Asparagus season: 12 quick recipes, air fryer tips and everything about Spargelsilvester on 24 June

Why asparagus now — and not from the supermarket in February

Fresh German asparagus is available from late April until the traditional Spargelsilvester — asparagus New Year's Eve — on 24 June: the shortest and most intense season on German vegetable shelves. Outside these nine weeks, asparagus is mostly imported from Peru or Mexico, with a high CO₂ footprint and noticeably poorer flavour.

Asparagus tip no. 1: buy it straight from the farm or at the weekly market — with asparagus, you can clearly taste even 24 hours of storage. Squeak test: rub two spears against each other → if they squeak, it's fresh. If you cut into the end, it should be moist and smooth, not dry or frayed.

Buying asparagus: what to look out for

So that the pricey spears are worth the money, here's a short buying guide:

• Price per kilo (May–June): direct from the farm €8–14/kg for white Class I, €6–10/kg for green asparagus. Supermarket €10–18/kg. Most expensive in early May, cheapest in mid-June — perfect for a big shop at the end of the season.
• Class I vs Class II: Class II often has crooked spears or slight discolouration, but tastes just as good. Ideal for soups, risotto and quiche — where looks don't matter. Up to 30% cheaper.
• White or green asparagus? White = classic, peeling compulsory, longer cooking time (12–15 min). Green = milder flavour, doesn't need peeling, cooks in 6–8 min — faster, less waste.
• Rule of thumb for quantities: 500 g per adult as a main course, 250 g as a side. Halve it for children.

The 12 recipe ideas for the coming weeks

1. The classic — asparagus with hollandaise sauce (25 min)

The absolute standard. Peel the asparagus (white only — green doesn't need it), cook for 12–15 min in salted water with a pinch of sugar and a dash of milk. Serve with: hollandaise sauce (egg yolk + clarified butter + lemon + salt) and new potatoes. Tip: tie the spears into bundles of 5–6 with kitchen string — that way you can lift them cleanly out of the water.

2. Asparagus risotto (30 min) — vegetarian

Cut the asparagus into 2 cm pieces, keeping the tips separate. Sweat risotto rice with a shallot, add white wine, then stock a ladle at a time. Add the asparagus pieces in the last 5 min, the tips + Parmesan right at the end. Creamy, vegetarian, filling.

3. Green asparagus from the air fryer (15 min) ⭐ Hit of the season

Marinate green asparagus with olive oil, salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon, 8–10 min at 200 °C in the air fryer. With a poached egg and toasted pine nuts. It doesn't get any faster — and you save electricity while you're at it (no 30-min oven). For more air fryer inspiration: 10 air fryer beginner tips.

4. Asparagus quiche with wild garlic (40 min, 30 of them oven time with nothing to do)

Shortcrust pastry (or ready-made pastry) in a quiche tin, blanched asparagus + fresh wild garlic (still available at the start of the season), egg-and-cream mixture with nutmeg. Bake for 30 min at 180 °C. Variation: crème fraîche instead of cream and a tablespoon of mustard — makes it more piquant.

5. Vegan: asparagus and tofu stir-fry with peanut sauce (20 min)

Fry green asparagus + firm smoked tofu in the pan, deglaze with soy sauce, peanut butter, lime juice and sambal oelek. Serve with rice. Completely plant-based, high in protein.

6. Gluten-free: asparagus salad with chickpeas and feta (15 min)

Cut the asparagus into pieces, blanch briefly. With cherry tomatoes, chickpeas, feta, parsley, olive oil, lemon, salt. Serve cold — perfect for a lunch break or picnic.

7. Asparagus soup that uses up the leftovers (40 min, 30 of them simmering)

From the peelings + trimmed ends: simmer for 30 min with stock and a shallot, then strain. Turn it into a soup with cream and a splash of white wine. Food waste: zero. If you have other leftovers too: What to cook from fridge leftovers? shows how the AI generates a recipe from 5 ingredients.

8. Asparagus carbonara (20 min)

Instead of bacon: green asparagus fried in olive oil. Cook penne, make the carbonara sauce from egg, Parmesan and black pepper (no cream — the original). Mix the asparagus and pasta. Trick: a little pasta water in the sauce — makes it silkier.

9. Asparagus pan with chicken and mushrooms (25 min)

Cut chicken breast into strips, fry. Add button mushrooms + green asparagus, deglaze with cream and a little mustard. On rice or with bread. Family-friendly — children often accept green asparagus more readily than white.

10. Gluten-free + lactose-free: asparagus curry (25 min)

Green asparagus + sweet potato + chickpeas + coconut milk + yellow curry. Serve with rice. No gluten, no lactose, very child-friendly (season mildly).

11. Asparagus Flammkuchen (20 min)

Ready-made dough, spread thinly with crème fraîche, thin slices of asparagus + ham or smoked tofu (vegan) + spring onions. 12–15 min at 220 °C in the oven or at 200 °C in the air fryer (for individual portions). A crispy alternative to pizza.

