Purple asparagus
Asparagus officinalis · Vegetable
Top 10 pairings
Purple asparagus is a deep burgundy-violet cultivar group of the same species as green asparagus (Asparagus officinalis), coloured by anthocyanin pigments in the skin. Sweeter, more tender and less fibrous than the green type, it is prized raw and lightly cooked — though its striking colour fades to green the moment it meets prolonged heat.
Picking a good onedrag
Just cutWoody & ferned
Market freshBuy itFirm, tips still shut. The everyday spear: roast, griddle, blanch. Snap or trim the base and go.
TipsClosed and firm, colour dulling
SnapBends a little, then breaks
Cut endSlightly dry rim, still pale
SmellNothing much at all
These cues are Asparagus's, and hold across its varieties; where this one differs, its own page says so.
What you get from one
53%
Edible part
16 g · woody ends off
30 g
Weight each
each one
Keeping ittap a temperature
A domestic fridge holds it about 6× longer than the counter.
95–99%
Humidity
Damp, still, upright
Airflow