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Celebrate new-season asparagus with these chef tips

07 Apr 2026

Journalist

Make the most of asparagus season with these tips from some of the UK’s best chefs, including the best ways to cook it and what to pair it with

For UK foodies, spring means one thing above all else: the arrival of new-season asparagus. Though the vegetable is available year-round in supermarkets, often imported, it’s best enjoyed as a homegrown crop from April through to June, when it’s at its peak. Asparagus season also coincides with the arrival of similarly briefly available ingredients like wild garlic, and other spring vegetables, which pair beautifully with it.

So, what’s the best way to prepare, cook and serve new season asparagus to make the most this sweet, delicious vegetable? We asked some of the UK’s best chefs for their tips and they didn’t disappoint.

Leonel Aguirre, Mauro Colagreco at Raffles London at The OWO

I like to treat asparagus very simply, keeping the cooking quick and the flavours clean so the vegetable really shines. I like gently poaching the spears in sparkling water with garlic and soft herbs like dill, tarragon and thyme. It gives a subtle aromatic lift without overpowering the natural sweetness. Once just tender, I finish them in the same pan with a knob of butter and a drizzle of herb oil, so they glaze lightly and stay vibrant. To serve, I’ll often add a simple cashew cream on the side: soaked cashews blended with a little of the asparagus cooking liquor and a handful of greens or soft herbs. It’s an easy way to bring richness without heaviness. The key is not to overcook them – asparagus should always have a bit of bite and freshness to it.

Chef Leonel Aguirre at Mauro Colagreco at Raffles London at The OWO.

Anna Tobias, Café Deco

Asparagus and hollandaise is a classic combination. To serve four, start with 24 green asparagus spears. Holding the asparagus towards its base, gently bend the spear so that the woody end snaps off. Wash well. To make the hollandaise, place four egg yolks in a heat-proof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Add about a teaspoon’s worth of water and whisk together until the yolks are thick and frothy. Very slowly whisk in 300g of unsalted butter in a thin stream until the sauce has a yoghurt consistency. Add a squeeze of lemon and season with salt and white pepper. Take off the heat and keep warm. Boil the asparagus in salted water for about four minutes until tender – neither crunchy nor mushy. Test this by giving the middle of the asparagus spear a squeeze with your fingers; it should just yield to the pressure. Drain the asparagus well, arrange on a serving dish and pour over lashings of hollandaise.

_{Photo credit: George Mills}

Aidan Richardson, Half Cut Market

My favourite way to cook asparagus is grilled very quickly, over a hot fire, for two to three minutes. Start with a few drops of oil and a pinch of salt. After seasoning the asparagus, line the spears together neatly on the grill, turning over the fire every 30-45 seconds, as the skin caramelises. The high heat sweetens the outside, while keeping the centre crunchy and succulent. I serve it with seasonal wild garlic leaves and whipped roast garlic ricotta. To make eight portions of the ricotta, season a whole garlic bulb with salt and oil before wrapping in tin foil and roasting for 40 mins at 165°C until golden brown. Add a few roasted cloves to a blender with 250g of ricotta, 20ml of milk, 20ml of olive oil, salt and the zest of half a lemon. Blend until smooth before serving with the grilled asparagus.

Chef Aidan Richardson, seated and bathed in light.

Colin Anderson, Brett & The Caravan Shop

The arrival of new-season asparagus always feels like the real start of spring; it’s one of those ingredients you wait all year for, and when it’s right, it needs very little done to it. At Brett, we cook it to order using just a small amount of water so it steams in its own juices, preserving that natural sweetness and buttery flavour that’s often lost when it’s blanched in large pots. It should be tender with just a little bite - not raw, but not overcooked either. At home, I’d suggest keeping it simple: cook it gently, season it well and let it speak for itself. We also keep all of our asparagus trim, juice it and ferment it – that liquid becomes something incredibly addictive to use later in the year in sauces and dressings.

_{Photo credit: Naomi Vance Photography}

Chef Colin Anderson in the Brett kitchen.

Shaun Rankin, Shaun Rankin at Grantley Hall

The key is to treat asparagus simply and not overwork it. I prefer to cook it on a griddle pan until tender, but still crisp, which keeps that natural bite and sweetness. At home, I’ll often serve it with sautéed Jersey Royals and a few shavings of Old Winchester, finished with a fried duck egg and a touch of balsamic. It’s a simple way of letting the quality of the produce do the work. At the restaurant, we serve a dish of asparagus, lamb sweetbread, morel and wild garlic – cooking the asparagus in salted boiling water for 15 seconds to keep it nice and crunchy.

_{Photo credit: Justin De Souza}

Ruth Hansom, Hansom

I only ever buy asparagus in spring, when it’s in season in the UK. The flavour is incredible and you won’t get the same product if you buy the really skinny imported stuff. Head to your grocer's to get the best or buy direct from farms. I like to cook mine simply, just blanched and finished with oil or butter and some good sea salt, to allow its natural flavour to shine. I also like to thinly slice and pickle the more woody ends of the stalks to avoid wasting them. They can then be added to salads.

Chef Ruth Hansom leaning against a wall.

Dean Parker, Celentano's

We serve a ricotta agnolotti which changes with the seasons; at this time of year, we serve it with wild garlic, Nocellara olives and sunflower seeds, and finish it with asparagus spears to bring a fresh, colourful taste of spring. At home, I'd combine asparagus with shallots, hazelnuts and stracciatella. Roast the nuts in the oven until golden, then crush and gently caramelise them in butter before seasoning with salt. Dry-roast your asparagus in a pan to create a smoky flavour. Cut a lemon into quarters, removing pith and seeds. Mix the nuts with the asparagus spears, dress with olive oil, rock salt and lemon, then set atop some stracciatella for a light antipasto to begin your meal.

_{Anna and Dean Parker. Photo credit: Naomi Vance}