Nothing quite beats the distinct flavour of asparagus. But perhaps you’ve decided to grow your own and realised you now have an abundance? Or maybe you’ve bought a little more than you need? So, what do you do with it?
Can You Freeze Asparagus?
Yes, you can freeze asparagus for up to 10 months. Before freezing asparagus, it’s always a good idea to blanch it for a minute or two in boiling water to help maintain its texture and lock in flavour and nutrients.
Do Does Asparagus freeze well? Sometimes
Can you refreeze Asparagus? No
How to Freeze Asparagus
If freezing asparagus is something you’ve decided you want to do, then below are our 5 steps to successfully freezing it:
- Prep Asparagus: First, you need to prepare your asparagus. We recommend trimming the woody end before freezing so it’s ready to go when you want it in a few weeks.
- Blanch: Get a pot of water boiling rapidly. Get another pot or bowl and fill this with ice-cold water so you can halt the cooking instantly. Now you need to blanch your asparagus. Blanch thin asparagus for 1 minute and thicker asparagus for 2 minutes.
- Dry: Drain the asparagus and allow them to cool completely.
- Portion into Bags: Portion the asparagus up into freezer-safe bags. Think about how much you would typically serve at dinner and freeze it in portions of that size.
- Freeze: Pop them into the freezer, and you’re done.
Remember, it’s always a good idea to label your frozen products with the contents and the date they need to be consumed so you can avoid wasting them later.
Of course, it’s entirely possible to do so. Blanching helps to remove bacteria before you freeze it. Blanching will also lock in nutrients and help retain the bright colour when you thaw and cook it.
3 Tips for Freezing Asparagus
Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing asparagus to have the best results:
Blanch First
Blanching is something we always recommend when it comes to freezing vegetables. Blanching your asparagus before freezing can lock in nutrients while maintaining some texture. Only blanch them for a minute as you don’t want to cook them.
Avoid Eating on its Own
Unfortunately, frozen asparagus will never be as tasty as fresh, so you’ll want to avoid eating it on its own as a side dish. Instead, try roasting them with other vegetables or making soup.
Try Thawing in the Microwave
You can defrost asparagus in the microwave straight from the freezer. Microwave your asparagus with a splash of water for a few minutes until thawed and cooked through.
How Long Can You Freeze Asparagus?
Asparagus will keep for a remarkably long time in the freezer. Provided that you have carefully blanched them to remove any bacteria and have avoided overcooking them, you’ll be fine to keep your asparagus in the freezer for up to 10 months.
As always, it’s a great idea to write the date they need to be consumed on the bag so you can avoid wasting them further down the line.
When kept in a paper bag or loose in the fridge, asparagus will keep for around 4 days. However, if you stand it up in a bit of water, it will last for over a week in the fridge.
How Do You Defrost Asparagus?
There are a few approaches you can take. You can thaw and cook your asparagus in the microwave:
Take a microwaveable dish, place your asparagus in it with a dash of water, cover then heat for a few minutes. Check they’re thawed through and warm.
You can also place it into a pan over a low heat with a splash of water, allowing it to thaw and then warm through and cook.
Can You Refreeze Asparagus?
Asparagus is temperamental at the best times when it comes to the freezer.
Refreezing will only make it more temperamental. The texture will become incredibly mushy, and the flavour is particularly bland.
All in all, the best solution is to avoid refreezing asparagus at all costs.
Does Asparagus Freeze Well?
Like many vegetables, asparagus’s texture can become mushy when frozen. Blanching can help with this, but blanching for too long can cause the asparagus to be overcooked and even mushier.
When consuming the asparagus, you’ll notice it was frozen if you eat it on its own. If you decide to use it in a tart, quiche or another dish, you’ll be less likely to see the textural differences.
Fortunately, the flavour will still be delicious.
Related FAQs
If you’ve still got questions about freezing asparagus or asparagus in general, then these may help:
You can freeze asparagus soup. All you need to do is place it into a thick freezer bag, once cooled, then seal it up and put it into the freezer. The same method can be used for freezing most soups.
Although asparagus can be frozen raw, you will not be helping yourself. The texture will change drastically, it will turn a yellowy-green and will lose its flavour. This is why blanching asparagus before freezing it is a must!
Cooked asparagus can be frozen for around 3 months. Once cooked and cooled, spread them on a baking sheet and freeze them. Once they’re solid, you can pop them into a freezer bag.
