In today’s blog post, we’re going to talk about how long does asparagus last and thus its shelf life. We’re also going to talk about how you should store it and go deeper into the spoilage part.
You’ve bought a lot of asparagus on a promo at the Saturday market in your area and are stuck with the rest you didn’t need for now. How long can it last now? A few days or more?
You don’t want to spoil this vegetable because it comes with a higher price tag. Use all of it and get the most quality out of it and you’ll be glad you did just that.
Does your asparagus have a weird color and are you unsure whether to use it or not?
If this is the case, we’re glad to help you.
Enjoy the read.
How Long Does Asparagus Last
We’ll start with a quick table so you can get an overview of everything.
Asparagus | Refrigerator |
---|---|
Asparagus (uncooked) | Up to 4 days |
Asparagus (cooked) | Up to 4 days |
Asparagus in the wet towel (and plastic bag) | Up to 7 days (1 week) |
Asparagus in a jar with water | 10 days up to 14 days (2 weeks) |
Asparagus is a vegetable and must be consumed within 4 days after you’ve bought it. Here we assume it is fresh.
There are other ways to store the asparagus: in a towel, in water, or in the refrigerator. You can cook them and store them afterward.
- Fresh asparagus will last in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Cooked asparagus will last in the fridge for up to 4 days
- Asparagus with a wet towel will last in the fridge for up to 7 days (1 week).
- Asparagus in a container or jar with water will last in the fridge for up to 14 days (2 weeks).
However, be sure to know that the above estimates are just that, estimates. Do your own research and trust your senses because you don’t know exactly how “fresh” this vegetable is.
Depending on the way it has been stored, it will last for a longer period but all in all, within 2 weeks the best of it is gone. It makes sense you focus your cooking and consumption for the next days on the asparagus so you won’t have to discard it.
If you’re unsure, freeze your asparagus and go from there sometime later.
A common saying in our daily lives is that you can make a profit from the moment you buy things: you have to buy them at the right time and at the right moment, for asparagus, this is the same.
How To Choose Asparagus
In order to get a long lifespan and thus be able to get the most out of your vegetables how and when you buy them.
You’ll have 2 colors when it comes to asparagus: white or green. White asparagus is grown under the ground and don’t see any sunlight, while green asparagus are grown above the ground and see sunlight. The green ones can be grown throughout the year.
Do your research and use the following guidelines:
- The color should be green
- The asparagus should feel solid
- When you take 2 of them and rub them on each other, you’ll hear a beeping sound, which is an indication of their freshness
- The top of the asparagus should look darker. Don’t confuse this with black spots as this can be mold!
- Avoid asparagus that’s softer and slimy and watch out for darker spots (mold).
- The asparagus shouldn’t look any other color than green on both sides. A yellow color usually indicates that asparagus is drying out and already going bad.
So, we’ve selected our bunches of asparagus and now we’re going to cook them. They can be used for a lot of dishes or soup.
Cooking The Asparagus
After you’ve cooked your asparagus, please know that your asparagus won’t last for more than 4 to 5 days. Period! Don’t let them out longer or don’t try any risks, we know it’s a more expensive vegetable, but it’s still not worth the risk.
We assume you’ll store the asparagus in either an airtight container or the refrigerator (also in a container and sealed).
Will my asparagus be bad after 4 or 5 days? Perhaps it won’t look and taste like it is very bad but it is simply not worth the risk. Some people don’t taste the bad taste as well as others.
Remember, the number of 4 days is general guidance and should be seen as a maximum range.
You can always freeze the rest of your asparagus and use them later. Simply divide them evenly into small bags, push the air out of them and seal them.
Some people, like me, seal them in a bag and put them in a container in the freezer, it’s very convenient, or even separate containers will do just fine. Other people even choose to double-bag them.
Now we’ve already said you can freeze your asparagus, there are other ways to store your asparagus as well. Time to talk about storage!
How To Store Asparagus
Besides freezing, there are some other ways you can store your asparagus.
You can keep the bought asparagus in the way you’ve bought them, tied together with some rope or rubber band.
You can place the rest of the asparagus, tied together in an unsealed plastic bag. This should last for about 4 days, just like cooked asparagus.
The thing is, asparagus, loves a damp environment, that’s why some vegetables are sold in half-open plastic bags. Placing it in a sealed bag will get rid of this environment and it won’t get moisture. The moisture contributes to a great crispy taste. The sealed bag will also make it difficult for the vegetable to breathe.
You can try and add some moisture to it.
When you’ve bought asparagus, chances are that they’re tied together. Make sure they’re tied together. You can do this in a few ways but one side needs to be in touch with water.
Wet towel: you simply put the asparagus with a bag on top (half), in a wet towel.
In a jar or cup: you can put them in a jar filled with water and leave the bag on top of it.
It is important that the plastic bag isn’t sealed, so air circulation is guaranteed, allowing it to breathe.
The latter 2 ways of storing it might seem the same for you, but it does have a different influence on the time it will spoil eventually, with the wet towel it will last up to 7 days (1 week), and with the water in the jar up to 14 days (2 weeks).
How Can You Tell If Asparagus Has Gone Bad
These are the classic signs or ways of telling if it has gone bad or not.
- Do you see some color change: if the asparagus has black spots on it, it might be a sign of mold, which is bad for your health.
- Does it feel softer: we’ve said that asparagus should be solid. Rub 2 of them on each other, do you hear a beeping sound? No? Doesn’t it feel as solid as it should be? This might indicate they’ve gone bad.
- Does it smell weird or unpleasant? A funny or bad smell is never a good indication of freshness. Let it go trust me.
- Does it taste weird or unpleasant? If so, discard it immediately.
These are 4 of the more classic signs of whether something has gone bad or not. Don’t confuse the color change with mold, if you’re in doubt, look for any other signs or discard them.
We don’t advise you to be an asparagus surgeon and get rid of the bad parts, get rid of it immediately.
On GoodOrGoneBad, we advise you to be cautious and don’t take any risks. Go and buy some new asparagus to be sure. I know it’s one of the more expensive vegetables out there but it’s the best thing you can do for your health! Freshness is king!
Enjoy your asparagus!