12. Asparagus with herb quark and potatoes boiled in their skins (15 min)

The insider tip: cooked asparagus cut into pieces, with herb quark, potatoes and a little linseed oil. Sounds simple, but it's unbelievably good. For hot summer days.

Air fryer asparagus: 4 tips nobody mentions

If you have an air fryer, asparagus is your new favourite thing to cook in it. Four practical pointers:

1. Preheating is compulsory. Asparagus needs hot air straight away, otherwise it goes soft. Preheat for 2 min at 200 °C.
2. Only green asparagus in the air fryer. White goes tough without water.
3. Don't remove the skin. With green asparagus it's enough to snap off the bottom third — the tough part breaks off by itself.
4. Not too much at once. A single layer at most. If you want more, do two batches — the air circulation decides the result.

By the way: with AirFryer mode (from Standard — and already in the trial account), every asparagus recipe comes with a cooking time and temperature suited to the air fryer. More on that in the AirFryer recipe generator.

Storing asparagus properly

Freshly bought, asparagus keeps in the fridge for 2–3 days if you wrap it in a damp cloth (NOT in plastic — it sweats and goes mouldy). Ideally at 2–4 °C.

Freezing for later? You can — but only raw and unpeeled. Peeled and blanched asparagus loses its texture when thawed. Frozen raw, it keeps for 6 months and can go straight from the freezer into hot water.

When the family eats differently

This is where it gets interesting. In many households:

• one eater is vegetarian or vegan
• one child can't tolerate lactose
• somebody doesn't like asparagus (it happens!)

From Standard — and already in the free trial account — you can set up to 6 family members, each with their own diet style, allergens and excluded ingredients. For every asparagus recipe you tap who's eating under “Who's eating?” — and the AI generates a recipe that works for everyone. Handy: one recipe for three instead of cooking three recipes in parallel.

For gluten-free families: Gluten-free with children. For vegan weekly plans: Vegan cooking with the family.

Tip of the season

Never pre-cook fresh white asparagus and keep it cold in between — it quickly goes woody. Better to cook it right before serving. If you batch-cook at the weekend (meal prep), go for green asparagus — it keeps as a leftover for a day. More meal-prep tricks: Weekly plan for working people.

Frequently asked questions

When does the asparagus season start and end?

In Germany, depending on the weather, from mid/late April until 24 June. 24 June is called “Spargelsilvester” — the day on which the harvest traditionally ends so that the plants can recover for the next season.

How much does asparagus cost?

In early May, prices straight from the farm are usually €8–14/kg for white Class I asparagus. Towards the end of the season (mid-June), prices often drop by 30–40%. In the supermarket, asparagus is usually €2–4 more per kilo.

Why is asparagus so expensive?

Asparagus is cut exclusively by hand, every spear individually. A harvest worker manages only a few kilos an hour; minimum wage, social security contributions, logistics and packaging make up the largest part of the price — the rest is margin for farmers and retailers.

Do you have to peel asparagus?

White asparagus: yes, always, all the way from head to end. Green asparagus: no, just snap off the tough bottom third — the skin is tender and edible.

Asparagus in the air fryer — does that work?

Yes, but only green asparagus. White asparagus needs water, otherwise it goes tough. Green asparagus with a little oil at 200 °C for 8–10 min — perfect texture, crispy outside, tender inside. Preheating is compulsory.

Can you freeze asparagus?

Yes, but only raw and unpeeled. Peeled and blanched, it loses its texture when thawed. Raw, it keeps in the freezer for 6 months.

What goes with asparagus as a side?

Classic sides: new potatoes, ham, hollandaise sauce, béarnaise sauce, poached egg. More modern options: pine nuts, strawberry vinaigrette, Parmesan shavings. For vegetarian/vegan variations: roasted tofu, lentils, chickpeas.

What doesn't go with asparagus, flavour-wise?

Asparagus turns bitter mainly through being stored too long or peeled badly — not through combinations. Flavour-wise, very sour or very hot companions (lots of vinegar, hot mustard, fresh pineapple) go less well. Classic combinations (butter, ham, eggs) are perfect.

The end of the asparagus season — what now?

When Spargelsilvester comes round on 24 June, you need a plan B for summer cooking. What comes into season next?

• Strawberries (often alongside asparagus — see Strawberry season)
• Young kohlrabi and carrots
• Fresh herbs (basil, chives, parsley)
• Green salad and radishes from regional growers

Want seasonal recipes without constantly googling? Simply type “seasonal” or the ingredient itself into the input box — the AI builds the recipe around it. On the Premium plan, the weekly menu planner plans your whole week for you in one go.

→ Try 2 recipes for free — for example with asparagus from your own ingredients, in any language. No account, no credit card, no subscription.