Learn How to Cook Frozen Asparagus in five different ways, and all in under 20 minutes! With this handy guide for cooking asparagus, you can choose your preferred method for preparing this delicious and nutritious side dish.
Suitable for vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, low carb, Keto, Whole30, and Paleo diets. Post includes Weight Watchers points.
Asparagus is one of my favorite vegetables. Fresh and plentiful in the spring, you can easily freeze asparagus when you have an abundance. You can also find frozen asparagus with other frozen veggies at your local grocery store. And when you learn how to cook frozen asparagus, it’s easy to enjoy it anytime
Frozen veggies are flash-frozen at the peak of perfection, so they are just as nutritious as fresh veggies. Keeping frozen vegetables on hand is super convenient. They last a long time and still taste great. And frozen asparagus is delicious any time of year.
You may be wondering about the best methods for cooking frozen asparagus spears and other frozen veggies. You can boil, steam, cook frozen asparagus in a skillet, air fry it or roast frozen asparagus in the oven…just like I show you How To Cook Frozen Carrots and How To Cook Frozen Broccoli. #frozenveggiesforthewin

Frozen asparagus is super easy to cook and can be eaten on its own or added to casseroles, pasta, soups, salads, and omelets. One of the things that makes it so great is that it doesn’t have to be thawed first.
Yeap, just cook from frozen and it comes out crisp, tender, and delicious. Once you learn how to cook frozen asparagus, you’ll enjoy this spring vegetable year-round.
Why Make This Recipe
- Versatile – We’ve included 5 methods for cooking these vegetables so you can select the best method for you.
- No Need To Thaw – Go straight from the freezer to the cooker without needing to thaw the asparagus spears.
- Incredible Flavor – Frozen asparagus is just as flavorful as fresh asparagus.
Ingredient Notes
- Asparagus – Asparagus spears are typically available in 8-10 ounce packages.
- Butter or Olive Oil – You can use melted butter, olive oil, or a combination of both. You can also substitute the oil for any light, neutral flavored cooking oil.
- Garlic Salt – Garlic salt is a great all-in-one seasoning for these vegetables. You can use garlic powder and salt separately or substitute them with your favorite seasoning blend.

Ready to learn how to make frozen asparagus? Gather your ingredients and I will show you…
How To Cook Frozen Asparagus in Oven
Get the complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F / 200 degrees C.
- Toss the asparagus with butter or olive oil and garlic salt. Lay the frozen vegetables on a baking tray in a single layer. Feel free to add lemon wedges.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until roasted asparagus desired tenderness is reached.

Asparagus in A Skillet
- Place frozen vegetables in a large skillet with a lid.
- Add the butter or oil and garlic salt and toss to coat the vegetables.
- Cover with a lid, saute on medium heat, and stir occasionally.
- Cook for 10-12 minutes or until the asparagus is as tender as you like.

How To Steam Frozen Asparagus
- Pour about 2 inches (5 cm) of water into a saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Toss the frozen asparagus with oil or butter and garlic salt until well-coated.
- Place the frozen vegetables into a steamer basket (or colander) and place it in the saucepan over the boiling water.
- Cover and steam for 5 minutes or until the asparagus is soft.
- Remove with tongs and serve.

Boiled Asparagus
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and season with garlic salt (add more to taste).
- Add the veggies, bring them back to a boil, and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the asparagus has reached desired tenderness.
- Drain and serve.

Air Fryer Frozen Asparagus
Check out this recipe to learn just how easy Frozen Asparagus in Air Fryer is to make!

Expert Tips
- Do not thaw asparagus before cooking.
- Toss the frozen asparagus with the oil and seasoning to coat the spears well.
- If your spears of frozen asparagus are stuck together in one big clump, run them under cold water just long enough to separate them.
- If you have leftover fresh, raw asparagus, lay the spears on a baking sheet and flash-freeze them for 1-2 hours before transferring them to an airtight container.
- Want crispy asparagus? The best method for crispy asparagus will be to oven roast, skillet cook, or air fry.
- When air frying, there will be liquid in the bottom of the air fryer basket. Use tongs to remove the asparagus rather than dumping it onto a plate.
Delicious Variations
- Add Lemon – Squeeze fresh lemon juice over cooked asparagus for a burst of citrus flavor.
- Add Heat – Season with crushed red pepper flakes to add spice.
- Add Cheese – Top cooked asparagus with a sprinkle of freshly grated or shredded parmesan cheese.
- Add Seasonings – For delicious asparagus, add salt and pepper (or just black pepper if using garlic salt) or your favorite seasoning blend.

