How To Preserve Asparagus

on Apr 17, 2025

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Learn how to preserve asparagus with easy drying, freezing, and canning techniques. Find ways to keep this amazing Spring vegetable available year-round for delicious recipes!

hand holding a bunch of asparagus for post teaching how to preserve asparagus.

Preserving Guide: How To Preserve Asparagus

Whether you’ve just returned from the farmers’ market with a beautiful bunch or harvested stalks from your own garden, you have wonderful options beyond refrigeration:

Dehydrating spears for crispy vegetable chips and soup ingredients
Blanching and freezing to lock in vibrant color and nutrition for winter stir-fries
Pessure canning for pantry-stable asparagus ready for quick sides and salads

The secret to successful preservation lies in understanding this delicate vegetable’s needs—catching it at peak freshness, preparing it properly, and choosing the preservation method that best matches your culinary goals and storage space.

Preserving Guide: How To Preserve Asparagus
When To Harvest
How To Store
Dehydrating
Canning
Freezing
Expert Tips
More Tips For Preserving The Harvest

When To Harvest

Harvest the second year after planting. Harvest when the spears are 6-8 inches tall, before the tips begin to separate.

How To Store

In the refrigerator

Dehydrating

CUT: Wash thoroughly. Cut large tips in half.
DIPPING: Water or Steam blanch — Water Blanch: 3-4 min. Steam Blanch: 4-5 min
DEHYDRATOR (hours): 4-6 hours
APPEARANCE WHEN DRY: brittle

Canning

QUANTITY: An average of 24½ pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 16 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints. A crate weighs 31 pounds and yields 7 to 12 quarts—an average of 3½ pounds per quart.

PREPARE:

Wash asparagus and trim off tough scales.
Break off tough stems and wash again.
Cut into 1-inch pieces or can whole.

HOT PACK

Cover asparagus with boiling water.
Boil 2 or 3 minutes.
Loosely fill jars with hot asparagus, leaving 1-inch headspace.
Adjust lids and process

RAW PACK

Fill jars with raw asparagus, packing as tightly as possible without crushing, leaving 1-inch headspace.
Add 1 teaspoon of salt per quart to the jars, if desired.
Add boiling water, leaving 1-inch headspace.
Adjust lids and process

A chart showing canning pressure requirements for dial- and weighted-gauge pressure canners, listing style of pack, jar size, process time, and required PSI based on altitude ranges.

Freezing

I recommend using quality freezer bags or a vacuum sealer with packaging for freezing food.

Select young tender spears.
Wash thoroughly and sort into sizes.
Trim stalks by removing scales with a sharp knife.
Cut into even lengths to fit containers.
Water blanch small spears 2 minutes, medium spears 3 minutes and large spears 4 minutes.
Cool promptly, drain and package, leaving no headspace.
Seal and freeze.

🍎🫙 Get a free Preserving Guide for all the details to dehydrate, can, and freeze 42 fruits and vegetables — get the FREE GUIDE here!

Expert Tips

Store properly after preservation: Frozen asparagus is best used within 8-12 months for optimal quality. Dehydrated asparagus should be stored in airtight containers away from light and heat and will keep for 6-12 months. Properly canned asparagus can last 1-2 years when stored in a cool, dark place.
Consider pickling for long-term preservation: Pickling asparagus in a vinegar brine with spices creates a delicious preserved product that can last 12-18 months when properly processed in a water bath canner. The acidic environment prevents spoilage while maintaining the vegetable’s crisp texture.
Flash freeze individually first: I like to freeze asparagus so that I can take out different amounts as needed. Here’s how: Lay the blanched spears in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for 1-2 hours before transferring to freezer bags or containers. This prevents the spears from sticking together, allowing you to take out only what you need later.