when unrolling the paper. Since a lot of steam has built up, this will escape abundantly from the asparagus when you unroll them. Using pliers, you can protect your hands, but you should also be careful not to hold your face over the paper.
- If you wish, add a knob of butter or garlic butter to the asparagus before serving.
Method 3 of 4: Microwave Cooked Tender Asparagus
Step 1. Place the asparagus in a microwave-safe pan
Arrange the asparagus with the tips facing the center if possible.
- The tips are the tenderest part of asparagus, so they tend to cook faster than the woody stem. As a result, the tips can become mushy if you overcook them.
- Since the center of the microwave heats up less than the outside, placing the tips towards the center will prevent them from cooking too quickly.
- Note, however, that if you are using a rectangular pan in which you cannot arrange the asparagus in this way, you just need to arrange them evenly. However, they should cook without problems.
Step 2. Add the water, orange juice and white wine
Add only 60ml of liquid. Season with salt if desired.
- If you want to enjoy the pure flavor of asparagus, or if you want to season the asparagus after cooking, just use water.
- If you want to improve the flavor of asparagus while cooking them, try orange juice or white wine instead.
Step 3. Microwave for 4 to 7 minutes
Cover the pan and turn on maximum power until the asparagus is tender.
- If the pan has a microwave-safe lid, use it, but open the ventilation holes or put the lid slightly apart to prevent too much steam and pressure from building up inside.
- If you are cooking sliced and not whole asparagus, cook them for only 3 - 5 minutes on maximum power.
- Stir the asparagus halfway through cooking to promote even cooking.
Step 4. Serve hot
Let the pan rest for 5 minutes before serving the asparagus, then place them on individual plates.
- Be careful when removing the lid from the container. A lot of steam can build up during cooking, and you could burn your hands or face if you get too close.
- If you wish, add a knob of butter or garlic butter to the asparagus before serving. Turn them gently to season them well.
Method 4 of 4: Optional Condiments - Garlic and Butter
Step 1. Mix the garlic and butter together
Use a fork to mix the softened butter at room temperature with the freshly chopped garlic until the ingredients are completely combined.
- The butter needs to be softened. If the butter is still cold, it will be impossible to mix it well with the garlic.
- To soften the butter, leave it on the kitchen counter for about 30 minutes. If you're short on time, put the butter in the microwave, in its paper packaging, for about 10 seconds. Do not microwave foil packages.
- If you don't have fresh garlic or don't want small pieces of garlic in the asparagus, you could use an eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder.
Step 2. Add a dab of garlic sauce before serving the asparagus
Put about a tablespoon of butter and garlic over the hot asparagus, turning them gently to melt the sauce and coat them.
- If you want to flavor the asparagus as they cook, use the tender asparagus method described above and add a tablespoon of sauce when you season them with salt, just before covering and cooking.
- You can store the rest of the butter in the refrigerator in a sealed container for 3 days.