Prep And Storage
- Prep Ahead – Do not thaw the frozen asparagus in advance.
- Store – Leftover asparagus should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Eat the leftovers within 4 days.
- Freeze – Freezing leftover cooked asparagus is possible, but the re-frozen vegetables tend to be very mushy when thawed and reheated, so it’s not recommended.
FAQs
Frozen asparagus can be cooked directly from the freezer without needing to thaw it beforehand.
Steaming and boiling asparagus can take less than 5 minutes. Skillet cooking asparagus takes 10-15 minutes and you can roast or air fry asparagus in about 20 minutes.
Your chosen cooking method will determine if the asparagus is more crisp or tender. Cook frozen asparagus in the oven, skillet or air fryer for a crispy texture and caramelized flavor. Boiling and steaming asparagus will result in a more tender texture.

More Recipes You May Like
Serving Suggestions
Weight Watchers Points
There is just 1 Blue Plan SmartPoint in one serving of this.

Thank you for reading my roasted asparagus recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue to slice, dice, and dream up affordable Air Fryer recipes, Instant Pot Recipes, Southern Recipes, and more. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, food blog.
Get The Frozen Asparagus Recipe:
Don’t forget to tag #recipesfromapantry on Instagram or Twitter if you try How To Cook Frozen Asparagus! It is really, really awesome for me when you make one of my recipes and I’d love to see it. You can also share it on my Facebook page. Please pin this recipe to Pinterest too! Thank you for reading Recipes from a Pantry.
How To Cook Frozen Asparagus
Learn 5 methods for cooking frozen asparagus in less than 20 minutes.
Servings: 4
Calories: 39kcal
Instructions
Oven
-
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F / 200 degrees C.
-
Toss the asparagus with butter or olive oil and garlic salt. Lay the frozen vegetables on a baking tray in a single layer. Feel free to add lemon wedges.
-
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until desired tenderness is reached.
Skillet
-
Place frozen vegetables in a large skillet with a lid.
-
Add the butter or oil and garlic salt and toss to coat the vegetables.
-
Cover with a lid and saute on medium heat and stir occasionally.
-
Cook for about 10-12 minutes or until the asparagus is as tender as you like.
Steamed
-
Pour about 2 inches (5 cm) of water into a saucepan and bring to a boil.
-
Toss the frozen asparagus with oil or butter and garlic salt until well coated.
-
Place the frozen vegetables into a steamer basket (or colander) and place it in the saucepan over the boiling water.
-
Cover and steam for about 5 minutes or until the asparagus is soft.
-
Remove with tongs and serve.
Boiled
-
Bring a pot of water to boil and season with garlic salt (add more to taste).
-
Add the veggies, bring back to boil, and boil for 3-5 minutes or until the asparagus has reached desired tenderness.
-
Drain and serve.
Air Fryer
-
Preheat Air Fryer to 375 degrees F / 190 degrees C.
-
Mix frozen asparagus with the olive oil and garlic salt.
-
Add to air fryer basket and air fry for about 10 minutes, shaking halfway through.
Notes
- Do not thaw before cooking.
- Toss the frozen asparagus with the oil and seasoning to coat the spears well.
- If your spears of frozen asparagus are stuck together in one big clump, run them under cold water just long enough to separate them.
- If you have leftover fresh, raw asparagus, lay the spears on a baking sheet and flash-freeze them for 1-2 hours before transferring them to an airtight container.
- Want crispy asparagus? The best method for crispy asparagus will be to oven roast, skillet cook, or air fry.
- When air frying, there will be liquid in the bottom of the air fryer basket. Use tongs to remove the asparagus rather than dumping it onto a plate.
- Storage – keep leftovers in an airtight container inside the fridge for up to 4 days.
- There is 1 WW Blue Plan SmartPoint in one serving of this.
Nutrition
Calories: 39kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 24mg | Potassium: 144mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 623IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 2mg