To microwave asparagus, cut off the stringy ends and place in a shallow dish with a little liquid. Cover loosely and microwave for 2-3 minutes, arranging in neat layers and adding more liquid if needed.
The process used to microwave asparagus is simple and takes very little time. Instead of placing whole asparagus spears on a plate and then microwaving them for several minutes, more favorable results can be achieved with a little preparation, including cutting up the asparagus before it’s cooked to remove the stringy ends. Next, the asparagus should be placed in a shallow dish or bowl in a single layer. Putting a little liquid in the bowl can help keep the asparagus moist while cooking. Then the bowl should be covered loosely and placed in the microwave for two to three minutes, until it is tender but hasn’t changed color dramatically or gone mushy.
To properly prepare asparagus in the microwave, best results can be obtained if the asparagus is cut before cooking. This results in the bottoms of the spears separating, which tend to be very dense, stringy, and not pleasant to eat. To do this, the asparagus can be halved, or each spear can be folded in half until it snaps at a natural breaking point between the stringy bottom and tender tops.
Preparing primarily microwave asparagus means allowing the asparagus to cook in the steam and moisture generated as the microwave evaporates the water in the vegetable. For this reason, the asparagus should be placed in a shallow dish or bowl so that there is room for the steam to move around the vegetables. Simply using a flat, uncovered dish to cook asparagus in the microwave can cause vegetables to cook unevenly and potentially dry out.
When placed in the bowl, the asparagus should be arranged in neat layers. One to three layers is the most effective option. If too much asparagus is layered in the dish, the greens may become too dense and prevent the microwave from reaching the center pieces. The same concept applies to diced asparagus.
Once in the bowl, some liquid is needed to help keep the asparagus moist. The mechanism used to microwave asparagus will cause the water in the vegetables to evaporate, but having some liquid in the cooking dish will allow this moisture to be preserved and replenished in the spears. Just a few tablespoons of plain water, vegetable or chicken stock, or white wine will work. The liquid can also be seasoned with salt and pepper or other spices if desired.
The dish should be partially or partially covered. This means placing a cover over the dish but leaving some small gaps where excess steam will be able to escape. Once covered, it should only take two to three minutes to microwave asparagus; when more time is required, the asparagus should be cooked in small 15 to 30 second increments. When done, the asparagus will be tender when tested with a fork but should also have some texture and springiness.
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